Fireside Fennel and Dill Salmon

Mmmmh, what could possibly be better than spending a day at the beach building sand castles, soaking up some Vitamin D while reading a good magazine followed by frequent, refreshing dips in one of Canada's finest lakes. I know, I know. You are probably thinking that nothing could possibly top that, right?
What would you say if I told you that M. and I added to our already perfect day by having a fireside beach BBQ while watching a gorgeous sunset...

... and enjoying delicious fennel and dill salmon.

I love fennel due to it's volatile, aromatic oils. If you know fennel already you will know what I'm talking about...the lovely aroma of anise a.k.a licorice. Science has discovered that fennel contains many health promoting antioxidant phytonutrients, such as quercetin, kaempferol and rutin, which protect cells from oxidative damage and the already mentioned aromatic volatile oils contribute to fennel's anti-inflammatory compounds.

With it's sweet and spicy notes, fennel is a warming herb that tonifies the bladder, kidneys, spleen, stomach and liver. So, when shopping for this recipe select unblemished bulbs, which look crisp and have soft, fragrant blue-green leaves. The bulb should be medium size and pearly white. Because fennel does not store well make sure that you use within a couple of days.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole, organic salmon fillet
• 1 cedar plank, soaked in water for 6-8 hours
• 1 bulb fennel, diced
• 1 handful dill, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 tbsp. black sesame seeds
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Sea salt and black pepper

Preparation:
Wash the salmon and pat it dry with paper towel.
Put the salmon on top of the soaked cedar plank add sea salt and pepper and set aside.
In a bowl add the diced fennel, chopped dill, olive oil and lemon juice.
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste
Grill the salmon until it is firm all the way through.

With the sun setting right before our eyes we sat next to our fire, surrounded by smells of cedar, fennel and dill.

Slurpable Sunscreen - The Blueberry Antioxidant Smoothie

Gosh, this summer so far has been hot, hot, hot!
M. and I have made it a point of spending us much time as possible with the rest of our family. We've visited my mom and dad overseas, have gone up North for some well deserved rest and relaxation and were experimenting in our kitchen where we came up with this new delish Super Antioxidant Blueberry Smootie.

So, what's in it you may ask and how could we possibly call it a "Slurpable Sunscreen"?? Well, dear paper bag kitchen readers here are some facts surrounding antioxidants in blueberries and acai berry powder, free radical absorbency and the ORAC scale.

Blueberries: 

Blueberries have been ranked with some of the strongest antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as enzymes (proteins in your body that assist in chemical reactions). They are believed to play a role in preventing the development of such chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, and cataracts. Some of the most powerful antioxidants found in blueberries are the anthocyanidins also known as their blue-red flavonoid pigments. Antioxidants slow down the oxidative process and protect us against free radicals caused by sun exposure.

Acai Berry Powder:

Acai powder comes from Central and South America and is loaded with antioxidants, essential amino acids and packed with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Acai is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains many micro-nutrients including ployphenols and flavonoids. Last but not least, Acai berries score just as high as blueberries on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbency capacity) scale protecting us also from free radical damage.

So, how do you feel about our slurpable sunscreen now? M. sure approved of our latest creation.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of blueberries
• 1 tsp. of chia seeds
• 1 rounded tsp. of acai berry powder (we used Navitas)
• 1 tbsp. of protein powder (we used Sunwarrior vanilla flavoured rice protein)
• 1 cup Coconut milk (we used SoDelicious)
• Agave Nectar to taste

Preparations:

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend well.
Serve and consume immediately.

HAPPY SUMMER!