Whole 30 Approved Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Leeks and Poached Egg

Get ready to impress. Pan-Seared Salmon with Creamy Leeks and Poached Egg Recipe is Whole 30 approved and will show you just how good eating real food can be.

Changing your mindset about Whole 30 helps your results while on it.

Let’s be honest. If I have to stare down one more label to see if it’s whole 30 approved or not, I am going to lose it. See, doing the whole 30 was great. Didn’t lose a pound, but felt amazing. But those first few weeks of mulling over every single item in the market, doubling my grocery bill, and stocking the shelves with the little odds and ends that make the diet do-able was a serious pain in the ass.

I scoured the internet for ideas, tried meal prepping, ate like 3 dozen eggs out of recipe burn out.

Then something changed. Maybe it was the mythical ‘tigers blood’ you read about in the pretext of the book. Or maybe it was just my mindset. I was walking through the market and I suddenly got pissed off at myself. I had been walking around like a slug dreading every single thing I put in the cart when I realized that I was being an ass.

How I Think about the Whole 30

Like magic, things started falling into my cart (and no, not Cheezits and Tastycakes). Real ingredients that were fresh and local were suddenly inspiring me. I had a little epiphany of flavors and got to work.

It was the mindset I’d been in.

I was focused solely on what I couldn’t have. What wasn’t allowed?

Which, in case you’re curious, is pretty much every single aisle between the dairy section and the produce department.

But, the moment I stopped thinking about what I COULDN’T have, my brain just switched. I remembered I’m a cook (duh) and it’s my job to come up with creative kick ass meals every single day, to push boundaries, updated classics and to try new spins. Seriously, that was all it took.

Suddenly I was done gnawing on carrots in rage, and whipping up finger licking meals in the kitchen that were also Whole30 approved – and being whole30 approved, pretty much meant they were Keto, Paleo, GF and everything in between, like these smoked stuffed poblanos, Turkish Dolma, smoked ribs, or this serious flank steak with saffron ‘rice’.

When did I become this hipster? Don’t know, don’t care. I’m eating good tonight.

Here are a few of my MUST HAVE Whole 30 items:

Shopping on the Whole 30 Diet can be rough. It’s a diet of privilege and hard on the pocketbook. But, there are a few inexpensive options once I got over the idea that everything had to come from the top shelf at Whole Foods. I was able to do it shopping at my local market, without adding too many just-for-whole-30-items to the cart. Really, I just got back to shopping smart without filling the cart with junk.

Must-haves to survive 30 days:

• Coconut Aminos – I love how much flavor this adds. Without soy or even Worcestershire, I found this product to be a must. I was also able to find it WAY cheaper than at WholeFoods by scouring the less expensive markets and even Walmart.
• Whole 30 Bacon – seriously. Worth every freakin penny. But it doesn’t have to be super fancy bacon – just read the ingredients and make sure it falls under the rules
• Whole 30 Mayo – this is one of the easiest things to make yourself and I think its a must. You will probably be mashing an avocado into chicken salad for flavor – and homemade or approved mayo is such a wonderful easy flavor to add that healthy fat back in.
• Ghee – this is totally inexpensive at Trader Joes. I don’t always think a big haul from TJ’s is actually that much of a savings when I count it all out but this is one thing that is an absolute must.

How to make this Salmon

This salad is a prime example of the mindset shift for me. Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Leeks and Poached Egg. A “salad” that would end up in front of you at the fanciest of places. Crisp golden potatoes, perfectly cooked salmon, creamy leeks, and a sexy poached egg. Sure you could pack 30 days of chopped romaine, carrot sticks and a spoonful of store-made guac, or you could change your thinking and eat like a boss.

This recipe looks fancy and complicated but it really is just a few simple things combined on one plate.

First, make the ‘creamed leeks’ while roasting the potatoes. We use arrowroot powder to thicken nut milk to give the leeks a rich creamy texture. You could also use coconut milk here if it’s what you have on hand (it can also be a lot more affordable then nut milks).

When the potatoes are almost ready, I fire up a skillet and pan sear the salmon. I find that for salmon, a high quality non-stick pan is wonderful, or my tried and true favorite, cast iron. You want something that has even heat to to cook the salmon and that the salmon will release from when ready to flip without pulling or tearing the fish.

The key to good timing here is to have multiple burners running at once. At the same time you will be searing the salmon, you will want to be poaching the egg. So have a small pot of water going as well to drop the egg into. I poach the egg at the very last minute, so that it is served piping hot over everything with a perfectly runny yolk.

Go be a boss and cook up something incredible tonight. Bonus points if ya tag me and show me what you’re making! @girlcarnivore

NEED MORE WHOLE30 INSPIRATION? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES:

• Enchilada Stuffed Smoked Poblano Peppers
• Sausage with Roasted Cabbage and Butternut Squash Puree 
• Paleo Sesame Tuna Bowls
• Grilled Harissa Avocado Baked Eggs

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