Grilled Salmon Burgers

by Noor H. Salem

It’s mid-summer, and you’re perhaps at the midst of enjoying plenty of barbequed meat, poultry, burgers, and hotdogs. While protein is crucial for your physical and mental wellbeing, making wise choices is important for your long-term health.

Unfortunately, popular grilling food items, such as hot dogs and burgers, can be extremely unhealthy.

Hot dogs come along with detrimental chemicals and preservatives, such as nitrate or monosodium glutamate. Making your own burgers will allow you to know what’s being put in your meat. You can use your own spices to flavor them, instead of consuming ready ones that are loaded with refined sodium.

For a twist from beef burgers, and even chicken, try these gourmet salmon burgers! They are bursting with intense flavor due to the fresh garlic and onions. These burgers are not only mouthwatering, but are also loaded with natural anti-bacterial properties, anti-inflammatory properties, protein, and numerous vitamins and minerals vital for your health.

The tahini dressing adds a juicy touch to them, and an additional boost of vitamins and micronutrients, such as vitamin B5, B15, B3, vitamin E, calcium, methionine, and magnesium. Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds, which are an incredible seed to include in your meals more often. Tahini is very high in heart health benefits and carries unique amino acids that could enhance your health.

Furthermore, it helps regulate high blood pressure level and cholesterol, while balancing your hormones as well. Add fresh garlic and lemon juice to the dressing, and you have an abundant health dressing loaded with vitamin C, natural anti-bacterial properties, protein, and vital nutrients. Undoubtedly, this dressing is incomparable to store-bought dressings, that come along with genetically engineered oils, excessive amounts of refined salt, a myriad of unpronounceable chemicals, and health-detrimental preservatives.

Feel free to substitute the cilantro for parsley, and toss in additional favorite spices as well. Enjoy right off the grill at your next barbeque social!

Ingredients:

• 6 fillets of wild-caught salmon
• 1 medium red onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro, washed and dried
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon dill
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper (optional)

Tahini-Garlic Dressing:

• ¼ cup tahini (ground sesame paste)
• 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (garnish)

Directions:

1. Place the salmon, onion, garlic, parsley, and spices in a food processor and pulse until well incorporated.
2. Mold into thick round patties (at your desired thickness). Grill the patties on your grill about four to five minutes on each side, or until well-done. If you prefer to use oil for grilling on a skillet atop your stove, opt for cold-pressed avocado oil.
3. For the dressing ingredients, mix the tahini and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Add in remaining ingredients and stir.
4. Serve with the homemade tahini dressing. These burgers are delicious atop a fresh salad, aside organic basmati rice, or in a sandwich straight off the grill. Enjoy!

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.