Easy GF Salmon Cakes- an Omega-3 Powerhouse!

Last night for dinner I wanted something healthy that I could throw together quickly, my whole family would eat, and  would conform to my newly gluten free diet.  The answer, these super yummy salmon cakes! Not only did my whole family (including my picky 5 year old) devour them, but they are incredibly nutritious! Using wild caught salmon and free range eggs will significantly boost the nutritional profile, especially for the omega-3 fatty acid content of these patties compared to using farmed salmon and eggs from caged birds. 

But how can that be? Eggs are eggs, right? Wrong. A 2007 Mother Earth News Study found that truly FREE-RANGE eggs (that is to say, eggs from hens raised without confinement and out on pasture, not ones produced in line with the USDA's low standards for "Free-Range") are healthier than their conventional counterparts.

 

Compared to conventionally raised eggs, truly free-range eggs contain:

* 1/3 less cholesterol

*1/4 less saturated fat

*2/3 more omega-3 fatty acids

*3 times more vitamin E

*7 times more beta carotene

 http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-10-01/Tests-Reveal-Healthier-Eggs.aspx

 

When it comes to free range eggs, you can SEE the difference; the orange yolk at the front is from a truly free range hen.  The darker yolk color indicates a higher concentration of beta carotene.

So what about the salmon itself?  I used wild caught salmon in pouches, making it quick, easy and affordable! I choose pouches over cans to reduce my family's exposure to BPA (used in can linings and some plastics).  For me, the most important aspect of the salmon is that it is wild caught. Proponents of farmed salmon will tell you it has higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids than wild, and this is correct, but it is also not the whole picture.  To get the real story, you need to look at the RATIO of Omega 3's to Omega 6's:

Excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids and a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today's Western diets- and farm raised salmon- promote the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whereas increased levels of omega-3's (a low omega-6/omega-3 ratio) exert suppressive effects. Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct;56(8):365-79.

Let me say that again; too many Omega 6's (or too high an Omega 6/3 ratio) can cause heart disease and cancer, and higher Omega 3's can prevent those same diseases!  This seems like a no-brainer to me.  I'll reach for the wild caught every time!

To stick with my newly adopted gluten free diet, I pulsed a few GF flat breads in the food processor for a couple seconds and, voila!  Gluten free breadcrumbs!  So, without further ado, here it is!

Emily's Easy Salmon Cakes
Hands on time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes 9 medium sized patties

• 15 oz. Wild caught Salmon
• 1/2 cup GF breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
• 1 free range egg
• 1/4 cup homemade mayo find my recipe here!
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 mashed avocado
• a few sprigs fresh dill, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• squeeze of fresh lemon

Preheat oven to 350` F. Combine all ingredients (adding more breadcrumbs if too wet and more mayo if too dry) and shape into patties. Arrange salmon cakes on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping once half way through cooking. We served our salmon cakes with sauteed zucchini and some jasmine rice and everyone cleaned their plates! This was definitely a delicious, nutritious meal!