Salmon Patties and Spicy Roasted Broccoli

Total Cost: $3.72 – Serves 2 at $1.86 per serving

I love this recipe. It’s simple, delicious, and most importantly, healthy. I’m a huge fan of salmon but I’m not always in a position to buy it fresh. It can get pretty expensive, especially if you’re conscious about where it comes from and how it was fished. I know there’s cheaper fish options out there, but I just can’t bring myself to buy seafood that was farmed in Thailand and shipped frozen to the U.S. over God knows how many weeks.

But…

that doesn’t mean you can’t eat fish on a budget. My solution is canned salmon. I always make sure I have a couple cans of salmon in my cupboard because it lasts forever, it’s healthy, and it saves me during those times when I’ve put off grocery shopping for too long. Lucky for me, the 99 Cents Only Store carries a brand of wild-caught Alaskan pink salmon. The ingredients check out, too, with only salmon and water listed. I’m on board.

I love having these salmon patties with something green so I whipped up some roasted broccoli that I will certainly be making more of on a regular basis. It was crunchy, savory, spicy and so delicious.

Ingredients

Salmon Patties

2 7.5 oz. cans of salmon ($1.98)
1 large shallot, minced (20¢)
1 egg (25¢)
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs (10¢)
1/2 lemon, juiced (20¢)
1 tblsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. dried basil
salt & pepper
few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (optional)
paprika (optional)
vegetable oil

Spicy Roasted Broccoli

2 small heads of broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces (99¢)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, sliced
olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions

For the salmon patties, put everything but paprika in a bowl and mix with your hands until well incorporated. Form into four patties and place on a plate. Sprinkle paprika on top and place in the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes. You can let them sit in the fridge for several hours if need be. Once chilled, heat a non-stick pan with some vegetable oil over medium heat.  Cook patties for around 5-7 minutes on both sides or until they are golden brown. Serve immediately with some extra lemon.

For the broccoli, preheat your oven to 400°F. In a bowl, toss broccoli, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper in olive oil to coat. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly brown and crispy on the edges.

Easy as pie and no guilty feelings afterwards. If you need a little self-loathing, though, these would make great burgers with cheese and spicy mayo and …. ahem. What was I saying? Oh yeah, enjoy!