Spending time at a cancer treatment center is enlightening, to say the least. Though I know people who have lived with cancer-many more now than I ever thought I would-there is no way to fully understand it until you've been there and lived it. I read everything my friends ever wrote about it, and yet I was not prepared when my phone call came in 2013.
The day after finishing a 5K, I got on a plane to Chicago with my mother to visit a cancer center for a second opinion on my treatment. Michael held down the fort here at home with the boys and did his best to not worry, but you know what that's like. We were there for a week talking with doctors, enduring more tests, waiting for results, and meeting many people and their families who are also living with cancer. Hospitals are not my favorite place, and it helped that all of the doctors, nurses, and everyone we spoke with were so kind. They went out of their way to make sure we had the information and support we needed. And even the food was good, which is saying a lot for hospital food, a genre that has an unfortunate reputation in this country. Dinner one evening was a pan-fried salmon filet with pineapple salsa, and it only took one bite for me to decide that there is indeed hope for hospital food.
My salsa recipe is probably not exactly like theirs. I just mixed ingredients that sounded good to me, then spooned it over grilled salmon that I put on a bed of spinach. It's a fast, easy, and very healthy dish for a summer evening, one that will become a regular on the Casa Meyers menu.
Recipe Notes
You can grill outdoors or indoors with a grill pan. Salsa can be made up to one day ahead.
Serve on a bed of spinach, with grilled zucchini, or fresh summer salads.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Salmon with Fresh Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets
- 2 cups fresh diced pineapple
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 lime zest and juice
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped (optional)
Method
- SALSA - Stir all of the ingredients together in the bowl. Cover and chill. Make up to one day ahead.
- Preheat your grill according to the manufacturers directions. Rub the salmon with a little olive oil and black pepper on both sides. Grill over medium heat, turning half way through cooking, until the meat is firm and flaky, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets.
- Spoon the prepared salsa over the cooked salmon and serve immediately.
This dish looks absolutely delicious, Andrea! I have been away from your blog and did not know you had cancer. I sincerely hope you are doing okay now.
All the best,
Shirley
Thanks Shirley. Hopefully we have things on the right track now.