Recipe: Cajun Salmon with Sweet Potato Wedges

The ingredients in our Cajun Salmon with Sweet Potato have a range of health benefits, making this meal a great post-swim, gym or run option.

The high protein content in the salmon and the broccoli will aid muscular repair and recovery, and the complex carbohydrates found in the sweet potato will replenish your depleted glycogen stores (this is where your body stores carbohydrates as energy, and as you exercise these stores become depleted).

The fats found in salmon are omega-3 fats, also known as ‘essential fatty acids’ because our bodies cannot synthesise them by itself. They’re typically found in oily fish, and have been shown to contribute to healthy brain function.

Scientists are also researching the role that oily fish consumption has in protecting us against certain types of cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression, diabetes, macular degeneration and several other degenerative diseases.

Salmon is also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including potassium which is an electrolyte essential to healthy cells, selenium which is needed to produce certain proteins, and vitamin B12 which is integral to the health of the nervous system.

We opted for sweet potato to accompany the fish, as the complex carbohydrates contribute to consistent blood sugar levels. It’s also quick and easy to prepare, tastes great, and is high in fibre, meaning it will help to stave off cravings by keeping you feeling full. This brilliant root vegetable is also high in beta carotene which boosts the immune system, vitamins B1 and 2 which help to the body to convert food into useful fuel, and vitamin C which is needed for the growth and repair of body tissues.

Broccoli makes up the remainder this meal, not only as an additional source of protein, but because it contains vitamins and minerals that can help prevent macular degeneration, boost our immune system, and remove toxins and free radicals that may have built up in our bodies. It’s high in dietary fibre, and so will aid in keeping our digestive system operating optimally.

Despite being densely packed with fantastic nutrition, this Cajun salmon with sweet potato wedges meal is still a wonderfully light and easy meal idea, great for a lunch or a dinner. Let us know how you like it!