Okay, so my last post of chocolate cake probably wasn't the best way to represent eating primally! But it sure is a nice treat for birthdays and other special events without going too far off track. It just kind of goes to show that it's super easy to eat a little bit better than buying a cake full of preservatives and who knows what else at the grocery store. I like to know exactly what I'm eating!

I feel like I should clarify that we are definitely not perfect at following the primal blueprint. We are doing the best we can, but even so there are days when we "cheat" and eat something like <gasp> a hamburger with a bun! Or even JayC's Dr. Pepper on Friday night game nights. I know, shocking, isn't it? But our rule, and Mark Sisson talks about this in his book, is to follow the unwritten 80% rule. If you plan on eating this way 100% of the time, you'll probably actually make it 80% of the time, and that's okay! So we don't feel too bad when it happens, because sometimes it just does. And we all know that perfection isn't going to come in this life, right?

Today's recipe is going to be an awesome recipe for salmon burgers that I made a couple nights ago. Man, they're delicious! I was actually kind of shocked by how wonderful they were, and they are going in my permanent recipe book. The nice thing too is that you can use any kind of fish that you want. I would suggest using salmon or tuna, although wild salmon is a little more pricy than tuna, but it is so tasty. This recipe comes from a wonderful website called chowstalker.com. This website is awesome, because it posts primal/paleo recipes from tons of other websites that are good. So I get a lot of my recipes from there. (Paleo is basically the same thing as primal, except that paleo doesn't allow you to eat dairy products at all. I think primal is much better, cuz we can't live without dairy!) The creator of this recipe is by Frugal Jen on TheFrugalLowCarber.com, although I have made some changes to it according to my tastes.


Low Carb Fish Cakes (OR Salmon Patties) With Dill Sauce


Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dill 
• 2 tsp parsley
• 3 5-7 oz cans of tuna or salmon, well drained.
• 1/4 cup flax meal  (I find this in the cereal aisle at Wal-mart next to the granola.)

 (Depending on how many you want to make, the important thing to remember is use 1 egg to every 5-7 ounces of fish. I used a 14.5 oz can of salmon, so used 2 eggs and it made 5 patties.)

Directions:

1. Whisk the eggs with a fork in a large mixing bowl. Add the seasonings and mix well. (We’re starting with the eggs and seasonings so the dried onion can start absorbing some moisture.)
2. Stir in the fish until the fish is evenly distributed in the egg mixture.
3. Mix in 1/4 cup of the flax meal. Start by using a fork, then move on to kneading with your hands. The mixture will begin to feel a bit more “stiff” under your hands. Knead until the texture of the mixture is even throughout.
4. You may need a little more flax meal, but not much. You want a fairly loose patty that holds together but still feels moist. A mixture that’s dry and “tight” will become too dense and gummy when cooked. Knead in just enough flax meal, then form the mixture into 8-10 patties.
5. Put some cooking oil (I prefer coconut oil) in a large skillet and heat it over medium heat. Place patties in the skillet (you’ll only be able to fit 4-6 at a time). Cook until medium brown on one side, then flip them and brown the other side. (I let them cook until they were a little crispy.)Place on a paper-towel lined plate when done.
6. Add more oil to the skillet as needed between batches. After all the patties have been cooked, move immediately into making the dill sauce (if using).

Yield: 8-10 patties.

Nutritional Information:For the tuna version, each of eight patties contains approximately 2.5 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 1.0 g net carbs, 22.4 g protein, 4.1 g fat, and 140.8 calories.

Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup cream
• 1 tsp dill
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Turn heat to low, and add the sour cream. Stir to loosen any leftover fish bits and make them part of the sauce. (I didn't really have any leftover bits, but mix with any leftover coconut oil.)
2. Add cream to taste and stir again. A smaller amount of cream will give you a thicker sauce that may need to be served on the side, but it will allow the flavor of the sour cream to come through in the final product. A larger amount of cream will give a thinner sauce that can be used like gravy, but it will weaken the taste of the sour cream. (We used it like a gravy and JayC really loved it.)
3. Add the dill and salt. Stir again and remove from heat.

Yield: 1/2 – 3/4 cup of sauce.

Yummy! I served this with a side of steamed broccoli, and it was a meal we will repeat often. Next time we make them, I'll have to take a picture!