ORANGE GINGER SALMON AND QUINOA STUFFED PEPPER AND ZUCCHINI MEDLEY

I was chosen as 1 of only 15 bloggers to compete in the Cedar Bay Grilling Company Blogger Recipe Challenge!  The challenge is to really think outside of the box and create new recipes highlighting their delicious Cedar Plank Salmon and Naked Lobster products in entrees and appetizers.

I tried the Applewood Orange Ginger Flavor and was wowed by the complexity!  I was already looking at ways to eat healthy starting off the new year and knew that this flavor would be delicious paired with quinoa in a stuffing for fresh bell peppers and zucchini.  Even my kids went crazy for this uber-healthy dish!!

Here’s how I made them!  Note – you can also scroll to the bottom of this post to skip to the full recipe or click on the photos in this post which will link you to the recipe page as well.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Remove the salmon (on the planks) from 2 packages of Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon – Applewood, Orange, and Ginger flavor and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes (note – this will be less than package directions and salmon will finish cooking in the filling). Reserve any juices left in the salmon packaging to squeeze into the quinoa filling later.

Remove the skin from the salmon filets and place it in a large deep skillet, fatty side down.  Cook the skin for 2-3 minutes until the skin is very crispy.  Remove and chop into small pieces. Set aside with the par-cooked salmon filets.

Cut 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper in half from the top down (through the stem).  Remove the stems and seeds, leaving the shells intact with the stem.  Cut 1 medium size zucchini in half lengthwise.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (enough water so the peppers and zucchini will be fully immersed when you add them to the boiling water).  Place pepper ‘cups’ and zucchini halves in the boiling water and cook until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 8-10 minutes.  Reserve ¾ cup of the ‘pepper water’ and set aside.  Remove peppers and zucchini from the pot and drain, upside down, on 4 layers of paper towels on the counter.

Combine ¾ cup of raw quinoa, reserved ‘pepper water’, ¼ cup of orange juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a large non-stick saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot.  Cook for 15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and the ‘germ’ has popped out of the quinoa.  Let rest for 5 minutes in the pot before stirring (this will make fluffy quinoa).

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large deep skillet.  Add 1 large chopped leek, 4 chopped garlic cloves, and 1 ½ tablespoons chopped ginger root to the pan.  Cook until tender and then add 1 large carrot, very thinly sliced into rounds, to skillet.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, about 6-8 minutes until the carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

While the carrots cook, use a small spoon to scoop the flesh out of each of the cooked zucchini halves, leaving a shell about ¼ – ½” thick.  Press the zucchini flesh firmly between paper towels to remove most of the moisture.  Chop the flesh into small pieces and add it to the pan and stir to combine.

Add the cooked quinoa, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ cup of orange juice to the pan.  Crumble the cooked salmon filets into the pan in large bite-size pieces and add any remaining juices from the salmon packaging.  Gently toss everything together until well mixed.  Remove from heat.

Add 3.5 ounces crumbled goat cheese and toss gently.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.

Place the pepper and zucchini shells onto the baking sheet, cavity-side-up, and season the cavities with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Scoop the quinoa and salmon filling mixture into the peppers and zucchini to fill each shell.  Sprinkle shredded Swiss over the tops.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.  Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Delish and sooo good for you too!

ORANGE GINGER SALMON AND QUINOA STUFFED PEPPER AND ZUCCHINI MEDLEY

2, 5 ounce packages Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon – Applewood, Orange, and Ginger flavor

1 large red bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

1 medium zucchini

½ cup raw tri-color quinoa

½ cup orange juice, divided

1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large leek, chopped white and light green parts – about 1 ½ cups (rinse any sand or debris off in cold water)

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

1 large carrot, peeled and very thinly sliced into rounds

½ teaspoon black pepper, divided

3.5 ounces crumbled goat cheese

½ cup Jarlsberg or gruyere cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Remove the salmon (on the planks) from each package and place them on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes (note – this will be less than package directions and salmon will finish cooking in the filling). Reserve any juices left in the salmon packaging to squeeze into the quinoa filling later.

Remove the skin from the salmon filets and place it in a large deep skillet, fatty side down.  Cook the skin for 2-3 minutes until the skin is very crispy.  Remove and chop into small pieces. Set aside with the par-cooked salmon filets.

Cut the peppers in half from the top down (through the stem).  Remove the stems and seeds, leaving the shells intact with the stem.  Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (enough water so the peppers and zucchini will be fully immersed when you add them to the boiling water).  Place pepper ‘cups’ and zucchini halves in the boiling water and cook until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 8-10 minutes.  Reserve ¾ cup of the ‘pepper water’ and set aside.  Remove peppers and zucchini from the pot and drain, upside down, on 4 layers of paper towels on the counter.

Combine the quinoa, reserved ‘pepper water’, ¼ cup of the orange juice, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a large non-stick saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot.  Cook for 15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and the ‘germ’ has popped out of the quinoa.  Let rest for 5 minutes in the pot before stirring (this will make fluffy quinoa).

Heat the olive oil in large deep skillet.  Add the leeks, garlic, and ginger to the pan.  Cook until tender and then add the sliced carrots to skillet.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, about 6-8 minutes until the carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

While the carrots cook, use a small spoon to scoop the flesh out of each of the cooked zucchini halves, leaving a shell about ¼ – ½” thick.  Press the zucchini flesh firmly between paper towels to remove most of the moisture.  Chop the flesh into small pieces and add it to the pan and stir to combine.

Add the quinoa, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper, and the remaining ¼ cup of orange juice to the pan.  Crumble the salmon filets into the pan in large bite-size pieces and add any remaining juices from the salmon packaging.  Gently toss everything together until well mixed.  Remove from heat.

Add the crumbled goat cheese and toss gently.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.

Place the pepper and zucchini shells onto the baking sheet, cavity-side-up, and season the cavities with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Scoop the quinoa and salmon filling mixture into the peppers and zucchini to fill each shell.  Sprinkle shredded Swiss over the tops.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.  Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Delish and sooo good for you too!