Name: Brain Health Bowl with Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 (6-ounce) sockeye salmon fillets; ¼ teaspoon paprika; ¼ teaspoon cayenne; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; High-heat cooking oil (grapeseed, sunflower, or peanut are good options); ½ cup pineapple, fresh or frozen, diced into bite-sized cubes; ½ cup teriyaki sauce, store-bought or homemade; Juice from ½ lime, remainder reserved for serving; ½ cup broccoli or cauliflower, chopped; ¼ cup red pepper, chopped; 1 cup cooked brown rice; Cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

A Mood-Lifting Salmon Rice Bowl

This brain health bowl includes foods like sockeye salmon and pineapple that help produce serotonin, one of the body’s feel good hormones. Salmon contains vitamin B6 and B12, two important nutrients that help support mood and mental health. It is paired with vitamin C-rich red pepper and broccoli or cauliflower, plus brown rice, which contains niacin (vitamin B3). This combination is not only delicious, but contains all of the vitamins needed to help support a healthy brain and a better mood.*

For this recipe, you can use either fresh pineapple or frozen (defrosted before using). Frozen produce is flash frozen at peak ripeness, which preserves nutritional value.

About Brooke Scheller, DCN, CNS:

Dr. Brooke Scheller is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition and Board Certified Nutrition Specialist. She specializes in functional nutrition to support gut health, mood and mental health, and alcohol use. Dr. Brooke has over 12 years of training and experience in nutrition and functional medicine and has worked with both individuals and large organizations building nutrition programs to scale. She is also the founder of Condition Nutrition, a nutrition consultancy working with start up organizations in personalized nutrition, supplements, and health-tech.

*Editor's note: This recipe is not intended to provide medical advice on any specific topic or for any specific individual. For additional resources on food's role in mental health, check out a 2020 webinar hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) that discusses the gut-brain connection. We also invite you to visit NAMI's homepage for access to general resources related to mental health and well-being.

Print Recipe

Brain Health Bowl with Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon

By Wild Alaskan Company

Prep time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total time

30 minutes

Yield

2 servings

Ingredients

2 (6-ounce) sockeye salmon fillets
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
High-heat cooking oil (grapeseed, sunflower, or peanut are good options)
½ cup pineapple, fresh or frozen, diced into bite-sized cubes
½ cup teriyaki sauce, store-bought or homemade
Juice from ½ lime, remainder reserved for serving
½ cup broccoli or cauliflower, chopped
¼ cup red pepper, chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
Cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat salmon fillets dry with a clean tea towel or paper towel to remove excess moisture. Season with paprika, cayenne, and salt & pepper.

2. Add just enough oil to cover bottom of hot pan. When oil begins to shimmer (sizzling hot), carefully place one salmon fillet skin-side down into pan and immediately press down onto fillet with a fish spatula to ensure good skin to pan contact. Hold firmly for 15 seconds, then repeat with remaining fillet. Sear each fillet for 3 minutes, or until the salmon releases easily from the skillet with the help of a fish spatula.

3. Carefully flip fillets, then reduce heat to medium. Add teriyaki sauce, pineapple, and lime juice, then allow salmon to cook for another 1 to 3 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. If sauce is reducing too quickly, add a splash of water.

4. Salmon is medium-rare when thickest part registers 120F on an instant read thermometer, or when flaked easily with a fork. Transfer finished salmon to a plate, then spoon pineapple and half the sauce from pan over fish.

5. Add broccoli and peppers to pan with sauce and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add brown rice into pan, stirring to coat. Transfer brown rice and veggies to a plate and top with the salmon and pineapple. Garnish with remaining lime wedges and cilantro.

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

Brain Health Bowl with Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon

A Mood-Lifting Salmon Rice Bowl

Brain Health Bowl with Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon

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