It’s no secret that salmon and other fatty fish are excellent sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, making them highly desirable foods for healthy eating.

If you’re anything like me, cooking fish can be challenging for many different reasons, and I rarely tackle the task.

First, I love the flavor of grilled salmon, so the idea of baking salmon is less than exciting. Also, living in a land-locked area makes me a little bit skeptical of where exactly fresh seafood comes from, and how exactly it made its way to my plate. However, I try not to let this stop me from enjoying the health benefits of this tasty food.

Thankfully, there is a way to prepare salmon that is quick, tasty and simple enough to make on a weeknight at your apartment!

Salmon patties do not require a laundry list of strange ingredients, or a culinary degree to prepare. Also, they are so versatile in how they can be enjoyed, making them ideal for leftovers on busy nights.

My favorite way to enjoy salmon patties is using them to add protein and wonderful nutrients to a fresh, southwestern-style salad. This recipe is a guideline for my favorite way to prepare them, but it also leaves plenty of room for creative liberty and experimentation!

First, we’ll start with the ingredients for the salmon patties:

One can wild-caught salmon, drained and flaked

One egg

One and a half tablespoon fresh lemon juice

One tablespoon garlic, minced

One-fourth medium onion, diced

One-half tablespoon mustard

One-fourth tablespoon salt

One-fourth tablespoon dried thyme

One-fourth tablespoon black pepper

Next, we’ll move into getting things together for the salad and toppings:

Lettuce- spring mix or romaine is my favorite

Corn- desired amount (Two tablespoons)

Tomato- slices or grape tomatoes (One-half of a small tomato)

Avocado slices (One-fourth of an avocado)

Pineapple chunks (One-fourth cup)

Cucumber slices (desired amount)

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl

2. Use about one-fourth cup of the mixture to form each patty, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. The total amount of mixture should yield five patties.

3. Cook patties in a skillet on medium-high, using a small amount of olive oil if necessary. Use a griddle or non-stick pan with oul.

4. Cook for roughly three minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

5. Prepare your salad, add two patties and other toppings of your choice!

I love this recipe for its versatility and simplicity. Leftover patties are excellent reheated and served with fresh vegetables or rice, or on toasted whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato and mustard as a sandwich!