Giving things a shot

Because you never know till you try! (We didn't anyway.)

1) New paint. The bathroom, which hasn't been painted for lo these many years, is finally getting a new coat. I love blue and white bathrooms, so we went to Home Depot in quest of the perfect paint, finally settling on a brilliant white for the wainscoting and a lovely shade called Viking for the upper half. Right now, though, the bathroom looks a bit like a patchwork quilt, with paint samples in little rectangles all over the walls. :)

2) Flower seeds. I planted cosmos and zinnias earlier this spring, hoping for a shot of color in midsummer. My zinnias made it, mostly, but the cosmos fell prey to our sworn foe the groundhog. Well, 1 for 2 isn't bad, especially when seed packets cost pennies.

3) Raw milk. We tried it for two weeks, and Jared decided he didn't care for it so much, though I like it in kefir. So I'll buy some raw for myself, but for most uses, back to the dairy we go. Whatever. If I were a true-blue Real Foodie I'd hold out for raw, but honestly, pasteurized milk and CAFO chicken are the only iffy things left on my shopping list, so I shan't feel guilty about it. :) (I do plan to stock up next time Eberly has a sale, though.)

4) Not eating grains. This is an experiment on myself sparked by what I've read about gluten sensitivity, the possible ill effects of eating grains, and the Primal/Paleo diet (the premise behind which I don't quite agree with, but nutritionally it kinda makes sense). So no grains. Especially no gluten. Not gonna lie-- after a month of this, with only a few "cheats," I've found no lack of good food to eat and I feel a lot better. I don't think that grain is the devil. But I can't argue with how I feel. Hmm.

5) Salmon fillets. Target sells frozen fish at a very competitive price, and so I brought some home yesterday. 24 ounces of wild Alaskan salmon for $11-- though we won't be eating it every night, certainly affordable on occasion. Especially because it's delicious. I'd never cooked salmon before but this turned out perfectly. 

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Simple Salmon Fillets with Dill Mustard Sauce
(thanks to The Kitchn for inspiration) 

1 lb boneless salmon fillet/s
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream (or use all yogurt)
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
drizzle of honey

1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Brush both sides of salmon fillet/s with olive oil and place in ovenproof dish (in my case, the fillets had skin and I put that side down). Sprinkle top side with salt and pepper.
3) Bake fillets for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness; when done they should flake easily with a fork. Do not overcook.
4) Whisk together all remaining ingredients to make sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with salmon fillets.

Linked at Fight Back Friday and Simple Lives Thursday.

{image credit: puzzlemepuzzle}