Grilled Salmon Power Bowls (Print Version)

Nutrient-packed bowls with grilled salmon, quinoa, avocado, and zesty citrus dressing ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets, 5.3 oz each, skin removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Quinoa

06 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Bowl Toppings

09 - 2 ripe avocados, sliced
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
12 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
14 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Citrus Dressing

15 - 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
17 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
18 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
19 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
20 - 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
21 - Pinch of sea salt
22 - Pinch of black pepper

# Steps to Follow:

01 - In a saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - Brush salmon fillets with olive oil, then season evenly with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika on both sides.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill salmon fillets for 3-4 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with grilled salmon fillet, avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.
06 - Drizzle citrus dressing evenly over each bowl just before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together faster than you'd think, leaving you time to actually sit down and eat instead of cleaning up.
  • It's one of those meals that feels indulgent because it's so vibrant and colorful, but your body thanks you for the protein and healthy fats.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa or it'll taste slightly bitter and grainy instead of clean and fluffy, which completely changes how the bowl tastes.
  • Slice your avocado just before assembling—I learned this the hard way when I prepped everything earlier in the day and the avocado turned brown and mealy, which was disappointing for everyone involved.
03 -
  • If your salmon sticks to the grill, it's usually not ready to flip yet—patience for those extra 30 seconds makes all the difference between beautiful crust and frustration.
  • Keep a small bowl of extra dressing on the side because people always want more, and serving it separately lets everyone control how much they want.
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