PMS Relief: Quick Salmon Salad

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Dandelion and other bitter greens relieve bloating.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a topping for greens

Canned salmon offers a convenient way to make a healthy lunch or appetizer. Salmon is a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are recommended to reduce inflammation associated with cramps. The lemon balm called for in this recipe freshens the flavor of the canned salmon, and its medicinal effects include countering anxiety that can accompany PMS. The jicama masks the texture of the small salmon bones, which are loaded with calcium and have been softened in the canning process, so shouldn’t pose a problem to eat.

• 1 16-ounce can salmon
• 1/2 cup water
• Juice of one medium-sized lemon
• 3 tablespoons lemon balm, washed, patted dry, and minced
• 1 cup jicama, peeled and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cold-pressed olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Remove any skin and large bones from the salmon. In a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients, toss the salmon with the water and all but 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice.

2. In a separate, smaller bowl, toss the lemon balm and jicama with the oil. Drain the salmon and toss it with the reserved 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add the lemon balm and jicama mixture and toss again.

3. Serve the salmon mixture on a bed of Simply Living Salad, stuff it into seeded bell pepper halves, or use as a spread to serve with low-sodium crackers as an appetizer.

Click here for the original article, Herbs for Balance: PMS Relief.

Debbie Whittaker is a frequent contributor to Herbs for Health. She demonstrates her healthy cooking style as the “Herb Gourmet” in Denver, Colorado.