Habanero Salmon Bowl with Chili Roasted Pepita Cauliflower, Cumin Cabbage & Carrot Slaw and a Rose-Basil Jalapeño Dressing

Boy did the month of May creep up on us FAST but I’m not upset because you know what that means — Cinco de Mayo festivities. Honestly I’m down with any holiday, no matter how big or small it may seem. It’s another good reason to gather around a group of close friends and family and chow down on some delicious food. 

If you’re wondering what Cinco de Mayo is, this holiday commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. Americans have simply adopted this holiday to celebrate Mexican culture — the music, the people and of course the wonderful flavors of Mexico. 

For most of us this means heaping bowls of chips and guac, platefuls of tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas…you know the drill. And although I absolutely LOVE all these tasty dishes, they’re not always easy on the stomach. We tend to go hard on the cheese and carbs with all those tortilla chips and taco shells, not to mention the heavy meat fillings. 

So for this Cinco de Mayo feast, I decided to come up with a healthy yet super tasty alternative — a spicy salmon bowl (pescatarians rejoice) filled with lots of vegetables all seasoned with ground chili and cumin spices and habanero sauce. Unconventional, yes, but I promise you won’t miss all the grease and cheese of Cinco de Mayo plates past. 

The salmon is doused in Siete Foods Habanero Hot Sauce and roasted over a bed of leeks and cilantro. Served alongside chili roasted cauliflower with pepitas and a cool cumin cabbage and carrot slaw, this spicy dish is topped with a lovely rose-basil-jalapeño dressing that pulls all the flavors together so nicely. 

But real quick, let’s go back to Siete’s Habanero Hot Sauce. What I love about this sauce (besides the flavor of course) are the healthy ingredients they use. There are no additives or fillers or any hard-to-pronounce ingredients listed and zero sugars which is hard to find in condiments. The sauce is made with avocado oil which has an extremely beneficial fatty acid profile. The orange color is naturally derived from golden beets, carrots, habanero pepper, and turmeric.  This sauce is a keeper. 

I serve all this over brown rice and beans and of course a generous spoonful of guac. It’s kinda picante, so if you’re not one for spicy you can always tone down the spices or use alternative seasonings.

As always, I’ve got you covered with a Spotify playlist — with traditional tunes and modern Latin jams inspired by my recent trip to Mexico City. Have fun in the kitchen! xx

Ingredients

For the Salmon:

Wild Alaskan salmon filets

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 leeks, sliced lengthwise

1 bunch cilantro 

1 tbsp ground habanero or any dried blend of hot chili peppers

3 tbsp Siete brand habanero hot sauce 

Himalayan sea salt and black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable broth 

For the Roasted Pepita Cauliflower: 

1 head cauliflower, stem removed and broken up into florets 

2-3 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp red chili flakes

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

Himalayan sea salt 

For the Cumin Cabbage & Carrot Slaw:

2 cups shredded white and purple cabbage and carrots 

1 tbsp cumin 

1 tsp chili pepper flakes

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Juice from 1 lime 

Himalayan sea salt and black pepper 

For the Rose-Basil Jalapeño Dressing:

1 bunch basil 

2 tbsp rose water 

1 jalapeno, deseeded

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice from 1 lime 

Splash white balsamic vinegar 

Himalayan sea salt and pepper 

Serve with:

Cooked brown or white rice

Black beans 

Guacamole 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse fish, pat dry and season with chili pepper spice blend, salt and pepper. In a baking dish, make a bed 

of the leeks and cilantro, drizzle with olive oil and place the salmon on top, skin-side facing up. Pour the 

habanero hot sauce over the fish, then pour the vegetable broth into the dish around the fish. Set aside to 

prepare the cauliflower. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the roasted pepita cauliflower and toss until well coated.  

Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the 

baking sheet after the 15 minutes and turn over each cauliflower floret then place back in the oven for an 

additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. At this time, place the salmon in the oven and bake for 

12-15 minutes or until flaky and cooked through. 

While the cauliflower and salmon are roasting, make the slaw and dressing. For the dressing, place all 

ingredients in a food processor except for the olive oil and pulse, adding in the olive oil gradually. Taste to 

see if you need to add more salt, vinegar or lime. 

To make the slaw, add the cabbage and carrots to a bowl and season with cumin, chili flakes, olive oil, 

lime, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. 

Serve salmon, cauliflower and slaw in bowls on top of rice, black beans and top with guacamole and 

dressing.