Gina Homolka's Favorite Way To Prepare Salmon For Picky Eaters - Exclusive
As popular as it is, salmon can be an acquired taste. Some varieties can taste both buttery and sweet while also having a rich, firm texture; others can be soft and relatively mild, while still others are distinctly meatier. But once someone has conquered the initial hesitance to this beautifully pink fish and found a variety they enjoy, they are sure to become devotees. However, getting the uninitiated to try new foods can be difficult, especially when children are involved.
No one knows this better than Skinnytaste creator Gina Homolka. Homolka has built her brand on creating delicious, healthy meals that are tasty and accessible for home cooks. Healthy eating can be a challenge, but one that Homolka, as a mom of two, is well acquainted with. In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, she revealed how she cooks her salmon to entice the picky eaters in her family.
Chicken nuggets are a fan favorite for kids and adults alike, so Homolka combined the familiar format of a nugget with a pink twist. "The air fryer salmon nuggets are a really great way to get your kids to like salmon, and they're so yummy," she said. Much like the classic chicken nuggets that come from a frozen bag, these nuggets are small pieces of meat breaded and cooked to crisp perfection. The difference is these nuggets require no frying and give you the extra nutritional bump that only comes from salmon.
Salmon nuggets provide a healthy meal in a comforting format
Salmon is not only high in protein — it also has beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent heart disease and improve brain function, per Healthline. A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon also generally offers all the vitamin B12 a person needs in a day, as well as high levels of B6. In her salmon nuggets recipe — which is featured in her new book, "Skinnytaste Simple: Easy, Healthy Recipies with 7 Ingredients or Fewer" — Gina Homolka preserves these healthy attributes by breading and cooking the fish in a way that maximizes flavor and texture.
Homolka utilizes her spritzing air fryer method to create a crispy crust using bread crumbs with a few spices and herbs to round out the flavor. After a few minutes in the fryer, you're left with a salmon dish that looks like the familiar chicken nuggets that even picky eaters know and love. It's the perfect way to introduce salmon to those who haven't acquired the taste yet — and the recipe itself is easy and accessible, with Homolka providing easy substitutions in her book for people who may not have all the necessary ingredients or equipment.