Cabbage is not just for slaw anymore. This crunchy, flavorful green is also wonderful when paired with the richness of seafood and avocado to make tacos that will blow your mind. And they're so easy to make, you'll never order them at a restaurant again.

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 10 min | Yield: 8 tacos, 4 servings 

Ingredients

For the cabbage salad with creamy cilantro dressing: 

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 avocado 
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed, very coarsely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, about 1½ limes
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon Celtic or pink Himalayan salt
• 3 cups green or Napa cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper, ¼-inch dice

For the salmon: 

• Avocado oil pan spray
• 1 pound salmon fillet
• ½ teaspoon Celtic or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

To complete the dish:

• 8 grain-free taco shells
• Diced tomatoes or salsa fresca, for garnish, optional
• Sliced jalapeno peppers, for garnish, optional

Instructions

To make the creamy cilantro dressing:

Combine olive oil, avocado, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, coriander, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend for 2-3 minutes until combined. 

Add the cabbage and red bell pepper to a medium bowl, toss with dressing, and refrigerate so flavors can meld.

To make the salmon: 

Preheat the broiler to high and generously spray a baking pan with avocado oil pan spray.

Place salmon on baking pan and broil for about 5 minutes. Check for doneness (see notes for testing instructions). Total baking time will vary between 5 and 8 minutes based on thickness. 

To build the tacos, optionally warm and/or toast grain-free taco shells in an oven or in a dry sauté pan. Flake the salmon and divide among the tacos. Top with cabbage slaw. Garnish with diced tomatoes or salsa fresca, and optionally slices jalapeno peppers.

Notes

If you have extra slaw, enjoy it as a side dish with seafood or chicken. (It gets better after being the refrigerator overnight.) You can also make the Creamy Cilantro Dressing to use in salads, with a crudité, or to serve with almost any fish or chicken. If you're someone who does not enjoy the taste of cilantro, leave it out and/or replace with another herb of your choice, like thyme or rosemary.

Salmon is done when it is opaque and easily flakes. The best and easiest way to check for doneness is with an instant read thermometer. Fish should cook to 145 degrees F at the thickest part. Another method is to make a small cut with a knife so you can see the center of the fish. It should be opaque throughout and flake easily. As a general guide, cook fish for 5 minutes for every 1 inch thickness, measuring at the thickest part. 

Do not overcook. Fish is delicate and cooks quickly. It will dry out if overcooked. 

You do not need to turn the salmon when broiling.