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  • Baked Salmon – A Beautiful Mess

    Baked Salmon – A Beautiful Mess

    This baked salmon recipe is one I make for dinner every single week. Learning to make great baked salmon is a lot like baked chicken or learning how to cook a steak. It’s a staple in my book. There are SO many different ways to slightly alter this basic recipe so the meal never feels boring. Plus, baked salmon is healthy and delicious!

    I like to make baked salmon with some kind of Asian fusion type glaze, served over rice often with cucumber salad. It’s basically a salmon rice bowl type situation. Another option is to use Italian flavors or simply lemon and serve with pasta. Or Tex Mex flavors and serve with tortillas for a tacos. Or Greek flavors and serve over a salad with olives and pita. And the list goes on! Baked salmon is super versatile.

    Related: Next up learn how to make Air Fryer Salmon.

    Ingredients

    • Salmon – often called a ‘salmon portion’ at the meat counter (4-6 oz.)
    • Oil
    • Miso
    • Soy sauce

    This is all the basic ingredients I used for the salmon pictured. As you’ll see in the notes below there are many more options!

    How to Bake Salmon

    If you are using frozen salmon thaw it first. I usually buy fresh (unfrozen) salmon portions but frozen works well too!

    Add aluminum foil to the baking sheet. Optional, but this make clean up easier. Lightly oil the foil before placing the salmon. Top with whatever spices, seasonings, or sauces you like.

    Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and place the baking sheet on the top rack. Broil for 1-2 minutes.

    Serve over rice, pasta, risotto, tortillas, pita, salad or whatever else you want to make this baked salmon a meal.

    Tips & Notes

    • Thaw frozen salmon by leaving it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it.
    • I love to mix soy sauce with: miso, gochujang paste or black bean paste most often for my sauce. Sometimes I will mix BBQ sauce and soy sauce for a simple Korean BBQ type sauce.
    • I also sometimes brush the salmon with a hot sauce before baking like: Frank’s, Sriracha or Cholula.
    • Another option is to go heavy with a dry seasoning mix or rub like: Za’atar, taco seasoning, chili seasoning, or Italian seasoning. I especially like this option if I am planning to add the baked salmon to a salad.
    • I also think keeping it super simple and topping the salmon with a little melted butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper is great too!

    Salads & Sides to serve with Salmon

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long should I bake salmon at 400°F?

    Ten minutes, then broil for one to two minutes to get some crispy bits.

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    simple baked salmon with miso and soy sauce.

    Yield 2

    Prep 3 minutes

    Cook 12 minutes

    Total 15 minutes

    Instructions

    • If you are using frozen salmon thaw it first.

    • Add aluminum foil to the baking sheet. Optional, but this make clean up easier. Lightly oil the foil before placing the salmon.

    • Top with whatever spices, seasonings, or sauces.

    • Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.

    • Then turn the oven to broil and place the baking sheet on the top rack. Broil for 1-2 minutes.

    Notes

    • Thaw frozen salmon by leaving it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it.
    • I love to mix soy sauce with: miso, gochujang paste or black bean paste most often for my sauce. Sometimes I will mix BBQ sauce and soy sauce for a simple Korean BBQ type sauce.
    • I also sometimes brush the salmon with a hot sauce before baking like: Frank’s, Sriracha or Cholula.
    • Another option is to go heavy with a dry seasoning mix or rub like: Za’atar, taco seasoning, chili seasoning, or Italian seasoning. I especially like this option if I am planning to add the baked salmon to a salad.
    • I also think keeping it super simple and topping the salmon with a little melted butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper is great too!

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts

    Baked Salmon

    Amount per Serving

    % Daily Value*

    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

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  • At a prehistoric pigment mine, researchers glimpse our earliest moments in the Americas

    Derived from iron-rich rocks, red ochre is humanity’s oldest known pigment, with a discovery in a cave in Zambia believed to date back between 350,000 and 400,000 years. For archaeologists, it serves as a (sometimes literal) handprint of prehistoric Homo sapiens, with its presence used to trace our spread across the globe. Ochre Sunrise explores both the prehistoric and recent history of the oldest known mine in the Americas, which was long ago used to produce red ochre. Located near the now-abandoned iron-mining town of Sunrise, Wyoming, millennia-old artefacts had been known to exist at the site for decades, but it wasn’t preserved for archaeological research until the mid-1980s.

    In his documentary, Keenan DesPlanques, a US-born filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada, takes viewers to Sunrise, where, since 2017, the mine has been under excavation by a team of archaeologists. The operation has unearthed some 3,000 artefacts and revealed a rich history that dates back around 16,000 years, offering profound new insights into humans’ early presence on the continent, including glimpses of cultural practices. In documenting these efforts, the film makes for a riveting exploration of both the site itself and the hard work of archaeology, powered by patience, grit and the thrill of discovery.

    Director: Keenan DesPlanques

    Producers: Michael McGonigal, Sandra George, Kevin DesPlanques

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  • The DIY Legacy of Queer Sexual Health Campaigns

    Alongside new work by Jesse Glazzard and Pank Sethi, Studio Voltaire’s latest show surveys three decades of grassroots LGBTQ+ sexual health posters and photography


    Grassroots and independent organisations have played a vital role in LGBTQ+ sexual health for decades. A new show at Studio Voltaire in south London presents a mass of archival posters, exploring how language, graphic design and photography can offer urgent information that governments have all too often failed to provide or wilfully obstructed. It’s a Love Thing also includes new works by photographers Jesse Glazzard and Pank Sethi. Together, the pieces draw a line from the HIV epidemic to today’s vicious attacks on trans right and healthcare. 

    “So many of these posters come from the 1980s and 90s,” says assistant curator Adwoa Owusu-Barnieh, who delved into Spectra CIC’s archive for the show. The work of contemporary photographers such as Sunil Gupta and Suzanne Roden proliferate the posters. “The messaging the government was handing out around HIV and Aids had an image of the grim reaper and a tombstone, which is seared into so many people’s minds. It promoted shame and spread homophobic sentiment. The sexual health organisations had much more positive messaging, brighter colours, photography of people and portraits. Their visual messaging highlights that real people were impacted by this.”

    The posters directed people towards practical resources, providing safe spaces, testing facilities, and health literacy. Many groups were set up by friends or communities who placed posters around bars, nightclubs and other public spaces when they “didn’t have a government that was supporting them”. While some posters are slickly designed, with professionals collaborating with health organisations to form striking visual identities, others are recognisable for their organic approach and clip-art graphics. “You have posters that are incredibly kitsch and lo-fi,” says Owusu-Barnieh.

    Catchy puns and tag lines abound, revealing a great deal of attention to the posters’ humanity, warmth, and ease of communication. For Terrence Higgins’ ‘Get Set for Safer Sex’ campaign, the Photo Co-op took charge of the photography, tag lines and casting. “A very important part of it for them was how to make it amenable and something people would want to read,” says Owusu-Barnieh. “A lot of the messaging is fairly soft and warm.” She also highlights how important the language became in reaching different communities who were affected. 

    NAZ Project was set up in memory of Nazir, a closeted gay Pakistani Muslim who lived with his wife and children. When his Aids status was made public, he was ostracised by his community. NAZ offers HIV support, sexual health and wellness services for LGBTQ+ and Global Majority individuals in the UK. “The messaging for that project is particularly poignant for me,” says Owusu-Barnieh. “There is one poster with the tagline ‘Community and religion may not accept homosexuality, but a father’s love does.’ You’re dealing with a period where the mainstream messaging would have you assume that queerness only existed within white communities. To choose taglines like ‘My daughter is a lesbian, I still love her’ is about making people feel seen, heard and understood.” 

    These posters were not aimed only at LBGTQ+ people but at the broader culture. “One of the most important bits of messaging is that HIV and Aids can affect anyone. That helps to connect with the global and not just the national context, where HIV and Aids were presented as affecting gay men specifically. But on the African and Asian contents you have women in their droves contracting it and not getting much support because of the messaging around who might end up with HIV.”

    Humour is also woven through many of the designs, with satirical riffs on corporate advertising. This plays numerous roles. It helps to grab attention, often with a tongue-in-cheek line leading readers to practical information elsewhere on the poster. It also helps to engage. The curating team had conversations about their collaborators’ lived experience and were struck by both the pain and the need to keep connected with humour. “Sexual health is a really serious topic,” says Owusu-Barnieh. “How can we use some humour to draw people to care about their sexual health in a way that isn’t ruled by fear.”

    Of course, since the earliest posters in this exhibition were made, the platforms for such communication have changed drastically. The digital world has shifted the focus from IRL interventions to social media platforms, where campaigning can travel far and wide. Glazzard’s new works respond to the archive while also considering the landscape now. He noticed that while there was a broad representation in cultural backgrounds, trans individuals and sex workers were rarely found in the archive.  

    Glazzard initially met with Studio Voltaire and Spectra to talk through the services the latter offers, specifically for sex workers and young trans people. The people in the final works mostly came from open casting calls, and while there is strong trans representation, he was keen not to overtly signpost their identity. It is, rather, a natural fabric of the work. “It doesn’t always need to be said,” Owusu-Barnieh tells me. “There are so many different ways to love and there are so many ways to be trans.”

    The show reflects the ongoing governmental oppression of LGBTQ+ healthcare. The need for clear communication and human messaging that these posters answered during the Aids crisis is happening again as trans rights are at huge risk. “This ecosystem of support has always existed, often in opposition to the state,” says Owusu-Barnieh. “That’s why community archives are so important. There are always groups working against the status quo who believe in people’s right to exist regardless of their identity.” 

    It’s a Love Thing: 30 Years of LGBTQIA+ Health Advocacy is on show at Studio Voltaire until 17 August 2025.



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  • Lessons from Yemaya About The Healing Power of Water

    Technique: Water as Emotional Release

     

    When you get into a bath or submerge yourself in the sea, focus on letting go and releasing that which no longer serves you. The Ocean Goddess can help us release unwanted emotions, pent-up rage, melancholia, and disappointment. Visualize these emotions (usually felt around your chest, neck, and hip areas) moving out through your limbs and flowing into the water to be cleansed and purified, or even letting your tears, like tiny particles of experience, hit the surface to be carried away.

     

    Technique: Water as Physical Release

     

    Sometimes we store our emotions in our bodies, which are approximately 60% water. In yoga, hip openers like happy baby pose, pigeon pose, and lizard pose help release physical tension, and you may also find yourself releasing intense emotion at the same time, especially unprocessed grief and sadness. You may be surprised to find yourself in tears after doing these poses for several minutes for this reason.

     

    Technique: Pray Near a Natural Body of Water

     

    As I write in my book, “A spell is a prayer, a prayer is a spell. A prayer is a petition to the universe. To pray is to seek the wisdom of the Creator and the Great Goddess, to start a conversation with the Divine. A prayer can also be a conversation with your higher self or a petition to the spirit world for assistance. Through prayer, we open up a channel, a direct current, to the higher energies around us.” And if you listen for a response, the answers will always come. Sometimes it’ll seem like they’re coming from deep inside you, from your higher self, or from the spirit world (your ancestors, deities, guides). But trust that they’ll always come.  

     

    Technique: Practice Earth Stewardship

     

    Don’t bring plastics or non-biodegradable products to sacred sites—everywhere on Earth is sacred—and leave them around as trash. It’s a sure way to anger the spirits, plus it’s outright bad kinship. We can and should all try to do better, in the little and big ways we can. As with any spiritual practice (and any other attempt at being a good citizen), if you bring objects to water sites, especially if they didn’t come from that specific place, take them back with you. While everyone’s spiritual practices are different, use your best judgment, trust your instinct and gut, and pay attention to the signs. You’ll know what’s right at the moment. Do what thou wilt, but harm none. 

     

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  • 30 No-Cook Dinners for Hot Summer Nights

    There’s so much to love about summer: the easy, breezy, carefree days, the additional hours of sunshine, and of course, some much-needed vacay. What I love a little less, of course, are the scorching hot, three-digit temps. June through August (and in some places, September) is no time to be turning on the oven. So of course, I’ve kept the best no-cook dinners top of mind. What I’ve found is a variety of mouth-watering dishes that don’t require hours in the kitchen. Score!

    As a self-professed, baking-obsessed hobbyist, I mourn the ability to get creative with all my favorite comfort foods. But, in recent years, I’ve learned to accept the weather as it is and make do with a few go-to no cook summer meals kept securely up my sleeve. And while sandwiches and salads are significant parts of the round-up to follow, the fun doesn’t stop there.

    30 No-Cook Dinners for Hot Summer Nights

    I shook the internet upside down to find all the best fresh and flavor-packed dinner ideas for hot summer nights that make the most of in-season summer produce. Get ready for vibrant color, delicious crunch, and everything that’ll make your warm-weather dining dreams come true. So turn up the AC and let’s get to some (no-cook) summer cooking!

    These no-cook dinners are the ideal way to beat the heat and enjoy your summer nights—out of the kitchen.

    Sides and Salads

    Think salads can’t serve as a hearty and complete (not to mention delicious) meal? Think again. I take a loose approach to defining what constitutes a salad, and if you agree that a diverse array of ingredient goodness fits the bill, then this filling and flavorful halloumi salad is right up your alley. It’s the ultimate celebration of summer.

    When you’re lucky enough to be working with an ingredient at its finest, peak-season flavor, let it shine. Case in point, this pile-up of perfect tomatoes. With nothing beyond a simple dressing to complement their flavor, the ruby red stunners are displayed at their sweetest and arguably, best.

    While kale is still often associated with virtuous (re: bland and boring) salads that lack imagination, this Mediterranean-inspired take couldn’t be more different. You get a nice bit of crunch and texture contrast from the radishes, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas. And then there’s that honey-tahini dressing…

    If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I’m an olive girl. Any way I can have ’em, I’ll take ’em. Marinated in za’atar, fresno chile, and citrus juice is just about the perfect solution. Hummus adds the perfect creaminess, making it easy to go back for seconds, thirds…

    Caprese salads can be iterated endlessly, and I love this creamy, texture-varied take on the classic. Avocado is a seamless addition to the tomatoes and burrata. It’s summer in a salad.

    This is not your run-of-the-mill green salad. I love that it stays within the same color palette while still having so much varied texture and flavor. A creamy ginger-sesame dressing layered atop baby greens, shaved parmesan, and salted pistachios will make you think you’re enjoying a much more indulgent meal.

    In my world, Caprese is the perfect salad. The formula combines a little richness with fruity, fresh flavor. This version is a slight (but significant) step up. If you need an easy, but oh-so-satisfying lunch option to keep in your weekday repertoire, this masterpiece is it.

    I love snappy, spicy sides that are dominated by one of my favorite veggies. Yes, cucumbers might be a humble option, but when thinly sliced and paired with a zippy dressing that knows the benefit of a little acidity, a tasty treat ensues.

    This salad is a study in contrasting textures. With the fennel’s fresh flavor, a touch of creaminess from the cheese, and the almonds’ crunch, you can bet this salad satisfies.

    This simple board with ricotta cheese and fresh pears is absolutely delicious and aesthetically pleasing. The sweet and rich ricotta pairs perfectly with fresh fruit, and the nuttiness from the pistachios is a savory finishing touch.

    This salad is the perfect blend of tangy, juicy, and crunchy. With all of the delicious fruit packed into this summer salad, feta acts as a simple moderator, allowing you to hone in on each individual flavor. Although this salad takes a few more steps than your average Caesar salad, the end result is definitely worth the effort.

    Greek salads are the ultimate summer side dish, and this recipe is no exception. Out of all the dinner ideas for hot summer nights we’ve rounded up, this might just be the best. (Though the final call is up to you.) Juicy watermelon is a refreshing complement to crunchy cucumbers and sweet tomatoes. Top this salad off with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of honey to enhance your tangy and sweet flavors.

    I’m a sucker for bruschetta on a hot summer day, and it just doesn’t get easier to enjoy it than with this recipe. With under ten ingredients, you have a simple and balanced snack or side dish to fuel all your summer fun.

    If you haven’t yet hopped on the radicchio train, now’s your chance. This salad is a true stunner, filled with a variety of different ingredients that curate an appetizing, texture-filled bowl.

    This Mexican chopped salad can easily be thrown together with ingredients you likely have in the fridge or pantry. The recipe is bound together with a honey-shallot dressing, which can be used and stored for all your summer salad recipes. Dinner ideas for hot summer nights on the fly? Brilliant.

    While winter is technically when citrus is at its best, this salad packs so much additional flavor that you’ll love it in the summer, too. It’s proof that when you combine deliciousness with gorgeous presentation, beautiful things can happen. With just a few ingredients tossed together, you have a meal that’s far greater than the sum of its parts.

    Camille Styles Food Editor, Suruchi swears by this dish as an easy, streamlined, and make-ahead option for any summer gathering. In her words, “It’s the crispy sweet, spicy, and tangy appetizer you’ve been looking for!” I couldn’t agree more.

    Pastas and Bowls

    I’ve spent countless hours curating bowls with healthier ingredients—it’s kind of my favorite pasttime. As the base, this bowl uses quinoa as a rice alternative for an added protein that pairs well with plenty of toppings like black olives and cherry tomatoes.

    Pasta or salad? We simply can’t decide which bowl takes the cake for the best side dish of the summer. When I hear the expression “food is fuel,” I think of dishes like this pasta salad. It’s the perfect blend of healthy carbs and nutrient-filled greens.

    A bowl night is a great night, especially with a house full of picky eaters. These soba noodle bowls can be filled and topped with a variety of ingredients—like crispy tofu and crunchy walnuts—that will keep everyone full and happy.

    I’ve been a fan of Thai peanut dressing for years, and this recipe is the perfect chance to try it if you haven’t! This twist on a chicken salad is filled with healthy and nutritious ingredients to help you recharge after a day in the sun.

    Hummus is one of my favorite dip options to put on the table during the summer. With fiber and protein, it’s a great addition to any bowl or dish or to enjoy on its own with carrots or celery. Paired with a delicious vinegarette and a variety of textured toppings, this bowl uses nutrient-filled ingredients like kale and broccolini to create the green bowl of your dreams.

    Mango & Coconut Soba Noodle Salad

    I’ve made some version of this soba noodle and mango salad for the past few summers and, without fail, people go nuts over it. Full of thai flavors like lime, peanuts and a profusion of herbs, it’s really the crunchy coconut throughout the salad that takes it over the top and makes people stop and say,

    Burgers, Sandwiches, and Toasts

    Ricotta toast is Camille’s latest obsession, and with sourdough added to the mix, we’re 100% on board. It’s simple, streamlined, and delicious every time. Not to mention, gorgeous.

    Sweet potatoes are one of my year-round kitchen staple ingredients. A lighter alternative if red meat burgers aren’t your jam, these sweet potato falafel burgers are a great vegetarian option for pool parties or backyard barbecues.

    Chicken salad has always been one of my go-to meals when I’m not quite sure what to cook. This meatless version of a classic recipe can be eaten alone or thrown together between two slices of sourdough or whole wheat.

    Carne Asada is a dish that didn’t exist in my kitchen until I moved to Texas—but needless to say, I’ve been changed since trying this recipe. These beautifully grilled, tender slices of meat are marinated to perfection in a blend with ingredients including honey, soy sauce, chili powder, and cilantro.

    If you haven’t tried marinating your chicken with yogurt, summer’s the best time to start. The marinade creates a juicy, flavor-infused chicken breast with zesty lemon and lime and a bit of sweetness from the honey.

    These spring rolls are the perfect combination of hot and sweet. With delicious tempeh smothered in a honey sriracha sauce, simply roll your protein with veggies of your choice in rice paper and enjoy!

    These wraps are my go-to summer lunch solution. I love how the cool, crisp lettuce provides a contrasting crunch to the herby chicken burgers. If you really want to step it up, enjoy some mint tzatziki on the side.

    This post was last updated on June 13, 2025 to include new insights.



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