Last night Bob and I were eating what we believe is the best salmon recipe I’ve ever made. If you like salmon, I bet you will like it too. I’ve served it to company over and over (as long as they like salmon), and always with rave reviews.
Here’s what I love, (besides the flavor):
- It’s not fussy, meaning you don’t really need to measure the vegetables, or get the timing exact. The veggies can cool down some while you broil the salmon. I’ve also cooked the salmon in a skillet. You can serve the dish immediately after cooking, or wait a little and its just as scrumptious.
- It is delicious cold (if you are lucky enough to have any left over).
- It is packed with healthy foods our bodies need: salmon, veggies, healthy fats, and whole grains.
- It has very little saturated fat or sodium and no added sugar.
There are two (very minor) downsides: (1) It requires a lot of pots and pans that will need to be cleaned by somebody. In our house it’s fortunate that Bob is so happy when I make it, he doesn’t fuss about doing the dishes, and, (2) By not measuring the vegetables, and with salmon fillets coming in different sizes, I can’t give accurate details on it’s Nutrition Facts (i.e. protein, calories, etc. per serving).
This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light: Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Ingredients
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and snapped into 3-inch pieces
2 cups grape tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta- whole wheat if available)
1 (1-1/4 pound) skinless salmon fillet
Cooking spray
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread asparagus, tomatoes, and onion in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and toss gently to coat. Roast for about 30 minutes.
2. To make the Lemon-Dill dressing, combine the feta cheese, fresh dill, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside.
3.Cook the orzo acording to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
4. While the orzo cooks, sprinkle the fillet with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place fish on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, or until desired degree of doneness. Using 2 forks, break the cooked fish into large chunks.
5. Combine the hot orzo, lemon dill dressing, roasted vegetables and fish in a large bowl and toss gently to coat.
Serves 4
If you have diabetes and count carbohydrates- the entire recipe has only one main carb source, whole wheat Orzo. One cup has 160g of carbohydrate. This recipe makes 4 servings. If you divide it evenly into 4 servings, that will provide approximately 40g carb per serving.
Leave a Reply