Roasted Salmon with Lemon Quinoa

About midday, my mind starts wandering to the thought of what to cook for dinner. As a foodie and a health nut, I love to pack in nutrients into my meals in creative and delicious ways. A favourite in the family is salmon, a rich and omega-3 loaded pink fleshed fish, perfect for roasting. I favour roasting my salmon to cooking in a fry pan because it really cuts down on the clean up afterwards and despite my most thorough cleaning efforts, I always am put off my breakfast by the lingering fish smell the next morning. 

While salmon is frequent craving in my household, quinoa is a new ingredients I have started to play with a meal times. Quinoa (said keen-wah, and yes a few years back, I shamelessly went around ordering que-noah salads only to be greeted with a disdainful look from the hippie behind the counter so no, you're not the only one) is actually derived from a seed not a grain, which makes it packed in protein and wheat/gluten free. It also tastes delicious, especially cooked in vegetable stock, just make sure to rinse your quinoa before use to wash away the seed's bitter coating.

For this recipe, I tried 'Celebrate Health' quinoa sachet, which you won't need to rinse because someone lovely has done that step for you. It also is bursting with yummy lemon and herb flavours, which accompany the salmon beautifully. Celebrate Health is a really fabulous health food company producing sauces and mixes that are low in fructose, low in sugar, gluten free and preservative free (just to mention a few benefits!). Add some fresh vegetables, extra herbs and a few roasted nuts, and you have a sumptuous feast that ticks every nutritious box!

Roasted Salmon and Lemon Quinoa 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 fillets of Atlantic Salmon (ocean trout would work too)
• 1 packet of Celebrate Health lemon and thyme quinoa
• 1/2 cup of lightly toasted pistachio nuts
• 1/2 cup of parsley, chopped
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• 1 fresh corn on the cob, kernels removed
• 2 handfuls of green beans, chopped into thirds
• 1 lemon, halved
• alfafa sprouts to serve

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the packet. The recipe calls for stock but I used plain water as I found the packet mix to be flavoured enough for my taste.
2. Toast the raw pistachio nuts in a hot pan for a few minutes until toasted, but take care not to burn them.. it's very easy to do! Transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to a hot 200 degrees and line a baking tray with foil which you can fold up slightly on the sides to create a little package for the salmon to sit in. This avoids the oil from the fish leaking through to the pan, which makes things a little messy. Then place a piece of baking paper on top of the flat piece of foil.
4. Lay the salmon skin side up on the tray on a bed of parsley. Generously season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes - or slightly adjust depending on the thickness of the fish. I like my fish to be soft in the inside, where it melts in your mouth. Overcooked fish can be dry. Remember it will keep cooking when you take the fish out, especially if you cover with foil so if it needs a couple of extra minutes, this will finish it off perfectly.
5. Steam the beans and corn kernels for 3 minutes in the microwave. If you are new to cooking vegetables like this, just pop the veggies into a microwave safe bowl and add a splash of water. Cover with a Pyrex lid or plate and pop in the microwave to steam.
6. When the quinoa is ready, mix in a teaspoon of organic butter and a little sea salt. Then add the vegetables, avocado and nuts.
7. Serve the quinoa and top with the salmon fillet. Garnish with alfalfa. Dress with a squeeze of lemon to finish.