Try nutritious oven-baked salmon with garlic butter for richness and finish with fresh lemon juice for bright flavor. It’s the perfect healthy complement to salmon. This sheet pan dinner is simple to make with minimal cleanup. The succulent salmon is packed with delicious flavor, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and protein. Served with a healthy side of tender asparagus spears, sweet mini peppers, and nutrient dense quinoa. Quinoa is considered a complete protein source, which means that it provides all nine essential amino acids. They are most recognized for their role in muscle development and repair, the body depends on them for many vital processes. For another layer of flavor, chopped fresh parsley is used for a lovely colorful garnish. An all-round nourishing and delicious meal perfect for dinner or lunch meal-prep. Also, as a bonus the warmth of the oven heats up your kitchen nicely.
Ingredients:
Serves 2
- 10 asparagus spears
- 8 mini peppers
- 2 x 8oz Atlantic salmon fillets
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 1.5 cups quinoa
- ¼ stick unsalted butter
- ½ lemon
- salt (pinch)
- pepper (pinch)
Steps:
Quinoa
1.Wash and drain quinoa
2.Add quinoa to a pot and pour in 2 cups of water.
3.Bring the water to a roaring boil and cook until the quinoa becomes fluffy. Cook it for approximately 10 minutes, stir it often to prevent it sticking, and add water if necessary. For the last few minutes, reduce the heat and place a lid on the pot.
Salmon, Asparagus and Mini Peppers
4.Wash the asparagus and mini peppers in a colander.
5. Chop the end of the asparagus off, right at the part where the white turns to green.
6.Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
7.Cut up a ¼ stick of unsalted butter into 1-2inch pieces.
8.Lightly rub some butter on the aluminum foil where you will place the salmon, to prevent it sticking.
9.Add the salmon, mini peppers, and asparagus to the baking tray.
10.Sprinkle garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper and place the butter chunks on top of the salmon.
11.Cook it in the oven at 430F for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Check halfway and flip the vegetables over onto the opposite side.
12.For a nice colorful garnish, add fresh chopped parsley on top of the salmon.
13.Lastly, squeeze the lemon juice over the salmon and asparagus for bright flavor.
14. Plate and enjoy.
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