Salmon Pasta with Poppy and Dill

Adapted from Rachel Ray
Serves: 2 large servings

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked pasta
7 oz salmon
1 Tbl olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 Tbl poppy seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dill, chopped

While you're cooking the pasta, season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over med-high heat. Add the salmon and cook until just done, about 6 minutes. Let cool. If salmon has skin, remove skin. Flake salmon into small pieces.

In the same skillet, heat 1 Tbl olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and cook until slightly reduced, 1 minute. Stir in the cream, lower the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Toss the pasta with the salmon, sauce and dill. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Spinach Stuffed Salmon

It's amazing the added flavor that 1 Tbl of walnuts adds to this delicious dish. Enjoy!

Serves 2:

1/2 tsp olive oil
2 oz fresh spinach leaves
1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
1/8 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained if bottled
1/8 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 Tbl chopped walnuts
2 salmon fillets (about 4 oz each)
1 Tbl Dijon mustard
1 Tbl plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over med. heat. Cook the spinach and lemon zest for 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted, stirring constantly. Transfer to a med. bowl. Stir in the bell peppers, basil and walnuts. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.

Cut a lengthwise slit in the side of each fillet to make a pocket for the stuffing. Be careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully stuff half the spinach mixture into each fillet. Transfer to baking sheet. With a pastry brush (or your finger), spread the mustard over the fish.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over the fish.

Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and the filling is warmed through.

Pineapple Salmon

I know...another foil pack. But they are so easy, quick and yummy!

Pineapple Salmon Teriyaki
Source: Hungry Girl 1-2-3

Ingredients: for one pack (8 points per pack)
One 5 oz salmon fillet
1/2 T thick teriyaki marinade
1/2 T sweet Asian chili sauce
2 pineapple rings
Dash Cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Preheat oven to 375 or grill to med/high heat

In a small bowl, mix teriyaki sauce with chili sauce. Set aside.

Take a piece of foil and spray with nonstick spray. Place the salmon in the center and top with the teriyaki-chili sauce. Flip salmon over to coat evenly on both sides.

Top fish with pineapple slices and sprinkle with cayenne pepper (I did not use any cayenne). Fold up foil and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Note: At first I was a little nervous about the asian chili sauce because I don't like spicey food...but I could have actually stood for a little bit more of both teriyaki and the chili sauce.

Salmon Foil Pack

Ok, this isn't really a "pack" like the turkey foil pack...but it's in foil and there's more than one ingredient. So here it goes!

Salmon fillet

Feta Cheese

Ranch Dressing

Cooked bacon- chopped up. About one piece per pack

Directions:

Put fillet on foil. Drizzle ranch dressing on top....do not drench! Sprinkle crumbled cheese on top and then the crumbled bacon. Fold in the sides like you see in the picture and grill for 10 min. I'm sorry I don't have measurements for the ranch and feta...just use your best judgement and enjoy! I served this with some steamed asparagus and farm fresh tomatoes. You have to remember salmon is a fatty fish so you really need to pair it with things that don't add to many more calories to your dinner. Albeit a good fat...it's still fat and to much of a good thing isn't always so good.

A little about salmon....

Wild salmon and farm raised salmon are two very different animals. It's much harder to find wild salmon but worth it when you do. The farm raised variety doesn't produce nearly as much Omega 3's as the wild variety does and the fat in farm raised is completely different from wild. Farm raised contains a much higher proportion of inflammatory omega 6s, a fat that we already consume far too much of.

The benefits and why we need to eat our Omega 3's.....there really is so much to say about this wonderful fat I am going to resort to bullet points for the quick and easy version.

• omega 3's are being studied for their positive effects on depression, behavior, thinking and feeling.
• They have a significant effect on the developing brain of a human fetus. Fish really is brain food!
• They are an anti-inflammatory, help lower blood pressure, act as a blood thinner, prevent blood cells from sticking together (blood clots can be the cause of heart attacks and strokes), improve brain function, memory, skin health and kidney function.
• Can improve cardiovascular health as well as immune function.
• Also a good source of vitamin B, A, and D

Need I say more!! Eat more salmon....or at least give it a try if you're not a big fish eater.