The components of this dish are very colorful, making for striking photos. But all that color provides something more essential to us than just beautiful pictures. That something is the very first thing I learned about nutrition, more than 30 years ago. Eating colorfully is the best way to be healthy and to fight disease. I have taken it to heart and have tried to eat colorfully ever since. The bright and vivid colors of natural foods are an indication that the foods are full of vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants that contribute to a strong and healthy body when they are part of our diet. And this meal is full of color! The orangey-red of wild caught salmon, the red of the tomatoes, the green of the asparagus, sugar snap peas, and basil, and the yellow of the lemons, all let us know that what we are eating is providing us with good nutrition. And it’s a delicious meal!
Pesto Salmon with Spring Vegetables
Pesto Salmon with Spring Vegetables (adapted from traegergrills.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 12 minutes, Serves: 6 – 8
Ingredients:
- 6 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on, pin bones removed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch asparagus, bottom of stalks removed, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the bias
- 1 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and sliced into ½ inch pieces on the bias
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
- 3 lemons, 2 halved, 1 zested
- 1/2 cup pesto
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line a large baking sheet or a roasting pan with a Silpat mat or a piece of parchment paper.
Place the asparagus, snap peas, and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Gently mix the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a fresh grinding of pepper.
Prep the lemons and veggies.
Rinse the salmon and pat it dry with a paper towel. Brush the fillets with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle them generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each piece. Scatter the vegetables evenly onto the sheet pan. Add the halved lemons to the pan.
Transfer the salmon, veggies, & lemon halves to the baking sheet.
Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lemons from the pan and stir the vegetables. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 140°F and can be easily flaked with a fork.
Place the fish and vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle with the pesto. Squeeze the grilled lemon over the top of the fish and vegetables. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the fish and add a few basil leaves for garnish.
Add the pesto to the fish and squeeze the lemon over everything.
Serve immediately.
More than just a pretty presentation!
So good and so good for you! ~Linda
Pesto Salmon with Spring Vegetables (adapted from traegergrills.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 12 minutes, Serves: 6 – 8
Ingredients:
- 6 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on, pin bones removed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch asparagus, bottom of stalks removed, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the bias
- 1 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and sliced into ½ inch pieces on the bias
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
- 3 lemons, 2 halved, 1 zested
- 1/2 cup pesto
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line a large baking sheet or a roasting pan with a Silpat mat or a piece of parchment paper.
Place the asparagus, snap peas, and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Gently mix the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a fresh grinding of pepper.
Rinse the salmon and pat it dry with a paper towel. Brush the fillets with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle them generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each piece. Scatter the vegetables evenly onto the sheet pan. Add the halved lemons to the pan.
Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lemons from the pan and stir the vegetables. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 140°F and can be easily flaked with a fork.
Place the fish and vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle with the pesto. Squeeze the grilled lemon over the top of the fish and vegetables. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the fish and add a few basil leaves for garnish. Serve immediately.