Easy Breezy (Yummy) Salmon

The other day, as I was driving my six year-old daughter home from school, she asked, "Mommy, can you make salmon one night and have Mrs. Moore over for dinner at our house?"


I told her that I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to ask her teacher to dinner, and then I asked her, "Why salmon?"


"Because it's the best thing you make, and Mrs. Moore would think it's impressive." ("Impressive" is one of her favorite words at the moment.)


We love salmon in our family, even my daughter (in fact, she might like it more than we do!). We treat ourselves to it once every two weeks or so. One pound of salmon is more than enough for the three of us (we haven't gotten the 9 month old hooked on it yet). At $8.00/lb. (that's what the fresh Atlantic salmon costs around here, at least--it can get quite a bit more pricey the more landlocked you are), you can serve up a delicious and healthy meal for your entire family.


Speaking of healthy, if you haven't read about the health benefits of salmon, check this out. The boons of salmon go on and on.


There are three salmon dishes I rotate through (note to self: I really need to add more to my repertoire), all wonderful in their own way. I thought I'd share them:


Salmon a l'Unilateral: This one's my daughter's favorite. Cooked on one side, this easy, simple, and delish fish dish requires only three ingredients: lemon, coarse salt, and salmon, of course.


Salmon with Pesto Mayo: This one's my husband's favorite. Another easy, delectable dish with only three ingredients: mayonnaise, basil pesto, and salmon. You can add breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan to jazz it up even more, if you wish.


Salmon Escarole Packets with Lemon-Tarragon Butter: And this one's my favorite. Admittedly, by comparison, this recipe requires more time and preparation than the former recipes, but it's oh-so-worth-it, and at only 215 calories per serving, it's one of the healthiest meals I make for dinner.

Salmon Escarole Packets with Lemon-Tarragon Butter
(though I used romaine instead of escarole).

So, don't be intimidated by salmon. It's really quite easy to cook and very versatile. Make a meal out of it, or serve it along side some roasted vegetables. And if you think your kids might not take a shine to it, give it a chance anyway. I didn't think my daughter would like it, but now she prefers it even to chicken nuggets, which is saying something!

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