Salmon with Roasted Vegetables and Quinoa ♥ Week One EatingWell's LoseIt! Challenge

This was not the first dish on the EatingWell menu plan but we ate this last Saturday night using the salmon from my Recipe ReDux January challenge (smoking directions on the 21st, check it out). The EatingWell recipe called for roasting it with the vegetables. Either way, it was delicious!!

No delicata squash, no worry. I could only find acorn squash. Same size and texture. It was sweet and complimented the cauliflower.
I did not follow the meal plan as it was posted per day, I jumped around a bit to accommodate our schedule, but eventually all four weeks worth will get posted here, under their separate label "EatingWell Meal Plan" along with the other meal plans I have implemented.


This healthy salmon recipe has everything you want for a complete meal: omega-3-rich salmon, protein-packed quinoa and lots of vegetables. Drizzled with a maple-lemon dressing, this healthy quinoa dinner also makes a delicious next-day lunch.

4 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 small or 1 large delicata squash (about 1 pound), halved, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 6 small shallots, quartered
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, divided
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3/4 cup red or white quinoa
• 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 4 portions
• Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss squash, cauliflower and shallots with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender and browned in spots, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. When the vegetables are tender, move the vegetables to one side of the pan and place salmon in the empty spot. Coat the salmon with a thin layer of cooking spray and season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast until the salmon is opaque in the middle, 4 to 6 minutes.
5. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Serve the quinoa, salmon and vegetables drizzled with the dressing and topped with walnuts.

Nutrition

Per serving : 499 Calories; 22 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 11 g Mono; 53 mg Cholesterol; 47 g Carbohydrates; 32 g Protein; 9 g Fiber; 516 mg Sodium; 1141 mg Potassium
3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 other carbohydrate 3 lean meat, 3 fat

Tips & Notes

• Place a salmon fillet on a clean cutting board, skin side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long, sharp knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.