Serves 4

The richness of salmon, the fresh licorice-taste of fennel and a bed of garlicky spinach. A perfect summer meal.

1 pound salmon
3 t. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt.
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and sliced very thin
2 cloves garlic
1 lb. baby spinach
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees,
Cut salmon into 4 pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 t. olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Sear salmon, skin side up for 4 minutes. Flip the salmon and put the skillet in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes or until fish is opaque in the center.
Meanwhile, in a pan, heat 1 t. olive oil and sauté fennel over medium-high heat until slightly softened. Remove from pan, sprinkle with a bit of salt and set aside.
In the same pan, heat 1 t. olive oil and sauté garlic one minute. Add spinach, sprinkle with a bit of salt and cook until wilted.
Between 4 plates, divide spinach and top with a piece of salmon and fennel.

This method of cooking fish fillets (sear-roasting) is a super-easy way to get a nicely browned crust on the outside while retaining moist flakiness inside. Salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3s and lean protein. Always purchase wild-caught or Alaskan salmon and avoid farm-raised. When purchasing fish, ask the purveyor if you can smell what you’re buying; it should have a fresh, ocean-like aroma.

CALS 310
TOTAL FAT 17G
SAT FAT 2.5G
CHOL 70MG
SODIUM 440MG
CARBS 13G
FIBER 6G
PROTEIN 4G
CALCIUM 212MG
IRON 5MG
POTASSIUM 1531MG
DIABETIC EXCHANGES: 1 VEG, 3 MEAT, 1 FAT