This is a meal that I created out of nowhere. I just kind of combined different foods and flavors that I like and came up with this. Literally every ingredient that it used in this meal is healthy and filled with nutrients. The salmon provides protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B6, B12 and D, along with many other important nutrients. We all know greens are important to incorporate into your diet as frequently as possible. I used both spinach and swiss chard, but you could also use kale as well. If you’re following the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan, you already know that carbs/starchy foods should be limited after Meal 3. Limited does not mean completely avoided! In the nutrition plan, sweet potatoes are listed as acceptable to eat “a couple times per week.” Sweet potatoes also contain many vitamins and minerals that are important and should definitely not be avoided entirely throughout the challenge. I saved this meal for my Saturday night Meal 5 (dinner) because it felt a little fancier than a traditional weeknight dinner on the plan. This could also be eaten as a Meal 3 (lunch) because it fits those guidelines as well. The flavors are bright and summery: roasted garlic, fresh lemon, and a bit of a kick from the paprika on the sweet potatoes. We had chilly weather on Saturday, so I roasted the salmon and sweet potatoes in the oven, but you could absolutely grill this meal instead and it would be amazing. That was my original plan, but it didn’t work out so I had to be flexible. If you give this meal a try, let me know! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! This will definitely be a go-to healthy dinner for us from now on!
Active Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
For the Sweet Potatoes: 1 sweet potato 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Salmon: 8 ounce salmon fillet or two, 4 ounce fillets
salt and pepper
For the Aioli:
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water at least 2 hours 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 1/8 cup olive oil 1/8 cup water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Greens:
Juice of ½ a lemon 2 cups baby spinach 2 cups chard, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel, and slice the sweet potato into wedges. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping half way through cooking time. Meanwhile, peel your garlic, transfer it to a baking sheet, and roast for about 10 minutes. In a high powdered blender, combine all aioli ingredients and process until smooth. Set aside. Season the salmon filet with salt and pepper. When the sweet potatoes are finished, switch your oven to Broil and broil the salmon, skin side down, for about 10 minutes. Watch the salmon and adjust cooking time as necessary depending on the thickness of your fillet. While the salmon is broiling, cook your greens. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, chopped chard, and lemon juice and saute until wilted.
To assemble: Place half of the greens on the plate or in a large shallow bowl. Top with half of the sweet potatoes, half of the salmon, and 2 tablespoons of the garlic aioli. Enjoy immediately.
NOTE: You will have extra aioli. Use can this as a sandwich spread or for dipping more sweet potatoes.
Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 364 Fat: 20g Carbs: 19g Protein: 26g Sodium: 1211mg Sugar: 3g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
