This glaze is tangy, sweet with a zip of spice and perfectly accentuates a buttery piece of salmon. With only 3 ingredients plus salt and pepper, this dish doesn’t really require a recipe, just a fork!
When was the last time you walked into the house exhausted at dinner time, and the thought of cooking was as appealing as going to your nephew’s drum recital? That was me tonight!
Some of my friends jokingly call themselves “hangry”… but it is not really a joke, right?!
We all need a few easy meals in our arsenal that we can cook up quickly and require little effort. Sometimes we have a few extra minutes, but often, time is scarce and we have to make the most of what we have. Well, if you can find 20 minutes, I can give you an amazingly flavorful meal that is good to the last bite!
But first…
Tips for Stocking Your Pantry & Freezer
If you have a few essentials around, you can get this recipe on the table before the timer goes off!
TIP #1: Buy frozen fish (individually wrapped in 4-6 ounce portions)- Fish is the perfect protein to keep in your freezer AND it can be defrosted quickly if you don’t remember to move it into the fridge to defrost an hour or two in advance. Just place the frozen piece of vacuum sealed fish in a bowl of cool water and allow water to run over it until thawed. So long as the fish isn’t too thick, it will defrost in no time and be ready for cooking!
TIP #2: Keep a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer ALL THE TIME– All they need are a quick steam, salt, and pepper and they are ready to go! For some extra flavor, try seasoning with a squeeze of lemon juice or freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add a little extra pizzazz by tossing some chopped nuts on top before serving. Simple and good!
TIP #3: Choose quick-cooking whole grains to store in your pantry– We love the Trader Joe’s Quick Cooking Farro (similar texture to barley) because it is nutty and chewy and takes about 15 minutes to fully cook. Quinoa is another great quicker-cooking whole grain/seed that takes about 15-20 minutes to fully cook and goes great with just about any type of protein!
TIP #4: Maintain a well-stocked spice cabinet– Your spice cabinet is your flavor POWERHOUSE! Bored with a vegetable? Does your rice taste bland? Do you want to make your meal mouthwatering? Add some spice!! And, there are several brands that have created some amazing spice blends so you don’t have to eat a failed spice experiment. McCormick and Mrs. Dash have some salt free spice blends that are great if you need to watch your sodium intake. Our family enjoys the McCormick Montreal seasoning and use less salt since it has some in it. The Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning is another flavorful all-purpose spice blend. Under-seasoning is out! FLAVOR is in!
Alright, now you are ready to make some magic in the kitchen! Let’s get cooking!
Maple Dijon Salmon with Whole Grains & Broccoli
Ingredients
Salmon
- 2, 4-6 oz salmon fillets
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp country dijon mustard
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Grain
- 1 cup low sodium chicken/bone broth
- ½ cup quick cooking whole grain quinoa brown rice or farro
- ½-1 tsp seasoning blend like McCormick Montreal & TJ Everything But the Bagel
Vegetable
- 12-16 oz bag frozen vegetables we chose broccoli
- ½-1 tbsp butter
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring chicken broth and seasoning to boil on stove top. Add whole grain, cover and reduce heat to low to allow to simmer (it should not be boiling).
- Preheat broiler. Place salmon fillets on a foil-lined pan sprayed with cooking spray (I use a Misto). Season well with salt and ground black pepper.
- In a small ramekin, mix the maple syrup and dijon mustard. Spread ½ of the maple and mustard mixture on the salmon fillets, leaving the remaining to drizzle at the end of cooking.
- Place frozen vegetable in a pot with a steamer basket to steam on the stove top until tender OR cook in microwave according to the directions.
- Broil salmon for 4-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish and your preferred doneness.
- Season tender vegetables with salt, pepper, and butter. Spoon whole grain on the plate and lay fish atop. Drizzle the remaining maple mustard sauce on top of the fish and serve steamed vegetable alongside the fish. Enjoy!
Notes
TRUTH: Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. —3 John 1:2
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