Wild Salmon with Lentils and Arugula

I go through phases with fish. Sometimes we’ll eat fish for weeks—lots of fish tacos and stuffed fish fillets from Trader Joe’s. Then, as if it was overkill, I won’t have it for what feels like forever. White fish is the tofu of the sea. It tastes like whatever you want it to. Salmon on the other hand has it’s own distinct flavor. It has to be wild caught. Have you ever had farm raised salmon? Don’t. Spare yourself. It’s gross.

A fat wild-caught salmon fillet is so, so good. It has a much richer flavor and is less fatty. It tastes perfect lightly seasoned and grilled. That’s probably my favorite.

This recipe came up when I was on my week [okay, five day] cleanse. I haven’t had fish in awhile, so the seafood cravings were kicking in. This dish rates high on the healthy scale. It doesn’t have too many bright flavors despite the lemon juice. The lentils and arugula soak it up. I don’t know that I’ve ever eaten that much arugula in one sitting. The lentils are super filling, too. The salmon was excellent—moist and flakey. It rekindled my love for fish. Now I want more…lots more.

Inspiration: Whole Living

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb salmon fillet [This served two]
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 oz arugula
• 1 cup dried green lentils
• 2 cups water

Preparation

1. Heat the water to a boil in a large pot.
2. Add onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, and lentils, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Drain and keep warm.
5. Whisk together oil and lemon juice.
6. Stir in arugula until wilted. Drizzle with salt and pepper as needed.
7. Heat oven to 375°.
8. Spray a baking dish and add the salmon, skins side down.
9. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
10. Bake for 18-25 minutes until it’s cooked through and flakes easily.
11. Serve with lentils and more lemon.