Salmon and Sprouts.

I have never made fish before. There, I've said it and I feel a little ashamed at how intimidated I was of it before this recipe. I wouldn't even call this a recipe as much as it is tossing a few ingredients in the oven (which makes me feel even more embarrassed at how reluctant I was). The end result was delicious and a welcome change to to the standard dishes I gravitate towards. The lessened calorie count was an even bigger bonus to the whole experience. 

I bought the salmon fresh directly from the deli and with a few swipes cut the "skin" off of one side, sprinkled with Mrs. Dash, layered butter* and a slice of lemon (see below), and it was ready to go in the oven. A single serving baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

In the spirit of being adventurous, I paired these with brussel sprouts (which I also never make). I loved these as a child, but because I know I'm solely alone in my sentiments, I wanted to try and spice them up in hopes I could get my boyfriend to love them.

I lined a circle pan with foil and then drizzled with olive oil. The shape of the pan makes it is easier to toss them and evenly coat with olive oil without dousing them. Place them in the oven at 425 and cook thoroughly (I used half of a bag and it took about twenty minutes). 

When the sprouts are almost finished cooking, remove the pan from the oven, lightly toss with bread crumbs, pepper, garlic, and very lightly sprinkle cheese (normally I would say parmesan but I only had feta on hand and it worked well). Place back in the oven for a few minutes, removing when the cheese and breadcrumbs make a crispy outer texture. And yes, they were even more delicious than I remember. I even remade them for dinner two nights in a row afterward.

The only thing I would complain about this dish is that salmon is a little more expensive than chicken or beef. I thought I would be able to get two servings from this, but sadly it only lasted a single meal (meaning four dollars for one serving of meat for one person). A very delicious meal, but I was still hoping for leftovers.

*I read an eye opening article about I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray and needless to say I will not be using it ever again. I've now converted to Smart Balance. Click here to read it for yourself.