It’s served with black lentils, which are so cute, colorful, and delicious, and then lemon vanilla sauce. After all, it’s spring, and I can’t stop eating lemon vanilla sauce. I love this meal!
You know when you sit down at night to read a book that you want to read, like, it’s been on your reading list all day, and you start reading something good at 10 p.m. but fall asleep before you’ve finished?
This is my reading life, especially regarding nonfiction, memoirs, self-help, and the like. Don’t brag; I’m good at reading – think Hunger Games, Gone Girl, and other puzzle books. However, what about those nonfiction books that are on my reading list to be an intelligent person? Let’s say that the average completion time for these books should be measured in years. This year. If this had happened before 2020, I’d be fine.
My latest obsession has nothing to do with food, but I have a connection—audiobooks, you guys. I listen to all those wannabe bright books on my way to the studio daily. Twenty minutes there and twenty minutes home are 40 minutes, meaning I’ve become a reading machine. I can finish a book in about a week. What! This is amazing.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that this super easy, super healthy, perfect grilled salmon one-pot meal was inspired by Cameron Diaz talking to me about the health benefits of lentils on my way to work.
I pulled up to the grocery store, walked into Whole Foods (God bless Whole Foods – I’m now a new Whole Foods customer, we were right next to Whole Foods, and it was exactly how I remembered it, and more), and waited in line to buy salmon and lentils.
It’s all to say – this delicious meal brings you an audiobook! And I’m 75 on the inside.
Perfect grilled salmon + lentils + quinoa all cooked together in one big pot? This recipe is out of my regular food brain space, but aside from a few takeout sushi (# I had to), this has been my only sustaining food for the past two weeks.
That’s why it’s perfect.
- This is a pot of rice. It’s perfect for grilled salmon, yes. Lentils, rice, quinoa, vegetables, and whatever else you want are in a pot with the salmon. In terms of preparation, it’s once and for all.
- A dish to wash. Greetings. One. Dish.
- Sauce or seasoning? It is very variable, depending on your preferences at the time. But you’d spend a lot of time on lemongrass, too.
- It doesn’t require any hands-on time. We’re not stirring, we’re not cutting anything. Just put it in the oven.
It’s a minimalist way of cooking dinner because, in the most basic terms, you’re baking everything in a pan. There are no additional steps. There are no extra dishes to wash. Now that you’re done, you have perfectly grilled salmon, full of flavor, and a pot of other nutrient-rich delicacies, all of which add up to a rainbow assorted meal you’ll want to eat again and again.
If we can break the rule for a second here, you might even want this for breakfast the following day. An egg could be added in the spirit of creating something between this and the healing bowl.
Wait, I don’t know. Are we crossing a line?
Let’s start with dinner.
Start with dinner.
Perfect Grilled Salmon 101:
- If you want black lentils, eat them! Do it! Could you do it!)? You can order online here.
- I now have a strange obsession with sauerkraut, especially purple sauerkraut. My current favorite is Spirit Creek Farm, which I buy at Whole Foods, but you can also buy it online because it’s a beautiful world.
- This book inspired this recipe.
- Lentils and quinoa: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Wash the lentils and quinoa and place them in a large, safe skillet or casserole dish with the broth. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until almost cooked through. Remove and fluff with a fork.
- For the sauce: To make the lemon paste, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or shake them in a jar. Set aside about half of the dressing.
- Salmon: When the lentils and quinoa are done, place the salmon and any other vegetables you want on top of the lentils (skin side down) and drizzle or brush with half of the lemon paste. Bake for another 10 minutes. Bake for another 2 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the salmon, if you need more time, turn off the oven and let it sit for a few minutes.
- To serve: When the salmon is fully cooked, serve with the reserved sauce and purple sauerkraut if you like the craziness.
- Some vegetables cook in a hot oven for 10 minutes, but others don’t. If you’re using something that needs more time, like sweet potatoes, I recommend cooking them before putting them in the oven. Vegetables such as green beans, asparagus, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, and peas all work well.
- I could eat a little less, but you probably need more salmon – 3 ounces per serving for 15-20 ounces, not the 12 ounces written.
