Spice Rubbed Roasted Salmon with Lemon Garlic Spinach

Hey everyone!

This is going to be short and sweet because:

1. I'm tired from all the exercise I've been doing.
2. The American Idol Results show is on tonight and it must have my undivided attention.

That won't stop me, however, from sharing this evening's dinner recipe with you because I just loved it.

Healthy, easy to prepare, and filled with flavour, tonight's roasted salmon and lemon garlic spinach is going onto my list of "weeknight standards."

The recipes you make over and over because they're easy, comforting, and good.

But before I share the recipe, let's talk about the nutrition.

Did you know...

• The Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon may help prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the body's rate of blood clotting.
• Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease the level of triglycerides, which damages your arteries, and can lower your blood pressure. All heart healthy advantages.
• An added benefit is that research has shown that if you do have a heart attack, fish eaters are less likely to die from the irregular heart rhythm that often follows a heart attack.
• Research is showing other benefits from eating salmon, either fresh or canned. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol, another gain for a healthy heart. It is also thought to help prevent cancer, including prostate and breast cancer, as well as arthritis and other inflammatory diseases like psoriasis.
• Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to reduce menstrual cramps, prevent depression and help protect against Alzheimer's disease.
• A bonus for diabetics - Omega-3 fatty acids can help stabilize blood sugar. It is also thought to prevent hunger pangs, a real advantage for those watching calorie intake.
• Spinach and other dark leafy greens like kale, collards, Swiss chard, turnip greens and bok choy are loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron.
• Spinach is also rich in vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids. Add its lutein and bioflavanoids and spinach is a nutritional powerhouse.

As we head into a beautiful weekend in March, here's to OUR health!

Stay tuned this weekend for lots of good recipes, stories, motivation... and my FIRST WEIGH IN!!!!!

I told you I was going to share this journey with you and I meant it... the good, the bad, and the fabulous.

Until then, TGIF!!
Spice Rubbed Roasted Salmon with Lemon Garlic Spinach
For Printable Recipe click HERE

Ingredients

Salmon:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (2 1/4-pound) skinless salmon fillet (or remove skin after roasting)
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion
• Cooking spray

Spinach:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Remaining ingredients:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Lemon wedges (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. To prepare salmon, combine first 6 ingredients; rub spice mixture evenly over fish. Place onion in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place fish on top of onion; bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
3. To prepare spinach, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute. Add half of spinach; cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add remaining spinach; cook 4 minutes or until wilted, stirring frequently. Sprinkle spinach mixture with rind and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in juice; remove from heat.
4. Place salmon on a platter. Arrange onions and spinach evenly around salmon. Sprinkle salmon with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Original recipe compliments of Cooking Light Magazine