Spinach Pesto, Whole wheat Pasta and Salmon
This meal is pure brain food with tons of Omega-3’s from the walnuts and the salmon. Putting spinach in the pesto will ensure everyone eats it.
Notes: If you did not prep the pesto ahead, start by bringing water to a boil for pasta and make the pesto while pasta is cooking. At the same time prep veggies and salmon and start cooking them in a separate pan.
This recipe will use half the pesto, reserve the other half for another meal.
For Vegetarians: add cauliflower in place of salmon.
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 4Servings
Ingredients
Pesto (65 calories in 2 tablespoons) Makes 1 cup
- 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed and moisture squeezed out) baby spinach
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted (toasted pumpkin seeds for nut allergies)
- Juice from ½ lemon
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Salmon
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 zucchini, sliced thinly
- 1 pound salmon filet, skinned and boned, cut into
- 2-inch chunks
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1/2 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions
Preparation
- Prepare pesto: Pulse spinach, evoo, garlic, walnuts and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until a thick, coarse paste, if needed add water to help process. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve half of pesto for a pesto quinoa lunch.
- Heat a large saute pan, lightly coated with evoo, over medium-high heat. Saute onion until golden and caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add zucchini and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until zucchini is lightly golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Add salmon and lemon juice and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until salmon is medium-rare (the salmon will continue to cook while sitting). Add tomatoes and stir to combine, turn off heat, but continue to mix for 2 more minutes.
- Toss pasta with salmon mixture and half of pesto right in the pan or serve everything separate and spoon pesto over top.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 582
- Carbohydrate Content: 52.6 g
- Cholesterol Content: 70 mg
- Fat Content: 26.9 g
- Protein Content: 35 g
- Sugar Content: 5.1 g