Monday, May 11, 2015

Monday Meal Prep: Lemon Salmon and Lentil Pilaf


Happy Monday! I hope you had a good weekend and were able to enjoy some sunshine. It was gorgeous here on Friday and Saturday, Sunday it poured but it was still warm! Today is just hot and muggy (aka I have an afro) and it's supposed to storm. The weather must know it's Monday.

If your Mondays are anything like mine they can be described in one word: hectic. I have over an hour drive to my job/internship so I leave early and get back late. Wash, rinse, and repeat for three days. Meal prep literally saves me. I prep lunch and dinner so when I get back from work I have something I can just heat up or eat as is. 

This week I didn't feel like packing salad so I opted for salmon. I haven't been eating meat but I am eating fish, mainly for protein and all the other benefits (too long to go into detail). This is a super easy meal to prep and it can be eaten cold or heated up. 

Lemon Salmon
  • 3 salmon fillets- 4oz is a single serving (as many fillets as needed)
  • 1 large lemon, sliced
  • ground pepper to taste
  • sesame dill seafood seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and lightly spray with nonstick cook spray or coconut oil.

Set salmon fillets on top of two lemon slices.

Sprinkle ground pepper and sesame dill seasoning on top of each fillet.

Squeeze a little lemon juice on top of each salmon fillet and then set two slices of lemon on top of each salmon fillet.

Baked at 400F for 20-25 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on your oven. 

The easiest way to tell if salmon is done is to prod it with a fork. If the salmon easily flakes apart it is done. Also if the center is a light pink it is done. If the center is a dark pink it needs to be cooked longer.

When salmon is done baking remove from oven and set aside.

You can prepare the lentil pilaf while the salmon is cooking or after, whatever is easier for you. 

Lentil Pilaf
  • 1 cup ready to eat lentils
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped dill
  • 1.5-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl combine lentils with cucumber, onion, dill, and fresh lemon juice.

Gently toss all ingredients to combine.

Measure lentil pilaf into as many containers as needed. Once the salmon has cooled down place the salmon fillets in the containers with the lentil pilaf. Garnish containers with a slice of lemon if desired.

Keep containers in the fridge. I would highly recommend packing the container in a bag with a cold pack for eating at work or wherever. It's not safe to consume meat that has been out for more than 2 hours. 

Nutrition for salmon will vary based on brand and size of fillet.

Nutrition for Lentil Pilaf (based on 5 servings of a heaping 1/3 cup):
MACROS: 11C/0F/5P
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 58
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0 g0 %
Saturated Fat 0 g0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg0 %
Sodium 97 mg4 %
Potassium 92 mg3 %
Total Carbohydrate 11 g4 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g12 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 5 g9 %
Vitamin A3 %
Vitamin C7 %
Calcium5 %
Iron11 %


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