Asian Glazed Sesame Salmon with Asparagus and Brown Rice

Hello! And to say it ad nauseum as if you haven't already heard it a thousand times, "May the fourth be with you!" (Sorry. I wouldn't do it otherwise...but...*shrug*) Today's post will be short and sweet, for everyone's benefit.

For lunch today, I wanted something quick, easy, and healthy. Those are usually the base criteria for all of my meals, but because I've been in here so infrequently lately, I also wanted to eat something beautiful! Salmon is always quick, and it takes well to a variety of flavors, so it was an easy choice.

I didn't want to just pan-fry it, though, so I started brainstorming. I remembered that I have some cilantro that I haven't used, then my eye fell on some honey in the cupboard and soy sauce in the fridge...the ingredients practically walked to the counter on their own. I had no choice but to go in an Asian direction! Ha. I love it when the meals choose themselves. Makes my job much easier. : )

So I grabbed some sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, rice vinegar, and Chinese Five Spice to add to the cilantro, honey, and soy sauce, for a quick glaze for the salmon, which I baked in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

With the salmon in the oven, I made some brown rice and did a quick saute of fresh asparagus. This meal is super fast and finished in under 30 minutes, which I absolutely love! I cooked for one today (as usual), so adjust as necessary. Also, I didn't use any exact measurements for the glaze, so everything below is approximate. You may change this to accommodate your taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets (with or without skin), thawed
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used low-sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (a little goes a long way--add more or less to taste).

To serve:

• 5-8 stalks asparagus, woody ends trimmed
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients for glaze, adding the cilantro last; refrigerate until oven is up to temperature. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and add the salmon. Cover with half the glaze and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until fish is firm and flakes with a fork.

Saute asparagus with a teaspoon of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve salmon with the rest of the glaze and some more sesame seeds on top of rice and asparagus.

 

Nutrition Facts-- Servings: 2 • Size: 1 salmon fillet with 1/2 cup rice and asparagus spears  •Calories: 516 • Fat: 16.5 g • Carbs: 57.1 g • Fiber: 3.2 g • Protein: 40.6 g • Sugars: 19.2 g