A restaurant-looking plate with no technique: salmon and asparagus rubbed in a garlic-parmesan paste and baked together, served over rice. One plate is 33g of protein for 396 calories.

Coating both the salmon and asparagus in the same paste means one flavour ties the plate together.

Ingredients

  • For the rice
  • Brown rice — ½ cup dry [P 7 C 73 F 3]
  • Water — 1 cup
  • Salt — for the rice
  • For the salmon & asparagus
  • Salmon fillets — 2, ~115 g each [P 46 C 0 F 14]
  • Asparagus — 14 medium spears, halved [P 3 C 6 F 0]
  • Light parmesan — ¼ cup, grated [P 8 C 2 F 4]
  • Parsley — ¼ cup, chopped
  • Minced garlic — 1 tbsp
  • Low-sodium soy sauce — 1 tbsp [P 1 C 1 F 0]
  • Lemon — a squeeze (or 1 tsp juice)
  • Olive oil — ½ tsp (or spray)
  • Salt, pepper, paprika — to taste

Method

  1. Cook the rice. Simmer in 1 cup salted water, covered, ~25 minutes.
  2. Heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.
  3. Make the paste. Mix the parmesan, parsley, oil, garlic, soy, lemon, salt and pepper.
  4. Coat and bake. Rub the paste over the salmon and asparagus, transfer to a tray, and bake 12–14 minutes.

What to eat it with

  • The rice — built in.
  • A side salad.
  • Extra lemon.

Variations

  • Lower carb: flake the salmon into a salad instead of rice.
  • Any fish in place of salmon.
  • Broccoli or green beans for the asparagus.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: about 4g a serving, from the rice and asparagus.
  • Salmon note: the 12g fat is mostly salmon’s omega-3s.
  • Macros: reconcile with the per-serving 396 cal / 33g protein listed; no correction needed.