I started taking yoga classes. Have I mentioned that yet? Well I have. And while I’ve been looking for a gym/studio, I sign up for the free trial at a different place each week. Then, in order to make a well-educated decision, I go to every single class during that week so I will know which ones I like and which gym has the largest number of classes I like.
I’m on week three. I can’t move my body. The only thing I can feel is pain. Last night I tried to scratch my back and my shoulder popped so dramatically loud that I held onto it for a good thirty seconds just to make sure my arm wouldn’t fall out if I let go. The ironic thing about it is, when I wake up in the morning I’m so sore. Things hurt all day and my range of motion is limited. Then I go to the evening’s yoga class and leave feeling so much better. But when I wake up the next morning, sore again. It’s a good sore though and I’m not trying to complain.
Actually, I don’t know what I’m trying to say other than I started yoga and also decided I should start eating more real dinners. More protein and vegetables—pieces of fish over whole grains and a rainbow of veggies like this Mediterranean Quinoa with Salmon. Some times I forget I can make things that don’t get posted on the blog, and because of that, a lot of my dinners end up being more of a snack session rather than sitting down for a complete meal.
So when I stumbled across a bag of frozen wild caught salmon filets at the grocery store (4–5 filets for $5. What even?!) and had leftover veggies from the copious amounts of Mediterranean Flatbread with Goat Cheese I’ve been eating, I thought of the perfect fresh and fast weeknight meal. The salmon only takes about 8–10 minutes to cook, and the quinoa only 15. Saute up your colorful veggies—red onion, red pepper and spinach—and toss it into that fluffy quinoa with some pesto and balsamic vinegar for tons of flavor then top with the salmon—tada! Fast, fresh, no-quilt meal. So by the time all is said and done, you can get home, whip this healthy, delicious meal up and be limping your way back to the yoga studio in no time!
- ½ cup quinoa
- 2 salmon filets
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ red pepper, chopped
- ¼ red onion, chopped
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Serve with: Goat or feta cheese (optional), lemon wedge
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables and prepare the salmon by patting it dry with paper towels, then salting and peppering each side.
- In a medium pan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Then, add the salmon and cook each side for about 4–5 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and pepper until soft and fragrant.
- Turn the heat to low, then add the spinach, pesto and balsamic and toss until spinach leaves are melted. Stir in the cooked quinoa until just combined.
- Portion the quinoa mixture evenly on two plates, then place a salmon filet on top of each serving. Serve with a lemon wedge and sprinkling of goat or feta cheese.
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