Thursday, June 10, 2010

beauty foods: grilled salmon on lemon lentils & arugula

Beauty Foods are delicious, nutrient rich recipes to eat your way to healthy skin. Beauty Foods is a spin off on Fresh From Your Kitchen, bringing you the same format from our delectable DIY spa recipes to delicious food recipes that will lead to glowing, healthy skin from the inside out!

This delicious, easy recipe incorporates 2 of my favorite foods that are staples on our shopping list, salmon and arugula. They just happen to be full of rich antioxidants and vitamins for healthy skin too!

ingredients ~ serves 2
3/4 to 1 lb salmon cut into 2 fillets
1/2 cup dry lentils or 1/2 can cooked lentils
1 bunch arugula, rinsed and torn
2 T red wine vinegar
2T chopped onion
2t dijon mustard
1 lemon (for zest and juice)
olive oil
S&P

simple steps
Rub salmon with olive oil, S&P and grill.

Cook the lentils as directed if using dry lentils. If using canned lentils, zap them in the microwave to heat 45 seconds to 1 min.

Make the salad dressing: combine vinegar, 2T olive oil, mustard & onion. Add lemon zest, S&P to taste. Toss warm lentils and arugula in vinaigrette. Spread on plate. Place grilled salmon on top and garnish with lemon wedge. Enjoy!

Why it's healthy for your skin and body

Salmon is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which does wonders for your skin, not to mention your heart and are known as an anti-inflammatory. Try to select wild salmon, the pinker the better. Some farm raised salmon add color, so do not be fooled by this. Alaskan, sockeye and coho salmon are usually good bets if they are available. These are said to contain the highest amounts of essential fatty acids.

Lentils are a great dried bean to get started with, because they cook much quicker than other dried beans. They are high in iron, fiber, B vitamins and minerals. There have been medical studies that show benefits of consuming lentils for heart health. You can read more about it here.

Arugula, along with many other dark greens, is rich in vitamin A & C, magnesium, folic acid, calcium and phytochemicals, which are a great antioxidant source. These help detoxify the body and skin. The delicious peppery taste is a welcome surprise, giving a much different flavor than other leafy greens. We grow arugula in our urban garden because I love it so much. It's also an easy staple to pick up at your local farmer's market.

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