My favorite meals involve simple foods whose delicious flavors speak for themselves. When you select fresh, seasonal produce you don’t need to get fancy with your seasoning and technique in order to make an amazing meal. These three recipes are easy to make and tasty to eat. Each features at least one superfood, including rosemary, Brussels sprouts and salmon.
Rosemary is a flavorful herb often used when cooking chicken and pork. It’s truly a superspice as it has been linked to stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation and improving digestion. These health benefits come from rosemary’s high nutrient density (vitamins A and C, several B vitamins and dietary fiber). Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds and has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, which may enhance concentration.
Brussels sprouts are all the rage (and have been for the past few years) on the foodie scene. Beyond their culinary fame lies an incredible nutrition resume. Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable, a categorization that puts them in the good company of broccoli and cabbage. This superfood is a prime source of fat-soluble vitamins A, K and E, most of the B complex of vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, calcium, manganese and selenium.
Salmon is a yummy, fatty fish loaded with potassium, selenium and vitamin B12. More notably, however, it’s an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial for healthy brain function. One 3.5 oz serving contains about 230 calories and 25g of protein. The USDA recommends that all men and women over the age of 19 should get at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (or 0.37 grams per pound). This number goes up for more active individuals but the formula provides a good baseline.
Onto the recipes…
Simply Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
What You’ll Need:
- 3 cups small white or fingerling potatoes
- 1/2 red onion
- 2-3 Tbs fresh rosemary
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
How to Make Them:
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Wash potatoes and halve lengthwise. Skin onion and cut into big chunks (eighths or even quarters).
- In large bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary (de-stemmed and roughly chopped) with potatoes and red onion. Toss until evenly coated.
- Spread into a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 min or until a fork goes in and out easily, but they aren’t mushy.
Simply Roasted Sriracha-Maple Brussels Sprouts
What You’ll Need:
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 whole scallions
- 2 Tbs Sriracha
- 1 Tbs real maple syrup
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
How to Make Them:
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Trim and halve Brussels sprouts. Skin onion and cut into big chunks (eighths or even quarters)–hopefully you already did this when you prepped the potatoes.
- In a large bowl, combine scallions (thinly sliced), Sriracha, maple syrup, olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix. Add Brussels sprouts and onions and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread into a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 min or until the Brussels sprout leaves turn a dark golden brown (almost burnt but not quite) and are easily pierced with a fork.
Simply Baked Apple Pecan Butter Salmon
What You’ll Need:
- 12-oz thickly cut, fresh wild-caught salmon
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 2 Tbs apple pecan butter (plain apple butter or a homemade jam would work as well)
- Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
How to Make It:
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- Place the salmon in an oven-safe pan, skin side down.
- Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, spread a thin layer of apple pecan butter on top and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on top.
- Bake for 15-20 min (time will vary depending on thickness), then remove from heat and let sit for 5 min before serving.