Herbed Salmon and Zesty Brown Rice

Ready for a super simple yet delicious salmon recipe? You're in luck! This is one of my favorites! The flavors are subtle enough for kids. Even my husband, who generally doesn't like brown rice , loved this brown rice recipe.

Honey Mustard Basil Salmon & Zesty Brown Rice Salad

2 Large or 4 small Salmon fillets, about 1" thick
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey dijon mustard (or 1 Tbsp dijon mustard mixed with 1 tsp honey)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup basil, freshly chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Remove any bones with pliers. Place salmon, skin side down, on a cookie sheet. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Stir in chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture over fillets with pastry brush or simply spoon it over and smooth it over until the whole fillet is covered. Let sit and marinate while you prepare the brown rice. If you make ahead of time cover this dish and keep in the fridge.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for for about 12 minutes or until the fish flakes when scraped with a fork, or thermometer reads 140 degrees.

**TIP: Do NOT overcook. The general rule for fish is 10 minutes per one inch thick fish. So if the fillet is only 1" thick cook for about 10 minutes. If it's 2 inches then cook for about 20 minutes.

**TIP: Did you know you rarely need to skin salmon or halibut? Most of the time we place the fish directly over foil on a cookie sheet, flesh side up, and bake. When it's perfectly cooked, it should "peel" right off the skin that sticks to the foil. Easy clean up and no skin!

Zesty Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad
Shared with me by my friend Mareen
Yield: A lot! 6-7 cups, serves about 10

Combine the following in a large bowl:
6 C brown rice, cooked and cooled
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 C corn, fresh, frozen, or canned (drained)
1 C celery, sliced
3/4 C green onion, chopped
2 C tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped
1/4 C cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
Whisk together the following:
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
2 tsp tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp white sugar (or as desired, to taste)

Pour over rice mixture and combine. It can be served warm or chilled. I think it tastes better chilled.

Enjoy!