Fluffy Salmon Over Tons o’ Veggies – $2.60

For those of you that whine about not being able to cook, this dish is for you.  Let me break this down for you people (ahem, bachelors!) who think this looks too hard. Oh, and if you’re wondering if this was yummy, let’s just say my plate was clean before the movie previews were even over.

The great thing about buying a big portion of veggies or meat at once is that it gives you some room for creativity so you can use everything up before it all goes bad. Yesterday we made salmon with a tart fruity bed of goodness, today we’re making a hearty bed of goodness.

Go ahead and preheat your oven to Broil on high heat. Cut up a ton of veggies- whatever you have on hand. Today I used onion, pepper, zucchini, baby portabello mushrooms, and garlic. I also used spinach and broccoli but don’t use them yet. Heat up a cast iron skillet and put a splash of extra virgin olive oil in it. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, skip this paragraph to the next one. This is so simple! Add the handful of veggies to the skillet and give it a stir. Make room in the middle  for your salmon (or really, whatever meat you prefer). Make sure there’s a little bit of oil there first, then carefully lay your salmon down. Throw some salt, pepper, or whatever seasonings you want right on top. I put a splash of red wine vinegar all over the veggies, but I would recommend balsamic vinegar if you have it. Place the ENTIRE skillet right in the hot oven. DON’T flip the fish! Cooking with direct heat from the skillet on only one side, while broiled heat on the other side makes it light and fluffy. Let it do it’s thing for about 5-8 minutes, depending on how well done you prefer.

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you should definitely consider getting one! They’re really fun. In the meantime, do everything the exact same way but don’t put the skillet in the oven. You may have to move the veggies around a bit and possibly flip the salmon once as well. You could also saute all of the veggies first, plate it, then do the fish second.

I don’t know about you, but I hate cleaning my kitchen after I’ve already eaten and happified. This meal is perfect for cleaning up your workspace while your food’s cooking so you don’t have to worry about it later.

I also wanted to use up some leftover broccoli, so I steamed that for just a few minutes while my fish was cooking. To prepare some darn good broccoli, put a nice splash of water in a small pot and stick your cut up broccoli in it with a lid on top. Turn to high heat and let steam for maybe 3-4 more minutes.

Also, while you’re at it, get your plate ready for the fish and veggies. Put a big ol’ handful of spinach down along with your steaming broccoli.

This very filling, and very healthy meal cost about $2.60! If you don’t believe me, I’ll put the breakdown below. Remember, the cost outside the parenthesis is what the ingredient cost in bulk and the cost inside the parenthesis is what is cost me for just one meal.

Mmmm… makes me hungry all over again… Enjoy!

Salmon – ($1)
Baby Portabello Mushrooms – $2.89 ($.28)
Spinach – $2.79 ($.13)
Onion – $.67 ($.11)
Pepper – $1.69 ($.20)
Zucchini – $.93 ($.46)
Broccoli – $1.69 ($.42)
Total: $2.60