EASY BAKED SALMON
This Baked Salmon with Lemon is a deliciously quick and easy weeknight meal that's healthy and flavorful. This salmon recipe only needs 15 minutes on the sheet pan.

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat
​Method: Bake
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

• 2 lb salmon fillet, about 1-inch thick
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• Juice of half of the lemon
• 2 TB freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• ½ tsp kosher salt 
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TB olive oil, plus extra for pan

Instructions

• Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375F with rack on lower middle position. Line a large sheet pan with foil and grease the foil with some olive oil. Set aside.
• Remove Moisture: Use paper towels to pat-dry the salmon fillet, ensuring that all excess moisture is removed (this step is important, as excess water/moisture causes fish to be "steamed" instead.) Place salmon on the prepared sheet pan.
• Mix Seasonings: In a small bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients until combined. Evenly press the mixture over the top of salmon.
• Bake: Bake salmon for 10 minutes in preheated oven. Carefully but quickly take salmon out, move rack to top position underneath the broiler, and place salmon tray back on rack.
• Broil: Broil on high for up to 5 minutes or until top is nicely browned, but watch carefully for even browning without burning. Remove from heat immediately. Serve with extra slices of lemon.

Notes

• This lemon basil salmon is amazing with Easy Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms or this 20-Minute Lemon Spinach Orzo Salad
• If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.1g | Protein: 34.1g | Fat: 9.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 77.2mg | Sodium: 313.1mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2.1g

Rice Pilaf my own version is:
*Note: Sometimes I remake these sort of recipes easy by using left over white rice: Simply sauté the onions and mushrooms in olive oil for a few minutes until translucent. Add the seasonings and add the rice and a 1/2 cup broth and cook it down. I've learned these cooking hacks from years of having for feed my family in a pinch and still food prep for competitions.
​(During the summer, I’ll have my husband make this on the grill! Super easy and a partnership cooking!)

Here's a more step by step 
EASY RICE PILAF WITH MUSHROOMS
This Easy Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms is tender, fluffy, and flavorful. It's the perfect side dish to accompany any meal, anytime. *notes for an easier version

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 40 minute
Servings: 8 

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 oz salted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon table salt (used Himalayan salt)
• 1 cup good quality long grain rice, such as Jasmine and brown 2 cups of cooked rice
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups regular strength beef broth
• Optional: chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large heavy pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onions and cook/stir until softened and almost caramelized, 5-10 min. Add butter, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to combine. Add rice, stirring to coat. Add mushrooms and beef broth; stir. Bring to boil, cover with tight-fitting lid, and immediately lower to simmer.
2. Simmer 30 minutes, without opening lid. With lid still on, turn heat off and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and season with additional salt/pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with chopped chives or parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.5mg

INGREDIENTS
Makes 8  to 12 servings

• 1 cup sliced almonds
• ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 4 lemons)
• Kosher salt
• 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed with the flat side of a knife, peeled and left whole (I minced them)
• 10 to 12 ounces washed and dried kale leaves, thick stems removed (weight after trimming)-bought two bags of the traders joe bags and took out the stems 
• 1 cups freshly grated Parmesan (optional) 

Mix everything together and enjoy! I like to massage the dressing into the kale with my hands to soften it.

Kayak Camping on another Island was a new experience for me. And yes, I would do it again and explore some more. I paddle boarded to Blake Island with 3 girlfriends on a ladies trip from the Southworth side 2 years ago. After waiting for the ferry on the Southworth side for awhile I decided that I wanted to try from West seattle.  On that trip we had used bins and/or dry bags and bungeed them to my board. We were able to bring a lot of gear on the kayaks, like a tent and a stove. Kayak camping felt more like car camping, only you have to paddle 6 miles to get to Blake Island from Lowman Beach to West Seattle. It was great because we didn't have to worry about the ferry rides and going to Southworth. Yes, it was a bit longer this time (6 miles instead of 5). It was also a bit more of a shoulder and upper body workout than paddle boarding, which is more of a core and back. We went with one other couple from Lowman and another couple came from Bainbridge. 

You know that saying, show me your friends and I'll show you who you are...Well it's been true for me. Since HS to now, (I just interviewed my HS friend on my podcast) and these are my friends now!. I love my community, both of these ladies told me about this ride and I signed up for it... the Kitsap Color Classic put on by Cascade Bicycle Club,) I love it when my community comes together like that! Our wonderful friend housed us on the other side of the peninsula so we didn't have to worry about catching the ferried that morning of the race.
We all need friend like these. Who push us to our fitness limit and bike along with you! More please!
A big shout out to you ladies.. Angelica and Amy and thank you Michele and Andrew for taking care of us!

Serves 6

My daughter and I had some fun preparing this chicken and vegetable dish together- I love one-pan meals. It came together beautifully, and easily made enough to have for lunch the next day.

Ingredients for Chicken:

• 4 1/4 lb whole chicken
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Ingredients for Flavored Butter:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more to drizzle
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for vegetables
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Ingredients for Vegetables:

• 2 lbs medium red potatoes
• 3 medium carrots
• 8 oz Brussels sprouts

Instructions:
1. Place chicken breast-side down with the wings/ neck facing towards you. To remove the spine, use kitchen shears to cut through the ribs right next to the spine along both sides. Open rib cage and use a heavy knife to score down the sternum. This will help pop out the breast bone and flatten chicken. Season inside the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.

2. Flip the chicken over, breast side up, and set on parchment-lined, rimmed baking half sheet. Using the palm of your hand, push firmly over the breast bone, forcing the chicken to lay completely flat. Use your thumbs to separate the skin from the meat over breast, thigh and drumstick areas.

3. Preheat oven to 425˚F. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flavored butter ingredients. Mash with fork for a couple of minutes until the lemon juice is mostly incorporated into the butter. Spread 2/3 of mixture under the chicken skin and and dot/spread remaining butter all over chicken.

4. Prepare vegetables- scrub the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Peel the carrots and cut them into quarters. Trim the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half.

5. Place prepared vegetables all around the chicken and drizzle everything with olive oil. Sprinkle chicken and vegetables generously with salt and black pepper.

6. Bake uncovered at 425˚F for 45 min or until instant read thermometer reads 160˚F when inserted into thickest part of chicken breast. Remove from oven and rest uncovered for 10 minutes on a cutting board before serving.