CREAMY SPINACH STUFFED SALMON😍

In need of an easy weeknight dinner? I’ve got you covered! This one uses leftover spinach dip (or creamed spinach), stuffs it into some fresh salmon filets, gets thrown into the oven for 12 minutes, and boom! Super delicious, healthy dinner on your table in no time! 

I grew up with a single mom who worked close to 50 hours a week, so healthy and quick weeknight dinners were a must. She often relied on quick cooking proteins like salmon + other shortcuts to make sure we had a healthy and filling meal to come home to. She truly taught me that eating healthy didn’t have to be complicated, and it certainly doesn’t have to take long. Love using that concept for making weeknight cooking easier in my household too - take shortcuts where you can (buying rotisserie chicken, focusing on quick cooking veggies you can toss with your favorite seasoning, buy frozen rice for when you’re really on a time crunch, etc.). The simpler you can make your meals, the more likely you will eat healthy vs spending money on takeout - double win!

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

For the Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon:

• 2 salmon filets

• ¼ cup spinach dip (or whatever dip you have on hand - cream cheese based dips work best)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

Serving Suggestion:

Rice Pilaf:

• ½ cup Uncle Ben’s or jasmine rice

• ¼ cup broken vermicelli noodles or broken up spaghetti

• 2 tbsps butter

• 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

For the Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

• Start with your rice pilaf first, since it takes longer to cook than the salmon.

• Add butter to a small saucepan. Once melted, add the vermicelli noodles, stirring frequently for 30-60 seconds until just starting to brown.

• Add in the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the chicken broth, cover and bring to a boil.

• Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer for 15 minutes. Shut off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork. Keep the lid on until serving.

• For the salmon, use a paring knife or small non-serrated knife to cut a little pocket in the side of the salmon. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through, and leave about ½“ on each side.

• Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and stuff each salmon with equal parts of the spinach dip.

• Drizzle salmon with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.

• Bake at 400 degrees for about 12-14 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with the pilaf and enjoy!