Baked Salmon Pearl Couscous
— by Tennille Hoogland
For these cold and dark months when we lack sunlight, your body needs plenty of Vitamin D for bone health and Vitamin C to support the immune system and for antioxidant properties. This recipe provides both. Red peppers are high in Vitamin C and onion and kale are high in antioxidants. Add salmon and you have a rich food source of Vitamin D. Plus it only takes one dish to make, 20 minutes to prepare plus baking time (25 minutes) and tastes delicious.
Related: Vitamin D: It’s that time of the year
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 small/medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small red pepper, chopped
- 2 cups shredded kale, stems removed 1.5 cups zucchini, chopped
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 cup dry pearl (Israeli) couscous
- 1⁄2 cup olives (optional)
- 1⁄2 cup feta, crumbled
- 1⁄2 tsp red chile flakes
- Pinch of paprika
- Fresh pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup soup stock or water
- 1⁄2 lemon, squeezed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 salmon steaks seasoned with salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 C.
- Chop onion, red pepper, zucchini and tomato into small, similar sized pieces. Shred the kale and finely dice the garlic. Mix together with the couscous in a square baking pan (20 cm x 20 cm).
- Warm the stock and add spices, lemon juice and oil. Mix.
- Combine all ingredients except the feta in the baking pan. Cover the mixture with crumbled feta. (Note: You can make this dish without salmon. Simply omit salmon, cover and bake for the same duration)
- Place the seasoned salmon steaks on top of the couscous. Add one slice of lemon on top and cover pan tightly with tin foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork before serving.
Tennille Hoogland is a former pro triathlete and two-time Ironman 70.3 Champion. She is a health and wellness coach at triwholehealth.com