One of "the Healthiest Meals on the Planet"

Dan hasn't taken much interest in my food reading in the past, though he's been amazingly supportive (and flexible) as Fast Food Nationhad me eating pescatarian, and The Omnivore's Dilemmahad me passionate about eating local and growing our own food.

Maybe it's all the food TV we've been watching, but something sparked an interest in nutrition in him, and he bought The Men's Health Big Book of Food & Nutrition! In addition to five chapters of nutrition information, the book contains nearly 200 pages of photos of specific foods, some key info about them, and a nutritional breakdown. Plus, it ends with "100 of the Healthiest Meals on the Planet".

Empowered with more ingredient-specific food knowledge than I've gleaned from years of reading food science, history and politics books, Dan's been mixing some of the recipes from this book into our weekly meal plans. Tonight, we took on Easy Roasted Salmon - a quick and simple recipe that's the oven equivalent of one-pot cooking. It turned out fresh and flavorful and was on the table quickly - even after I worked late.

Easy Roasted Salmon
4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
1 tspn balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 lemons
1/4 tspn ground black pepper
2 Tbspn fresh parsley, chopped
4 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise
1 Tbspn Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the salmon on a broiling rack. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs over the fillets. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the top. Sprinkle with half the pepper and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Thinly slice the remaining lemon into four pieces and place a slice on top of each fillet. Lay the squash halves cut-sides up around the salmon. In a small bowl, mix the cheese with the remaining bread crumbs, pepper, and parsley. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the squash. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the salmon is opaque and teh squash is slightly tender.

Serves four. Per serving: 364.9 calories, 19.1 g fat (4 g saturated), 101.5 mg cholesterol, 124.7 mg sodium, 8.4 g carbohydrates (3.8 g sugars), 2.8 g fiber, 39.2 g protein.