During the month of love, we’re bringing you heart-healthy workouts and recipes that are good for your ticker. This recipe is a great weeknight meal because it’s quick and easy to prepare, but with some small additions can become a great date-night dish. This meal serves 2.
Heart Healthy Info:
Leafy greens are a good source of vitamin K, which helps to promote proper blood clotting and keeps your arteries healthy. They’re also high in nitrates which reduces blood pressure and improves the functioning of blood vessels. The American Heart Association states that including leafy greens into your diet regularly will lead to a lower risk of heart disease.
The Omega-3 fatty acids found in rainbow trout can play a role in protecting the body against developing heart disease and may even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and arrhythmias.
What You Need:
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra
2 x 120g lightly smoked rainbow trout portions
Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful baby spinach leaves
Handful watercress
Handful rocket (or another leafy green, such as lamb’s lettuce)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly sliced
Mange tout or sugar-snap peas, sliced lengthways
Make it fancy – add the following:
¼ cup grilled, pickled artichokes, sliced
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Method:
1/ Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan set over medium-high heat. Add the trout portions skin side down (you want to get that skin to sizzle and become crispy). Squeeze a little of the lemon juice over the fish and then turn over after 3 minutes and cook briefly on the other side, for 1-2 minutes. (Cooking time will vary depending on how well you like your fish cooked.) Remove from the pan and set aside.
2/ Assemble the salad by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and tossing together with the lemon zest, remainder of the juice and 2-3 tbsp olive oil. Serve as desired.
Notes:
Instead of pan-frying trout portions, you could grill them over a fire or bake them in the oven.
Looking for another easy, low-carb weeknight recipe similar to this one? Try this broccoli and trout recipe.