Rice, Salmon and Pesto Salad

On the table in: 10 mins
Serves: 2
Origin: Italian

Ingredients:

  • 2 salmon fillets (125 grams each)
  • 12 grams pine nuts
  • 50 mls fat-free Italian dressing
  • 60 mls reduced-fat ready-made basil pesto
  • a few fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • ½ red capsicum, de-seeded and chopped
  • 200 grams cooked brown rice
  • several red lettuce leaves

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 405 calories; 32g carbohydrates; 30.5g protein; 16.9g fat; 2.8g fibre
*nutritional data is indicative and may vary depending on the brand of ingredients used.

Instructions:

  1. Grill the salmon fillets for 2–3 minutes a side or until just cooked through; cut into 2–3 pieces each and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small dry non-stick frying pan over high heat for a minute or so, taking care they don’t over-brown.
  3. In a bowl, combine the Italian dressing with the ready made pesto and most of the basil leaves. Place the cooked rice into a bowl and mix in three-quarters of the Italian pesto dressing as well as the red capsicum and most of the pine nuts.
  4. Arrange the salmon, lettuce and rice salad on two plates.
  5. Drizzle the remaining pesto dressing over the salmon and garnish the rice with the remaining pine nuts before serving.

Chef’s suggestions:

  • If you don’t have any leftover cooked brown rice, use a 2-minute microwave pouch of brown basmati rice.