Recipe: Grilled Salmon with Fresh Herb Pesto

Use your favorite herbs to create a fresh-tasting sauce for grilled fish. (You can leave the sauce off the fish for picky eaters, but our kids like it.) For the sauce, you can use only basil or cilantro, or add other fresh herbs you have in your garden or refrigerator.

SERVES: 4

SERVING SIZE: 4 ounces salmon + 2 tablespoons pesto

PREP + COOK: 25 minutes

• 1 pound salmon (preferably wild Alaskan) or halibut fillet
• 2 1/3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, including any combination of basil, cilantro, parsley, or chives, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 lemon, juice only (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon honey

DO AHEAD OR DELEGATE: Make and refrigerate the pesto.

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the top and sides of the salmon (or halibut) with 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. In a blender or food processor, puree the herbs, 2 tablespoons oil, the water, lemon juice, pine nuts, and honey. Transfer the mixture to a small serving bowl.

2. (Start the asparagus now, if you are serving it.) Grill the fish skin side down on top of aluminum foil or a grilling tray for about 10 minutes without flipping it, until it flakes easily and is no longer dark pink in the middle. (Alternatively, bake the fish in the oven at 400°F for 12–15 minutes until it is cooked through.) When the fish is done, slide a thin spatula between the fish and the skin, allowing the skin to stick to the foil or tray, and transfer the fish to a serving plate. Serve the fish topped with the herb pesto.

FLAVOR BOOSTER: Stir 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest into the pesto.

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS: Place the salmon on a piece of aluminum foil, brush the flesh with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the salmon to make a packet. (If your piece of salmon is larger than your slow cooker, cut it to fit, and place each piece on its own individual packet.) Cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the salmon is done. Remove it from the foil and top it with the pesto to serve. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

EXCHANGES / CHOICES: 3 Protein, lean; 3 Fat

Calories: 265; Calories from Fat: 160; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 2.5 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 65 mg; Sodium: 225 mg; Potassium: 455 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 2 g; Protein: 23 g; Phosphorus: 330 mg

Copyright © 2016 American Diabetes Association. From The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. Photography: Linda Wolpert. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner is available at ShopDiabetes.org, in bookstores nationwide, or by calling 1-800-232-6733.