Lunch: Salmon, Red Quinoa, and Arugula Salad

Recipe by /contributors/marc-murphy Spicy harissa, a hot pepper sauce, plays off sweet raisins perfectly. —Murphy

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Salmon, Lemon

Health and fertility benefits of Salmon, Red Quinoa, and Arugula Salad

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and also one of the best sources of vitamin D. Keeping vitamin D levels up is important to women with PCOS. Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to.

Ingredients

1 cup white wine
4 skinless salmon fillets (3 ounces each)
1 white onion, sliced
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup red quinoa
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups arugula
Juice of 2 lemons
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons harissa (available at Whole Foods Market)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Instructions

In a large pot, boil wine and 4 cups water.
Add salmon, onion and thyme. Reduce heat to simmer; poach salmon until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
Remove salmon; cool. In another large pot, boil 4 cups water. Add quinoa and cook until tender, about 11 minutes; drain.
In a bowl, mix quinoa, chickpeas, raisins and spices; cool.
Toss quinoa-chickpea mixture with arugula. Dress salad with lemon juice and oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Divide salad and poached salmon among 4 plates. Top each salmon fillet with 1 tablespoon harissa. Garnish with cilantro and almonds.

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