Lemon Feta Salmon

 Cooking and baking for my family and friends is one of my love languages, and I really enjoy coming up with new recipes and flavor combinations. I find cooking to be so relaxing & therapeutic, and often look forward to making dinner as a way to wind down at the end of the day. 

The first time I made this lemon feta salmon, Greg declared it his new favorite meal and it has been in our rotation ever since. It's equal parts delicious and nutritious, and not too complicated for a weeknight dinner. I buy frozen salmon from Publix and pop it in the fridge to thaw the night before by wrapping each filet in a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. I don't measure any of the ingredients, I just add enough of the marinade and toppings to coat each piece of fish before baking.

I typically serve my salmon over butternut squash veggie spirals, while Greg prefers real pasta so I plate his with angel hair and a side of asparagus. It also pairs nicely with jasmine rice since the grains soak up some of the maple dijon marinade. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients

salmon filets, thawed

olive oil

maple syrup

dijon mustard

crumbled feta

lemon (zest, then slice into rounds)

Mediterranean seasoning

salt & pepper

Directions

{1}

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

{2}

Pat each salmon filet dry with a paper towel once thawed. On a plate, drizzle olive oil over each filet and season with salt & pepper. Using your fingers, rub the olive oil and S+P all over the top, bottom and sides of the fish.

{3}

Place fish on the foil-lined baking sheet, and add a little maple syrup and a squirt of dijon mustard to the top of each filet. Using the back of a spoon, gently mix the marinade and spread evenly.

{4}

Coat each filet with crumbled feta cheese, and sprinkle with lemon zest and Mediterranean seasoning. Add lemon slices on top. Cover baking sheet loosely with another piece of foil.

{5}

Bake salmon for 15-20 minutes until it is cooked through, but still moist and flaky. 18 mins is the sweet spot in my oven.

{6}

Serve alongside your favorite pasta, rice or veggie. Garnish with fresh basil for extra color & flavor. Before taking the first bite, don't forget to squeeze the warm lemon slices over the salmon - the heat from the oven brings out even more juice from the lemon!