Are you craving something satisfying without the heavy after-dinner feel? Emmaline Rasmussen, MS, RD, LDN, Clinical Research Dietitian at NorthShore, shares her delicious recipe that the whole family will enjoy! Packed with nutrients, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is beneficial for your heart health and improving your brain health. 

Ingredients:

• 4 center-cut salmon filets, 4 to 6 oz each
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (save the green tops, or fennel “fronds,” for later)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 large leeks (white to very light green parts only), thinly sliced and rinsed well
• 1 ½ cups raw baby spinach
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon (fresh squeezed)
• ⅔ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 4 tsp olive oil
• White wine (optional)
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Parchment paper, baking sheet(s)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees/
2. Fold a 20-inch sheet of parchment paper in half and cut a large heart shape out of it. Do this 3 more times, making 1 heart for each salmon filet.
3. Place ¼ of the fennel bulb slices, ¼ of the baby spinach leaves, and ¼ of the leek slices on the center of the parchment paper heart, near the fold. Repeat 3 times for each of the 4 parchment paper hearts, until you’ve used up all of the fennel, leeks and spinach.
4. Place 2 thin lemon slices on top of the vegetables, side by side. Do this for each of the 4 parchment paper hearts.
5. Place 1 salmon filet on top of each pile of vegetables/lemon slices.
6. Arrange ½ cup cherry tomatoes and a few Kalamata olives around each filet, until there are no more cherry tomatoes or Kalamata olives remaining.
7. Drizzle ¼ of the lemon juice and 1 tsp of the olive oil over each filet. Drizzle a small amount of white wine over each as well, if desired.
8. Season with salt & pepper.
9. Top with 1-2 more thin lemon slices and sprinkle a little of the green fennel tops, or “fronds,” onto each filet.
10. Fold the edges of the parchment paper together to seal the edges and enclose the salmon filet. Begin at the point of the heart and continue creating small overlapping folds until you reach the top of the heart. Twist the ends to ensure a tight seal. Repeat for the other 3 salmon filets.
11. Carefully transfer the parchment paper “bags” of salmon onto a baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. The parchment paper should brown slightly and may puff up as the fish cooks and the bags fill with steam.
12. Carefully remove from the baking sheet and place each “bag” onto a plate. When ready to eat, cut the bags open with a knife to allow the steam to escape then enjoy directly from the parchment paper.

What is your favorite way to prepare salmon?