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Salmon is probably the easiest fish to make a meal out of; you can bake it, roast it, pan-fry it, or eat it raw in the form of sushi.  I love how buttery the meat tastes, yet you know that the oil from the fish is loaded with some good omega-3 fats.  And if you choose wild-caught salmon instead of farm-raised, you’ll reap the extra bennies of knowing that your fish is lower in total fat, higher in protein, and doesn’t have synthetic colors injected into them to make their flesh appear more pink.

Here’s a simple, 2-minute way to prepare your salmon before sliding it into the oven.  Just create a nice dry rub with a little brown sugar, which will form a thin crust of flavor for the fish.  Place atop a bed of greens, add some roasted asparagus spears on the side along with crusty bread of brown rice, and there – a complete meal.

Dry-Rub Salmon with Asparagus Spears

serves 4

1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed at the ends

2 tsp olive oil

a pinch or two of sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp Herbes de Provence

Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the salmon:

1 1/4 lb fresh salmon

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp salt-free grilling blend (I use Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling Blend)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

Cooking spray

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 F.  In a jelly-roll pan, combine all ingredients for the asparagus and lightly toss.  Roast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, turning the asparagus spears halfway through roasting, until fork-tender.  Take out asparagus and turn down the heat to 325 F.

2.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, grilling blend, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and sea salt.  Spray the inside of a jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and place the salmon on the pan.  Spread 1/2 of the spice mixture on top of the salmon; flip over and repeat with the other side.  Place the salmon in the oven and bake for about 15-18 minutes, until cooked through and fish flakes easily with a fork.  Serve on top of a bed of greens or rice.