Easy Weeknight Dinner for Two

It’s Monday. Maybe you worked out this morning already, or maybe you hit the snooze button 3x. You’re bummed the weekend is over, but at the same time you’re excited about the prospects that each new week brings. Either way, come tonight, you’re going to want to make dinner, something quick and healthy to start the week off right.

Enter teriyaki glazed salmon, bok choy, and brown rice. The salmon is swiftly seared in the pan but finished in the oven. The bok choy is blanched, then brushed with a sweet and umami-filled sauce. And the brown rice is transformed into an onion and egg fried rice, topped with scallions.

An easy weeknight dinner for two? I got you.

Every week, my boyfriend and I make a variation of the same meal. Sometimes we swap out the bok choy for broccoli, sometimes we omit the brown rice altogether, or if we’re a little more hungry (which is most of the time), we make it into a quick egg fried rice or asparagus rice pilaf. But it’s always baked salmon.

I love salmon in all forms: sushi, sashimi, smoked, cured, seared, baked. Salmon has so many health benefits and I try to eat it a couple of times a week – an easy task, especially with my addiction to sushi and to this baked salmon.

This meal is perfect for weeknights because it’s very easy to make. It’s also very healthy and includes all the food groups for a nutritious dinner: a protein with some healthy fats, greens, and whole grains.

We use a lot of shortcuts to get this meal done even faster. The salmon is baked in one piece, instead of two separate portions (we get a cut that weights about 3/4 of a lb). The teriyaki glaze is pre-made, but I’ve also just whipped up a mix of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a little bit of honey, and some chili pepper flakes. The bok choy is trimmed, then cooked for only a few minutes in a pan with a little bit of water. The brown rice is from a frozen package (super convenient), it just needs to be microwaved. To make the fried rice, just saute some onions and garlic, add the rice, then a whisked egg, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil. Season everything to taste with salt and pepper. Easy peasy.

Your Monday night will never be as delicious. (Or Tuesday, Wednesday, you get the gist.)

Yield: serves 2

Salmon with Bok Choy and Brown Rice

Ingredients

Teriyaki Glazed Salmon

.75 lb salmon
flour for dredging
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

Bok Choy

1 bunch bok choy
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

Egg Fried Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups prepared brown rice (I use frozen brown rice, typically found in the organic freezer aisle of most grocery stores)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
pinch of red chili pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped scallions (or chives) for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Make the salmon. Dredge the fillet in a little bit of flour, salt, and pepper. In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Sear salmon for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to an oven-safe dish, and brush with teriyaki sauce. Reserve the remaining teriyaki sauce for basting.
3. Bake salmon for 10-12 minutes, taking it out halfway to baste with more teriyaki sauce. Once it's done, brush with remaining teriyaki sauce. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
4. While the salmon is cooking, make the bok choy. Add water to pan, and heat on medium-high heat. Add bok choy and cook for 3 minutes, until tender but still crispy.
5. Mix soy sauce and teriyaki sauce and pour on top of cooked bok choy.
6. While salmon is cooking/resting, make the fried rice. Using the same non-stick pan you used to sear the salmon, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add brown rice and stir together.
7. Whisk an egg in a small bowl, and add to brown rice mixture, making sure to mix well so grain is coated. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, chili pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving.

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Tell me about your favorite weeknight meal. Cereal counts!