Light and healthy food can taste good. Too often I hear people say that recipes with fewer calories, less fat and less sodium lack punch, or they think that cooking really good food means tons of ingredients, and time out the window.

I’ve spent 15 years learning to cook light as part of my Weight Watchers journey. I’ve learned lots of tricks to cutting the calories and fat out of my recipes, and still have the end result be something worth serving my family.

This recipe for salmon fillets is a perfect example of a dish with a few simple ingredients and tons of flavor. The trick is to use quality ingredients like Wild Alaskan salmon, fresh thyme and a really great mustard. Now I have a main dish with some punch!

Happy cooking!

Citrusy Orange and Thyme Glazed Salmon Fillets

Citrusy Orange and Thyme Glazed Salmon Fillets

8 ounces salmon fillets
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 tsp honey
2 tsp horseradish mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tsp thyme, minced
¼ tsp salt
1 pinch pepper

Servings: Makes 2 main dish servings.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine orange marmalade, horseradish mustard, honey, lemon juice and thyme in a small bowl.

3. Spray non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.

4. Place salmon filets on the cooking sheet, season with salt and pepper, then top with marmalade mixture.

5. Bake 15 – 20 minutes until salmon just flakes apart in the thickest part. Do not overcook, or salmon will be dry.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Salmon is loaded with tryptophan, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, protein, vitamins B3 and B12, phosphorus, and magnesium. Salmon is another powerhouse of nutrition that promotes brain health, heart health and blood pressure.

I prefer Wild Alaskan salmon. It’s a bit pricier, but farmed fish contains more inflammatory-producing omega-6 fatty acids, as well as antibiotics to eliminate disease and parasites.  In contrast, wild salmon has more protein, fewer omega-6 fatty acids, and is considerably higher in omega-3 fatty acids. What a powerhouse of nutrition for heart health!

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 241, Total Fat: 6.45g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 710mg, Total Carbs: 14.66g, Dietary Fiber: 0.58g, Sugars: 12.20g, Protein: 26.65g, Weight Watchers Points 5

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

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