Salmon is one of my favourite fish to eat, however, it is also very expensive, which is why I, sadly, rarely get to eat it. However, when I was in Sainsburys the other day, I was browsing the reduced section- my fav part fo the store- and came across two salmon fillets for £2.99… Bargain?! Anyway, I ended up buying 4, and once I was home, ended up putting 2 in the freezer, and kept the others in my fridge ready for cooking.

After my pizza, laden with cheese and other naughty ingredients, I decided I once again needed to focus on my healthy eating again. A firm favourite meal of mine is something that included roasted veg, 1) because I LOVE the flavour, and 2) because its cheap and easy. So, with this in mind I decided to incorporate my love for salmon, and my love for veg into one dish.

My ingredients were:

• Leeks
• Sweet Potato
• Parsnips
• Brussel Sprouts
• Courgette
• Dried Basil
• Cayenne Pepper
• 2 Salmon Fillets
• Lemon
• Seasoning

 

 

As usual I didn’t measure out my veg at all, and estimated the amounts I would need. I probably had a little too much on this occasion, but I did get 2 full portions out of my ingredients.

I chopped up my leeks, sweet potato, parsnips, sprouts and courgette, and put in an oiled roasting tin with dried basil, salt and pepper. Normally I would also add a couple of whole garlic cloves, however I knew I would be taking the leftovers to work, and maybe garlic breath isn’t the best trait in a waitress??

After all the veg was evenly coated with oil and seasoning I put it in the oven, which was around 180 degrees, for ten minutes.

Whilst the veg began to cook, I started on the salmon fillets. I ripped two strips of foil, enough to wrap each salmon fillet individually, ensuring all the flavours could infuse whilst it was in the oven.

I chose to do each fillet a little differently. My first piece of salmon was placed on the oiled foil and sprinkled with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. For my second, I sliced a lemon, placing the segments on top, and adding salt.

 

Although this is how I chose to cook my salmon on this occasion, this foil parcel method is really versatile, and it the past I have added pesto, honey and I have also experimented with garlic. It is really up to you! I do think however, that the tangy lemon really compliments the sweetness of the veg.

After the veg has been in the oven for 10 minutes, I added my tightly wrapped fish parcels as well. This then cooked for a further 20 minutes. The foil allows all of the juices to be contained whilst cooking, which creates amazing flavours, and ensures the fish is beautifully flaky.

When everything was cooked and ready to go, I carefully unwrapped my parcels, trying not to spill the juice all of my kitchen counter.

With a big helping of vegetables, I plated up my cayenne pepper salmon, and saved the lemon one for my dinner at work the following day.

The veg was crispy, yet soft, and everything smelt amazing, I couldn’t wait to tuck in! I poured some sweet chilli sauce over my veg, and squeezed a nice helping of mayo onto my plate too- I took the pictures before these extras, as I thought they may ruin the aesthetic slightly!

Once my leftovers had cooled, I packed them into Tupperware, and topped with some crumbled feta and yet more sweet chilli sauce. Salmon is great because it tastes just as good hot or cold, so when I had my dinner at work, it was quick and easy. I didn’t get a pic of this sadly, as I was so starving I tucked straight in!

 

With all of my veg coming from Aldi, and my salmon being discounted, it was a low-cost dish, incorporating a great deal of nutrients and omega 3.

As I used a selection of lots of veg, it was quite hard to gauge the price of this dish, but as an estimate, for one portion, it totals at around £2.10p, a small price to pay for great taste!!