Being able to get dinner together quickly has always been a necessity and priority for me, and I am grateful Claire, Dave and I share I our commitment to sit down and enjoy a family dinner nearly every night. I must admit I feel extra proud of myself whenever I assemble a dinner menu that has many bright and brilliant colors! Try this recipe and enjoy feeling great about the variety and nutrition you are sharing with your family by preparing a meal that is rainbow colored.
For the salmon, you can easily broil it using a drizzle of olive oil instead of butter. Other seasoning options include store bought salmon/fish seasoning, a squirt of lemon juice and chopped up fresh basil. You can also smear a thin layer of hoisin sauce over the salmon or a more elaborate marinade like miso-glazed soy salmon!
For bright green colors, asparagus is easy and quick to broil after trimming the woody ends. Simply brush the spears of asparagus, line them up across a baking sheet, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and finally consider crumbling a hard-boiled egg on top to minimize the “funny pee smell!” Other green color contenders include green beans and peas, or salads of any kind.
I often don’t remember to make red cabbage—you either like it or not! Growing up in Taiwan and in the U.S. my parents often sautéed green cabbage, but the red is so much prettier and I think has a rich taste.
Finally, I have instilled in Claire the Chinese habit of eating fresh fruit with as many meals as possible and as a snack. Whether I serve a single fruit or cut up strawberries, watermelon, raspberries and apples, it’s another fun thing to do to show children how much fun healthy and fresh foods can be.
May you and your family eat all colors of the rainbow!
MULTICOLORED DINNER IN 20 MINUTES!
- Broiled salmon
- Sautéed red cabbage
- Sautéed broccoli
- Fresh pineapple
Ingredients:
- Two 6-oz salmon filets
- Half head red cabbage, chopped, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup chicken broth
- One head of broccoli cut into chunks, ¼ cup chicken broth
- Fresh ripe pineapple, cut into chunks
Directions:
- Place a single sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet (to make clean up easy). Lay salmon filets on the foil and spread 1 tsp of olive oil or soft butter gently over the surface of the salmon. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Broil on HIGH or LO until the surface is golden brown.
- In a stainless steel skillet on medium high, drizzle it with 2 tbsp EEVO. Once the oil is hot, add the cabbage. Sauté for 30 seconds, then pour chicken broth over it and immediately cover the skillet with a lid. Leave covered for 5 minutes, then add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, stir and cover for another 5-10 minutes until soft.
- In a second skillet, heat up 2 tbs of EEVO on medium high to high. Once hot, add broccoli chunks. Sauté for 2 minutes, then pour in the chicken broth and immediately cover with the lid for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed.
- Enjoy!