Creamy Salmon Florentine

Well this is a new one that was just “field tested” by my family over the weekend and by a good friend today. This one sure looks fancy (and tastes it too!) but I promise it’s just as little work as a slow cooker “dump & stir” meal. The most work required is slicing the tomatoes in half. That’s it. I made this on a day I didn’t feel like cooking (it happens to me too!!). I served it over a brown rice/quinoa mixture for me and over mashed potatoes for the kids. There was NOTHING LEFT! I have a version of this on the dinner menu at the restaurant that uses butter & heavy cream. This is easier and tastes the SAME! Enjoy and, as always, post your photos and feedback! (Note: you can use any fish with this. I wouldn’t recommend tuna for this but any white fish, like flounder, grouper, tilapia, sea bass or barramundi would be fine.)

Ingredients- • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil • 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, patted dry with paper towels • Sea salt and pepper • 2 tbsp. Ghee (or solid coconut oil) • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or 1-2 tsp minced jarred garlic) • 1 1/2 c halved cherry tomatoes • 2 C baby spinach • 1 carton of sliced mushrooms (any kind) • 1/2 C canned unsweetened coconut milk • 1/4 C grated vegan Parmesan cheese (Follow Your Heart) • 1/4 C chopped fresh basil and parsley OR 1 tbsp each dried parsley & basil (plus a little more for garnish • Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions- 1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the salmon on each side with salt and pepper. 2. When oil is hot (but not smoking), add salmon (skin-side up) and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Flip over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. 3. Reduce heat to medium and add ghee (or coconut oil). When melted, stir in garlic and cook about 1 minute (don’t let the garlic burn or get brown). Add the cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are just beginning to blister. Then add the spinach and cook until spinach begins to wilt and the mushrooms are slightly browned. 4. Stir in the coconut milk, grated cheese, and herbs. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer until it is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. 5. Return salmon back to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the fish. Simmer until salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes more. 6. Garnish with more herbs and squeeze lemon on top before serving. Serve with brown rice or quinoa and your choice of veggies (if you want to add something else to the plate...but there are already plenty of veggies here.)