Salmon with Spinach and Bacon Quinoa

Last night was one of those nights I was convinced I had no food for dinner, until I looked in my freezer and put together this little ensemble.  Half a bag of frozen spinach and some salmon inspired this dish.  I realized I had been neglecting the quinoa in my pantry, so rather than rice or potatoes, that was my side.  But since quinoa is incredibly bland when cooked solo, I made sure to spice it up the best way I know how...with bacon.  I'm typically a fan of poaching salmon, to ensure moistness, but last night I decided to go wild and bake the salmon.  The result? Still juicy and delicious.  Phew.  

For baking the salmon: salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, olive oil

For the quinoa: 1 cup red quinoa and 2 cups water, 1/2 bag frozen spinach, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1 tbsp garlic, 3 slices bacon, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, lime/lemon juice ~ 2 tbsp

Preheat oven to 375.  Cook the quinoa according to package directions.  I often like to cook in broth rather than water, but last night I stuck with water since I was adding so many other flavors later.  

Fresh spinach would obviously be preferable, but if you're using frozen like I was, wilt/thaw it in a saute pan over medium heat with a little water until heated completely.  Set aside in a small mixing bowl and when cooled, drain any excess water.

You can take this time to prepare the salmon for the oven.  Line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup.  I then sliced the fish into the serving pieces, coated with salt/pepper and a light sprinkling of the cumin and coriander (use whatever spices you like/have) and drizzled with olive oil.  Put in the oven and cook until your desired doneness.  Mine finished exactly as I finished the quinoa/everything else, probably about 15 minutes. 

 Lastly, chop the bacon and heat in the saute pan you used for the spinach.  Once rendered (cooked to a light crisp), remove bacon to paper towels to drain and add garlic and onion to the bacon grease in the skillet.  About this time my quinoa had absorbed all the water so I threw that in the bowl that was holding the spinach.  When the onions/garlic were sauted nicely, I threw them in the quinoa bowl, with the remaining bacon grease, since I love the flavor and it was only about a tbsp.  Add the parmesan cheese, chopped cilantro, and citrus juices.  Mix it all up so the flavors meld and then add the cooked bacon.  

Plate some quinoa, throw a slice of salmon on top, and enjoy!  You could even mix the salmon in with the quinoa for more of a salmon salad sort of feel, but this way you can take some bites of just salmon, just quinoa, or a bit of both.