A Giada Keeper!

I wanted a special but healthy meal coming off of a week long cleanse and this dish exceeded my expectations. I have never been a fan of whole wheat pasta, but because of this meal I am now a believer! The fresh lemon and basil flavors played up the whole wheat pasta beautifully. It was an explosion of yumminess in my mouth! Hard to believe that a meal this beautiful and tasty took only 20 minutes to prepare. My daughter Sophie, who is not a fan of fish, LOVED the salmon mixed with the other ingredients. Carly, my other daughter, kept saying "How is this pasta going to be flavorful with hardly any sauce?", but after one bite, she was blown away with how just a few simple, fresh flavors can make a meal so incredibly flavorful. My husband said, "This is delicious!" I quickly responded, "And it's good for you too!"

-Penny

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil, and Salmon
by Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

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• 1/2 pound whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (4-ounce) pieces salmon
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the salmon from the pan.

Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the spaghetti mixture and toss to combine. Set out 4 serving plates or shallow bowls. Place 1/2 cup spinach in each bowl. Top with 1/4 of the pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately.