Glazed Salmon With Beans Nutritional, Quick To Make

Glazed Salmon with Black Beans and Rice takes sound nutritional advice and turns it into a fast, delicious dinner.

The dish provides a healthy balance, with plenty of complex carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein and a small amount of fat, mostly in the form of omega-3 fatty acids from the oils found in cold-water fish.

The salmon is lightly glazed with a sweet-spicy blend of hot pepper jelly and vinegar, then grilled over medium-low heat - with the lid closed. That method both grills and bakes the fish, giving it a lightly sweet, smoky flavor.

The fish is served with the Caribbean staple of black beans and rice, which provide a healthy serving of complex carbohydrates.

All of this sounds like gourmet fare, but the meal can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.

Glazed Salmon with Black Beans and Rice

12 ounces salmon fillet

2 tablespoons hot red pepper jelly

1 tablespoon apple cider or balsamic vinegar

2 cups cooked long-grain white rice

1 (15-ounce) can black beans

1 clove garlic, crushed through a press

1 green onion. finely chopped

Heat a barbecue grill with a tight-fitting cover to medium-low heat.

Wash the salmon fillet under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the red pepper jelly and cider or vinegar in a small, microwave-safe dish and melt for 1 minute on high (100 percent) power until liquefied. Brush the meat of the salmon with some of the pepper jelly glaze.

Cook the salmon 5 minutes over the coolest part of the fire with the grill cover closed. Baste lightly with more of the pepper jelly glaze and cook covered 5 more minutes or until the salmon is firm to the touch and white “beads” have formed on the surface.

(If your grill has an upper rack, cook the salmon on the upper rack, away from direct heat. The indirect heat helps keep the salmon from drying out during cooking.)

While the salmon is cooking, combine the can of black beans and the clove of garlic in a saucepan. Heat the beans to boiling, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.

Divide the salmon into four portions and serve with 1/2 cup hot rice and 1/4 cup of black beans. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of chopped green onion.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 444 calories, 30 grams protein, 54 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams fat (22 percent fat calories), 54 milligrams cholesterol, 405 milligrams sodium.

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