Roasted Asparagus and Salmon Orzo

Makes a tasty hot or cold dish!

1 Lb. whole wheat orzo pasta
1 Lb. (2 cups chopped) fresh asparagus, cut bite-size *discard base of woody stem
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 Lb. boneless, skinless Sockeye Salmon (thawed if frozen) *or any salmon
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, seeds removed
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh dill, stems removed
3/4 tsp. sea salt, divided
Few dashes fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large pot, boil water for the orzo. Cook orzo according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in a shallow baking pan, toss cut asparagus with 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Place salmon in a separate shallow greased baking pan. Bake both, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes, or until asparagus is fork-tender and salmon easily flakes with a fork. Once salmon is done, flake it completely with two forks, being sure to remove any hard strings of cartilage you may find.

Prepare your dressing in a small container by combining the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, dill, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper. Shake to mix well.

In one big bowl, combine cooked asparagus, flaked salmon, orzo, 1/2 tsp. salt, and feta. Pour dressing over top and gently stir to coat.

Tips: If you prefer this as a cold dish, you make need to add the dressing right before serving, to break up the orzo. If you buy a piece of fish that still has the skin on the bottom, no worries! Simply lay ungreased foil in your baking pan and cook fish as directed. When it is done cooking, you should be able to use a spatula and slide the fillet right of the skin, with the skin remaining attached to the foil. If it is being stubborn, like mine was tonight, you can flip the fillet over, skin still attached, and use the back of a fork or spatula to easily pull the skin off.