Salmon is like the soap opera of foods – it can either be juicy, tender, and complex, keeping you coming back for more. Or, it’s overdone, dry, and tasteless, leaving you frustrated that you even tried it. Am I right?!

These days, I rarely order salmon in restaurants because it seldom measures up to what I can make at home (…and also because upwards of 90% of the salmon on the market is farm-raised, laden with pollutants, and lacking in its full nutritive value). No bueno.

So here’s a fool- proof salmon preparation that will have your family excitedly awaiting dinner time like the next season of Game of Thrones.

The Recipe

1.5 pound filet of wild Alaskan (or sustainably- farmed) salmon
Juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
A few dashes of cayenne pepper (if you like extra heat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together in a small bowl the lemon juice, honey, and all the dry seasonings. Place salmon filet in pyrex dish, pour marinade over it, and cover dish with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Bon appetit!

Nutritional Highlights

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are key in the prevention of heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. As I mentioned earlier, it is important to seek out wild Alaskan salmon to avoid the pesticides and pollutants found in farm- raised salmon. Wild salmon also has higher protein and omega 3 content, and less omega 6 fat (the “not-so-good” one). A 3.5 ounce serving of wild salmon has 231 calories, 25 grams protein, and 13 grams of fat (Murray and Pizzorno, The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods).