New World Salmon Florentine

This casserole uses chunks of fresh salmon with a lot of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It also has real cheese for flavor. Don't use low-fat Swiss cheese—it won't melt correctly.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flaked cooked salmon fillet (about 12 ounces)

  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and chopped

  • 2 cups cooked tricolor chunky pasta

  • 2 stalks celery, sliced thin

  • 1-1/2 cups skim milk

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 2 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese (about 3/4 cup), divided

  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pieces, chopped (not oil-packed)

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine salmon, spinach, celery, and pasta in an ovenproof baking dish.

Heat milk in a small sauce pan; don't let it boil. Stir in mustard and half of the Gruyere cheese until it melts. Add sun-dried tomatoes and fennel seeds. Let cook for a few minutes until tomatoes are softened. 

Pour sauce over the salmon mixture. Top with remaining Gruyere cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Each serving contains about 400 calories, 31 g protein, 16.5 g fat, 68 mg cholesterol, 29.5 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, and 611 mg sodium.