I Bet You Can't Say It 10 Times Fast... Spicy Citrus Salmon Pasta Salad

Have you ever had one of those days where you were literally down to the last few items in your refrigerator?  Well, that was me today.  Since sugar-free Jell-O isn't really the dinner of champions, I had to think a bit outside of the box on this one.  I have a well-stocked kitchen in the spice deparment; so, as long as I have some kind of meat in the freezer, I can usually whip up a tasty dinner at the last minute.  Today was no different.  I found myself staring aimlessly into the spice cabinet, pulling out cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and just about anything else that sounded remotely appetizing.  So, here I am chillin' with about six different spices and a bottle of olive oil.  I suppose a spicy paste isn't a meal on its own; so, I shifted over to the freezer.  The first thing I saw was a lovely salmon fillet.  PERFECT.  Now, I usually try to watch my carbs, but since my mom just bought mw some homeade linguine from a little shop in Pinetop, I figured I would make an exception and create something new and fresh for the summer.  Mission accomplished.  Light, packed full of protein, and simple, this is a last-minute recipe to be proud of.


SPICY CITRUS SALMON PASTA SALAD

Ingredients (3 generous servings):

- 8-10 oz. salmon fillet (thawed, skin removed)
- 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
- 1 t. herbs de provence
- 1/2 t. paprika
- 1/2 t. garlic powder
- 1/2 t. lemon pepper
- salt to taste
- 3 T. olive oil (separated, one T. for salmon, two for pasta)
- juice of 1/2 a grapefruit
- juice of 1/2 an orange
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- zest of a lemon
- 1 box of whole wheat linguine
- 1/4 c. fat-free feta
- 3 T. reduced-fat parmesean
- 2 c. spinach
- 1 c. steamed brocolli

Rub salmon with olive oil.  Then, sprinkle on all of the spices listed above.  Squeeze the grapefruit juice over the salmon, and pop on a foil-lined baking sheet.  The salmon will bake for roughly 20 minutes at 350 degrees. While the salmon is in the oven, cook the linguine until al dente. Drain the pasta, and put it back into the hot pot.  Add in the reserved two tablespoons of olive oil, fat-free feta, parmesean, spinach, brocolli, lemon zest/ juice, and orange juice.  Gently combine, allowing the spinach to wilt a bit.  When the salmon is done, flake it up with a fork, and add to the pasta mixture.  Do not overwork.  The salmon will break down too much, and lose its texture.  Serve either warm or room temperature.  Enjoy. :)