Lemon Butter Salmon with Creamy Barley, Zucchini, and Spinach (30 minute meal!)

A beautiful spring meal, done in just 30 minutes! Pan seared salmon is served with creamy barley that's loaded with green veggies. 

I think we sometimes reach for the same stuff all the time - I know rice or pasta are my usual go-to starches and we eat more chicken than I wish to admit! I think that's why this barley and fish dish immediately caught my eye. Fish always cooks up fast, making it the perfect weeknight meal, and thanks to quick cooking barley, the entire dish finishes in less than 30 minutes!

Thanks to my favorite herb, dill, and a healthy amount of butter, this meal is flavorful and delicious. The buttery salmon is perfect alongside the creamy barley and veggies.

Barley is a grain that is a bit chewy, a bit nutty, and a lot tasty ;) I always forget about it! If you haven't made it outside of a soup, you should try it!

 Lemon Butter Salmon with Creamy Barley, Zucchini, and Spinach
1 lb skin-on salmon fillets
1 cup quick cooking barley
6 ounce bag baby spinach
2 medium zucchini, small diced
the zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh dill, stems removed
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil; once boiling, add the barley and a dash of salt. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10-12 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the spinach and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Transfer the mixture to a mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press the spinach mixture to release the liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible (discard the liquid). Finely chop the spinach and set aside.

In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the pan.

Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 4 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, Add the fillets, skin side down. Cook 2-3 minutes or until browned. Carefully flip and add the butter to the pan. As the butter melts, start spooning the butter over the fillets. Cook 1-2 minutes or until flaky. Remove from pan; stir in half of the lemon juice to the remaining butter in the pan.

To the pot of cooked barley, stir in the sour cream, chopped spinach, cooked zucchini, half of the dill, and the remaining lemon juice. Drizzle with some olive oil, mix well, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the salmon over top of the barley mixture, spooning lemon butter sauce from the pan over top. Garnish with additional dill.

Source: adapted from Blue Apron