Sesame Crusted Salmon with Ginger Soy Vegetables

Begin by cooking 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions, typically with 2 cups of water for about 15-20 minutes until fluffy.

While the quinoa cooks, prepare the marinade for the salmon by whisking together 2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 1 minced garlic clove, and the juice of half a lemon in a shallow dish.

Pat the 24 oz of salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them in the marinade, flesh side down. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: cut 2 cups of broccoli into florets, slice 2 medium red bell peppers into strips, trim 2 cups of snap peas, julienne 2 medium carrots, slice 8 oz of shiitake mushrooms, and chop 4 stalks of green onions (reserve some for garnish).

Make the stir-fry sauce by combining the remaining soy sauce (2 tablespoons), 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Mix the white and black sesame seeds together on a plate. Remove the salmon from the marinade, pat dry, and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Press the flesh side of each salmon fillet firmly into the sesame seed mixture, coating evenly.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets sesame-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes until the seeds are golden brown. Carefully flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the salmon is cooked through but still moist. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the broccoli and carrots first, stir-frying for 3 minutes.

Add the bell peppers, snap peas, and mushrooms to the skillet. Stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Pour the stir-fry sauce over the vegetables and toss to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.

Stir in most of the green onions, reserving some for garnish.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over the cooked quinoa and fluff with a fork. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

To serve, divide the sesame quinoa among four plates, top with the ginger-soy vegetables, and place a sesame-crusted salmon fillet on each plate. Garnish with the reserved green onions and lemon wedges from the remaining half lemon.