Green Pilaf with Cashews

Pilaf... pilau...plov... it's rice, cooked in broth. This one develops a nice crunchy layer on the bottom of the pan which is crispy and delicious. The texture of the rice comes out almost like a risotto. Almost. I am not very good at making risotto.

Mats
6oz baby spinach
2/3c roasted, unsalted cashews. I ran mine through the food processor because my husband can't eat whole nuts.
2 Tb olive oil
6 green onions, chopped
1 1/2c brown rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 Tb lemon juice
2 1/2c vegetable stock
3 Tb fresh mint
3 Tb fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, fennel seeds and rice. Stir around so the rice is covered in oil and the onions are well-distributed throughout.
Increase the heat to high. Add the lemon juice, vegetable stock, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil
Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the mint and parsley to a food processor and pulse until the herbs are well chopped.
When the rice is done cooking, turn off the burner and toss the baby spinach and herb mixture on top of the rice. Put the cover back on and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Stir the spinach and herbs into the rice with a fork. Spoon into bowls and top with cashews.

Salmon cakes with lime sauce

This one came out pretty well, in my opinion. It makes a lot of sauce, so if you want less, halve the sauce part of the recipe.

Mats
Cakes
2 cans salmon, drained
3/4c unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4c red bell pepper, chopped finely
1/4c green onion, sliced thinly
1 Tb fresh cilantro, snipped
2 egg whites
1/2 c mayonnaise

Sauce
1/2c mayonnaise
1/2c plain Greek yoghurt (or sour cream)
juice of 1 lime - about 1/3c

To make the cakes, combine the salmon, red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, mayonnaise, and egg whites with 1/2c of the breadcrumbs. Mix with a fork, making sure to flake the salmon into small bits.

Heat 2 Tb olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Put the remaining 1/4c breadcrumbs onto a small plate. Form the salmon mixture into golf-ball sized balls, flatten slightly and press into the plate of breadcrumbs, coating both sides. Put in the hot pan and cook for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

To make the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork. It should be thin and runny.

I tossed some baby arugula and romaine lettuce with a bit of the leftover sauce and another sliced green onion, then served the cakes over the salad, each cake topped with a teaspoon of sauce.