LYFE Kitchen's Herb Roasted Salmon With Quinoa Ratatouille & Basil Vinaigrette by Elisa Schmitz

I have been a huge fan of LYFE Kitchen, a trailblazer in the fine upscale-casual dining scene with locations throughout Chicago, since they opened their restaurant in my hometown of Evanston, Ill. I was so excited to finally have a place to go that offered a nice variety of healthy meals that taste amazing. And, it's one place that my family always agrees on (from kids to grandparents)!

LYFE Kitchen's new seasonal summer dishes continue to delight me. One recipe that I'm particularly excited about is their Herb Roasted Salmon with Quinoa Ratatouille and Basil Vinaigrette. Good news: Not only is this dish a favorite in the restaurant, but it can be re-created at home with this recipe LYFE Kitchen shared with us. It's perfect for middle-of-the-week meals, or elegant enough for your next dinner party! Here's how to make it:

For the Herb Roasted Salmon, you'll need:

• 6-ounce salmon fillet
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt, white pepper
• tarragon, dill, parsley herb mix 

Here's how to make it: 

1. Prep salmon by marinating with olive oil and seasoning with salt and white pepper.
2. On bottom side of salmon, dress with a pinch each of tarragon, dill and parsley.
3. Place salmon on a greased baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees F for 7 minutes.

For the Quinoa Ratatouille, you'll need:

• 1 tablespoon small diced eggplant 
• 1 tablespoon small diced tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon small diced baby bell pepper mix 
• 1/4 cup cooked black rice 
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa 
• 6  1/2-inch slices summer squash 
• 4 tablespoons vegetable stock 

Here's how to make it:

1. In a smoking hot pan, sauté the eggplant, tomatoes and bell peppers until lightly charred and fully cooked.
2. When ready, add the cooked quinoa and black rice with 4 tablespoons vegetable stock until thoroughly heated.
3. Finish at the last minute with thinly sliced fresh chives. 
4. Season then grill zucchini slices until thoroughly cooked.

For the Basil Vinaigrette, you'll need:

• 2 ounces fresh basil 
• 1 ounce kale 
• salt and pepper 
• half of 1 jalapeno pepper 
• 17 ounces low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/2 ounce white wine vinegar 

Here's how to make it: 

Blend all ingredients together in a blender and set aside. 

To assemble and serve, you'll need:

• pinch arugula
• fresh lemon and high-quality olive oil

Here's how to assemble and serve:

1. Place quinoa mix in a tight scoop just left of center of plate. 
2. Follow by staggering grilled zucchini slices in a circle just right of center of plate. 
3.  Place salmon horizontally on plate and top with basil vinaigrette and arugula, dressed with a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil. Enjoy!