In this budget-friendly salmon recipe, canned salmon tops lentils, carrots and celery -- ingredients you probably have on hand already. Fiber-rich lentils come in a variety of colors and they typically cook faster than dried beans, so they're a great choice for a fast weeknight dinner.

Quick Lentil Salmon Salad

Serves 4

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

3/4 cup brown lentils

1/2 cup chopped red onion, plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 15-ounce canned salmon, drained

1 cup carrot ribbons

1 cup sliced celery

4 lemon wedges for serving

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add lentils and chopped onion, reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook until the lentils are just tender, 11 to 13 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, for the dressing, mash garlic and salt into a paste with the side of a chef's knife (or a fork). Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in oil, vinegar, thyme and pepper.

Remove any skin and/or bones from salmon; flake the salmon into a large bowl. Add sliced onion, carrot and 3 tablespoons of the dressing; gently toss to coat. Add celery and the lentils to the remaining dressing; gently stir to combine. Divide the lentils among 4 bowls, top with the salmon salad and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe nutrition: Per serving: 341 calories; 15 g fat (2 g sat, 11 g mono); 24 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 4 g total sugars; 26 g protein; 9 g fiber; 723 mg sodium; 529 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Folate 52 percent, Vitamin A 44 percent, Iron 29 percent

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving(s)

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat, 3 fat

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)