This past Saturday I celebrated my birthday. All I really wanted was to spend the day outside with my family and indulge in a nice adult dinner (read: no toddler crawling on the restaurant floor for his crayon) and a decadent piece of cake. Well, I got both wishes After strolling the National Mall (gorgeous weather here in metro DC!), I indulged in a piece of cake followed by a deliciously nutritious dinner.

My husband took me to Sea Pearl (in Falls Church), where weve enjoyed many delicious seafood dinners. Saturday night was no exception.

I ordered the Pan Roasted Salmon on a bed of curried lentils and sauted spinach, topped with cilantro chutney. The salmon was cooked perfectly and paired well with the flavorful chutney. With the omega-3 fatty acids from the salmon and the fiber from the spinach and lentils, this was definitely a heart-healthy meal.

The Baked Alaskan Cod with lemon spaetzle and sauted spinach that my husband ordered was pretty darn good, too. A great source of protein and selenium, the cod was stuffed with crab and lightly breaded with panko and topped with yuzu butter.

Oh, and the white cake with buttercream frosting (lets be honest is there any other kind of frosting?) was delicious, too. Birthday cake and salmon… Deliciously balanced. A pretty good way to greet the last year of my 30s.

Posted by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD