March 28, 2024

Gingery Roasted Shrimp and Asparagus

We all need a few tried-and-true QUICK suppers for our menu planning; yes?  This Roasted Shrimp and Asparagus is just that!  From starting the oven to preheat to plating this dish takes maybe 30 minutes (or less).  And it fits so well into our healthy but-oh-so-yummy POV.  Low carb, low fat but not low in flavor!  Between the ginger and garlic, the tangy-ness of the soy sauce, and finished off with the smokiness of the sesame oil—just delish!  Enjoy!

(Oh!  Keep your eye on the shrimp while roasting…they won’t take very long at all.  Don’t forget that they have their own built-in thermometer: they turn pink when perfectly done!)

Ginger-y Roasted Shrimp and Asparagus

2015-10-06 18.43.43

ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (cook according to package directions)
1/2# (or more) raw shrimp, cleaned
1 bunch asparagus (about 1#), ends trimmed
1 T olive oil
2 T soy sauce
2 T minced garlic
1 T honey
1 T  fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
sea salt, freshly ground pepper

directions:

  • preheat oven to 425
  • line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • place asparagus stalks on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil; roll back and forth to thoroughly coat the asparagus
  • in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic, honey, and ginger
  • using a pastry brush (or your fingers!), brush about half the mixture on the asparagus
  • place in over and roast for 15-20 minutes, ‘til almost tender
  • remove pan from oven and toss shrimp onto the pan; brush with a little of the sauce mixture
  • return to oven for 5 minutes or so (depends on the size of the shrimp)
  • when everything is done—pile the quinoa in the middle of your plate, add asparagus spears and top with shrimp
  • drizzle the remaining sauce over top along with a few drops of the sesame oil

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Tex-Mex Shrimp, Tomatoes and Olives

Tenga un feliz Cinco de Mayo!  (Have a happy 5th of May!)  From what I have read the citizens of Mexico do not really celebrate Cinco de Mayo like we here in the United States do!  (What is that all about?!?)  But nevertheless we do!  According to a number of <seemingly> reputable sources, there are more Mexican/Tex-Mexican restaurants here in the US than any other ethnic-style restaurants.
And we all have our favorites, right? Of course, tacos in all their many variations probably reign supreme. But guacamole, salsa & chips, burritos, _________ (fill in your fav!) are extremely popular also.  Do you and your loved ones plan to indulge in some Mex or Tex-Mex foods today?
Here is a dish that Robert and I enjoyed recently which would be perfect for lunch or supper!  I served it with homemade guacamole (easy-peasy!) along with this black bean salad.  This meal fit so well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV—lots of fresh veggies, healthy fats, and protein low in fat and calories. But, best of all, delicioso! ¡Buen provecho! (Enjoy!)

Tex-Mex Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Olives

2015-05-04 19.15.32

ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced into thin half moons
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced, (optional)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 (or more!) cup pitted green olives
1 lime, zested and juiced
lemon-pepper seasoning, to taste
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges (for garnish)

directions:

  • heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat
  • add onion and jalapeños (if using), cook for 7-8 minutes ‘til just beginning to soften
  • lower heat and add garlic; cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute
  • stir in tomato halves, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes’ til tomatoes begin to soften
  • add olives, lime juice, and zest; cook for 5 minutes more to allow flavors to blend
  • season well with lemon-pepper seasoning (or simply salt & pepper)
  • garnish as desired

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Spaghetti Squash with Garlicky Shrimp and Tomatoes

2014-10-07 20.48.38

Healthy but oh-so-yummy…that’s this dish! I think that, even if you were ‘piggish’ and loaded your plate up with a bigger than usual portion of this dish, you would still be around 300 calories!  Enjoy!

Here’s how I figure that…
– spaghetti squash has 31 calories and less than half a gram of fat per cup
– 4 ounce serving of shrimp is going to set you back 100 calories with less than 1 gram of fat
– the tomatoes contain approximately 25 calories in one cup
– red onion and garlic add maybe 50 or so calories
– of course, the 1 tablespoon of olive oil adds 120 calories; the butter 100 calories; and the grated asiago (like most cheeses) brings 100 more calories
– and there is a good amount of protein in this dish, too!
NOTE: each pound of spaghetti squash will yield approximately 2 cups cooked squash

ingredients:
1 (1+1/2 – 2 pound) spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil or salted butter
1 medium red onion, finely diced
8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
1/2# raw shrimp, tails pulled off
sea salt & freshly ground pepper (I use a lemon pepper blend grinder)
1 tablespoon salted butter
3 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
1-2 ounces of finely grated asiago (or other strong flavored hard cheese)
lemon slices for finish & garnish

directions:

spaghetti squash (there are a number of other methods, see link for some suggestions):

  1. 2014-10-07 18.42.53
    I simply cut one in half; pull out the seeds (only the seeds); rub the cut edges with a tiny bit of olive oil; season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper; place flat sides down on a piece of parchment paper or foil laid on a baking sheet.
  2. bake in a preheated 425 oven for 30 minutes; remove from oven, carefully flip over and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  3. when ready, take a serving spoon and run it along the edge between the skin of the squash and the cooked ‘meat’ of the squash. remove from skin and, using a fork, separate into strands.

shrimp and tomatoes:

  • heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
  • add the minced onion and cook ‘til it begins to soften and slightly brown around the edges, 2-3 minutes
  • add the diced tomatoes (flat side down) and a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. lower heat to medium and allow to cook undisturbed for 6-7 minutes
  • the tomatoes will ‘give up’ some liquid and begin to create a sauce
    scatter the chopped garlic over the tomatoes, and stir constantly for an additional minute ‘til you begin to smell the garlic
  • pour in the wine (or broth), increase heat to medium and simmer ‘til the liquid has reduced by about half as much, maybe 5-6 minutes
  • add in the shrimp, and reduce heat to low; cook ‘til shrimp turn pink on the bottom side; flip over and cook ‘til shrimp are just pink all the way through; do not overcook
  • then when the shrimp have nearly cooked through, add the butter.  stir the butter so that it gets all around the contents of the pan and begins to slightly thicken the sauce
  • when the butter has fully incorporated, add the parsley and the spaghetti squash
  • gently fold everything together, allowing the spaghetti squash to reheat in the sauce for a minute or two so everything becomes the same temperature
  • sprinkle the shredded cheese across top
  • serve immediately with lemon to squeeze over the top; season to taste

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Lemon-y Shrimp Pasta Salad

Here in the NorthEast we are still waiting for the hot days of summer to arrive (not that I am complaining one tiny little bit!).  But this is surely the season for one dish salads that will be a complete meal.  It could be a pasta salad, like this recipe, or a nice full dinner salad!  Eating lighter meals on hot days certainly seems a more welcome choice…as well as meals that don’t require turning on the oven!

We love pasta salads!  But since we’ve made the choice to eat gluten free, I have found that pasta that holds up well when it is refrigerated and coated with a dressing has been difficult to find.  However, recently I purchased some Ronzoni brand gluten free pasta that is excellent!  (Here is a link AND a coupon!)  It is made with a multi-grain blend of white rice, brown rice, corn, and quinoa—nice texture (both hot AND cold), good taste, and holds up well as leftovers.  If you have eaten gluten free pasta before, you know that these three qualities are NOT always a given!  I have served this pasta to friends and family who couldn’t tell that it was a gluten free product.  Happy me!  Perhaps you might want to give it a try!  Enjoy!

Lemon-y Shrimp Pasta Salad (makes 4-5 generous servings)

2014-06-18 12.05.42

ingredients:
3 lemons, juiced plus 1 more for serving
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup fresh dill, chopped (dried ok, too)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4-1/3 cup mayonnaise (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (I use this lemon-pepper seasoning)
1 box (1#) rotini pasta (I used gluten free)
1 # frozen cooked tiny shrimp, defrosted
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 large seedless cucumber, diced

directions:

  • in a large bowl, whisk together the juice of the lemons, the honey and chopped dill. slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified (or use your blender or food processor). season well with salt and pepper
  • add the shrimp to the vinaigrette, toss to coat well and set aside to marinate
  • cook pasta according to package directions; rinse and cool
  • add the mayonnaise (if using), the cooked pasta, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers to the bowl with the shrimp and toss to combine
  • season well (don’t forget to taste!) with salt and pepper
  • refrigerate ’til ready to serve

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

  coleen