Not-so-spicy Garlic Lime Shrimp

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This was a quick, easy meal that came together in less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I like it because it is a complete meal in a bowl, with tons of veggies and hearty, lean protein.  Like many of my meals these days, I followed a recipe, but tweaked it to what I had available.  I think it was supposed to be an Asian inspired stir-fry, but I couldn't find the right noodles (shiritake noodles- made from tofu), so I opted for bean sprouts instead, which added a pleasant crunch to the meal.  I found I somehow don't have cayenne pepper in my spice cupboard, so I had to omit it, hence the 'not-so-spicy' title.  I will add it next time.  The end result was quite tasty, fresh and light.  A perfect meal for a warm summer evening.

Not-So-Spicy Garlic Lime Shrimp 
Ingredients:
1-3/4 lb (28 oz) large, raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
~OR~
1-1/2 lbs (21 oz) fully cooked frozen shrimp, thawed
2 Tbsp oil (olive or vegetable)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
1/2 c. green peppers, diced
1 Tbsp lime juice
a large handful (about 2 cups?) of bean sprouts
1/2 c. diced tomatoes, drained (or you could use fresh)
Seasoning Blend:
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder [I had garlic salt, so I did 1/2 tsp and omitted the salt]
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp onion powder [mine was generous]

Directions:
If using frozen shrimp, thaw under cold water (de-vein/ peel if necessary).  Make the seasoning blend by combining al the spices in a small bowl.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil.  Once oil is hot, stir in garlic and saute briefly, then add peppers.  If using raw shrimp, add with peppers.  If using fully cooked shrimp, allow peppers to cook a few minutes before adding (since the shrimp are already cooked, you don't want them to become rubbery by overcooking, you want simply to reheat them).  Whenever you add the shrimp, also add the seasoning and the lime juice, and cook until shrimp is hot (and cooked through if starting with raw) and peppers are al dente (tender-crisp).  Stir in tomatoes and bean sprouts and mix to evenly coat and warm up sprouts.  Serve immediately.

My veggie drawers in the summer

I'm taking a quick break from posting a recipe to share some pictures with you.  This is why I love the summer so much.  I can walk to the local Farm Market and get a huge box of produce for less than $20.  This time of year, most of it is locally grown, so it is super fresh, often brought in daily.  And with so much variety and colour, the possibilities are endless! 


I thought I'd give you a quick inventory of my veggies at the moment, and then tell you what I've done recently, or what I plan to do with them...  And I'd be very interested to hear your ideas as well.  :-)

Starting from the bottom:
1. Cauliflower (locally grown):  as evidenced with an earlier post, I've enjoyed turning it into "mashed potatoes"-  adding cottage cheese for both the creamy factor and also some cheesy goodness.  The local cauliflower is so full of flavour, I rarely add much seasoning to it.  I also enjoy cooking it with yellow mustard smeared all over and a little cheese melted on top.  This is the way my mom used to always serve it, so its a little bit of home for me.  I have also just been eating it raw, in my salads or dipped into cottage cheese mixed with salsa (thanks Alli, via Mom, for that idea!)
2. Broccoli:  I've got a recipe for a Double Broccoli Quinoa that I think I'm going to try soon.  Its 'double' because she made a broccoli pesto that looks to die for, and then there is broccoli mixed in with other veggies into the quinoa.  Traditionally, I usually just steam or blanch it, dust with salt and pepper, and serve as a side.  I did mix it into my Grown-up Mac & Cheese, since I didn't have spinach on hand, and broccoli and cheese go so well together.
3. Sweet Tooth Peppers (long red ones):  These are so sweet and so yummy.  I've been adding them to everything lately.  They are great sliced longways and just thrown on the grill, and I've been enjoying them in my scrambled eggs in the mornings lately.

4. Yellow Zucchini:  This is such a fun veggie.  It has a very similar texture and taste to regular zucchini, but its a slightly milder flavour.  I grilled these the other night with red peppers and Alligator chicken and it was such a light, summery meal.  (see below)

5. Bell Peppers (locally grown): Whenever we drive to my in-law's home, we drive past a huge plot of hot houses that grow peppers.  When its hot out, they open the roof vents, and the entire area is filled with the aroma of fresh bell peppers.  Glorious!  Of course, these are a great addition to any salad, adding a crunch and a tang, but I've been enjoying making stuffed peppers for dinner lately.  I'll brown up some extra-lean ground turkey, and make up a marinara sauce (I usually throw in some green onions, celery, even broccoli or cauliflower sometimes to make it nice and chunky).  Then I cut off the top of the pepper and stuff it with layers of turkey and marinara and bake or broil it until everything's nice and hot.  (I also usually 'pre-steam' the pepper in the microwave by adding water inside and into a bowl, place the pepper in the bowl and cook for a minute or two to soften it up.  It speeds up the baking/ broiling time quite a bit).  I sometimes will put a little low-fat mozzarella cheese on top.

6. Radishes:  A fantastic snack, I sometimes just eat them raw with a little bit of salt to dip them in.  :-) I love the peppery bite they add to salads, and I always try to have them on hand when I'm making tuna salad.  

7. Kohlrabi: Looking forward to slicing this up and adding it to my salads.  If you're not familiar with it, its taste is kind of a cross between cabbage and a radish.  It is a fresh crunch in a salad.  I will probably add some finely chopped to my next tuna salad as well.   Would love to use it in other ways, but haven't found any yet.  

8. I also picked up some Swiss Chard, cucumbers, and green beans as well today, which will be readily gobbled up this week, I'm sure.  I always keep lots of lettuces, celery and green onions on hand because they have become such a staple in my diet.

That's a glimpse of my life according to my veggie drawer at the moment.  Hope you enjoyed.  I'd love to hear your ideas for how you've been using or would like to use your veggies!

EJ's version of Grown-up Mac & Cheese

Today after church, I decided to make Alistair some lunch, experimenting with a new recipe and attempting to clean out the fridge at the same time.  The result was a tasty Mac & Cheese-esque dish, with a deep flavour and a lot more healthy goodness than a box of Kraft!  I started with a Canadian Living recipe as the basis, but used what I had on hand, so I think I can technically call this my own creation.  :-)  



[notes: I'm posting the recipe with my changes, but I'll put the CL recipe in brackets.]



Grown-up Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each dried thyme and pepper
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups shredded marbled cheddar cheese [Gruyere]
1 Tbsp German-style spicy mustard [dijon]
4 cups small pasta, such as macaroni, penne, etc.-- I used Ditanlini because its is so cute.
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched*, well drained [chopped fresh spinach, squeezed dry]
2 cups cubed ham
1 cup sweet red peppers, roughly chopped [halved grape tomatoes]

Directions
In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, salt, thyme and pepper until onion is softened, 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk; cook, whisking, until thick enough to coat spoon, about 7 minutes. Stir in cheese and mustard; cook, stirring, until melted.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm, about 8 minutes.   Drain and return to pot.

*To save time and a pot for cleaning, I used the boiling pasta water to blanch the broccoli (while the pasta was cooking).  I put the broccoli into a medium sieve, and dipped it into the boiling water for 2 minutes, or until the color was nice and bright. Then, I simply removed the sieve from the pot, and rinsed under cold water (to lock in flavour and colour) and placed the sieve on a bowl to drain while I worked on the sauce.

Add to pasta pot: sauce, broccoli, ham and peppers; toss to combine.

Enjoy!

Creamy Herbed Crab Dip

I got this recipe from a TV show called 'Best Recipes Ever' which features recipes out of Canadian Living magazine.  It was amazingly easy to put together, and the flavours are so rich and full that it tastes like a much more labour-intensive or expensive dip!  Its great for dipping veggies, and also tasty on crackers.  I'm pretty sure this is going to become a staple for bringing to or hosting parties.

[notes: I used canned crab instead of frozen, because that's what  I had on hand.  I did not have nutmeg or mace, so it was omitted, but I plan to make sure to include it next time I make this recipe.  The chef on the show suggested using whole nutmeg and grating it in fresh.]



 Creamy Herbed Crab Dip
Ingredients:
1 pkg (7 oz/200 g) frozen crabmeat, thawed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots or onion

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp mace or nutmeg
1/3 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp crumbled dried tarragon
3/4 cup light cream cheese, cubed and softened
1/4 cup light sour/ fat free cream
1/4 cup each minced fresh parsley and chives
1/4 cup diced roasted or fresh sweet red pepper

Directions:
Place crab in sieve; pick through and remove any cartilage. Gently squeeze out excess moisture; set aside.

In saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat; fry shallots, garlic, salt, pepper and mace,
without browning, until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Add wine, lemon juice and tarragon; boil over medium heat until reduced by half, about 3
minutes. Let cool.

In bowl and using fork, blend cream cheese with sour cream; add shallot mixture, crabmeat, parsley, chives and red pepper, mixing well. Scrape into serving dish. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
Servings: 2 cups