Spicy Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta Cheese

Credit for this dish goes to Carol Borchardt, owner of  From A Chef's Kitchen

Spicy Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese is an easy weeknight dinner or a great appetizer to share with friends.  Best of all, it bakes up in one dish for ultimate ease... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper - start light and add if needed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cloves garlic - chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley - plus more for garnish
• 1 pound large shrimp - (16-20 count) peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• crusty bread - for serving
• lemon wedges - for serving

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss together tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and salt.

Roast 20-25 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and bursting.

Add garlic, lemon juice, parsley, shrimp and stir together.

Top with feta cheese.

Bake another 12 to 13 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through and cheese is melted.

Garnish with additional chopped parsley.

Serve with crusty bread and more lemon wedges.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops

 

Credit for this one, with minor changes, goes to Mary at Oh, that's good!

This Healthy Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops Recipe (for two) is a lightened-up version of a popular Mediterranean shrimp skillet. This easy shrimp recipe is a perfect choice for a busy weeknight dinner. With a little prep, this dish can be on the table in 35 minutes! Great for those following a Mediterranean diet or those who love Mediterranean foods and Mediterranean recipes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 medium/large shrimp - peeled and deveined - tails on 
• 4 large sea scallops - sliced in half horizontally
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼` teaspoon kosher salt - use less if table salt
• ¼ tsp granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil - divided
• 3 cloves garlic - thinly sliced
• ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes - halved
• ¼ cup bottled clam juice, seafood stock or veggie broth
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice - freshly squeezed
• 1.5 tbsp flat leaf Italian parsley - coarsely chopped - or sliced scallions
• 1 cup pearl barley - cooked

Preparation:

Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the scallops in half horizontally and pat dry.

Combine paprika, kosher salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Place the shrimp and scallops in the bowl and fold gently until all the seafood is coated.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large sauté pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat being careful not to burn it. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic! Remove the cooked garlic and set aside to be added back later.

Add the shrimp and sear both sides over medium heat. Move the seared shrimp to one side of the pan to make room for the scallops.

Add the scallops in a single layer on the open side of the skillet, being careful not to crowd them. After turning them once, cook them for 30 seconds on the other side. As they get nicely seared, move them to the side with the shrimp. When all the seafood is seared, stir to mix.

Add the tomatoes, the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, the cooked garlic and the chopped parsley.

Mix the clam juice, wine, and lemon juice in a small bowl and add to the pan. Raise the temperature of the hot skillet to medium high heat. Simmer for one minute, then remove the shrimp and scallops to a plate and set aside to be added later.

Simmer the sauce until the tomatoes begin to shrivel and give up their liquid. Continue simmering until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 3-5 minutes.

Return the shrimp and scallops to the pan. When the shrimp and scallops are opaque, remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle on some fresh parsley or scallions, and black pepper to taste.

Serve in shallow bowls, poured over pearl barley.

Shrimp & Broccoli Stir Fry with Vegetable Barley

This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Diabetes Food Hub which is run by the American Diabetes Association. 

Instead of sweetener I opted to use a teriyaki sauce to enhance the flavor pallet, and instead of rice (???) I chose to serve a vegetable stock barley. With Wondra flour being my go-to these days for all sauces I bypassed the recommended corn starch, too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Wondra Flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/tsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp of your favorite Asian teriyaki marinade
• 3 tbsp olive oil - divided
• 1 clove garlic - minced
• 1.25 lbs raw medium/large shrimp - peeled, cleaned, tails off
• 1 lb fresh broccoli florets - parboil or nuke a couple minutes before use
• 1 cup quick cook barley - cooked using vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup scallions - cut into 1/4" pieces

Preparation:

In a liquid measuring cup combine vegetable stock, rice vinegar, soy sauce, Wondra flour, ginger and marinade and whisk until blended.

Start the quick cook barley according to package instructions, but swap out the water for vegetable stock. Cut up the scallions and set aside for later.

Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet or wok. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). Add the shrimp and cook until opaque, about 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and place on a plate... covered.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same skillet. Add the broccoli florets and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.

Add the cooked shrimp back into the skillet and toss to combine with the broccoli. Pour the broth mixture over the shrimp and broccoli and toss to coat.

Continue cooking until the broth mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

When barley is cooked, blend in the scallions just before serving to retain a little crunch.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Zesty Spanish Shrimp

Garlic, onion, lemon and some heat combined with shrimp...

                                      How can you go wrong? :-)

Pair these air fried beauties with a green vegetable and a tossed salad using a healthy home-made dressing, possibly my Luscious Lemon Vinaigrette, the ever popular Dijon Chive Vinaigrette or maybe even my Oh what a Dressing!  originally featured on a lovely Greek chick pea salad. Regardless of the dressing, have some fun and be sure to adjust the heat to your own needs. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp medium paprika
• 1 lb raw shrimp - medium/large - clean with tail on
• Cooking spray

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and Aleppo pepper to make a marinade.

Add the shrimp and toss well to evenly coat the shrimp. Cover with plastic wrap or tight foil and place bowl in fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F if you have that option. Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray and arrange shrimp in a single layer. Air fry at 400 for 3 minutes. Turn shrimp over and go for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

Cool for a couple minutes before serving.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Stewed Garam Masala Lentils with Shrimp

My friend Betsy Kelp Galloway adapted this recipe from one found on the Food Network.

One of my favorite kitchen pastimes is taking existing recipes and making them diabetic friendly. I also like to make my dishes heart healthy as often as I can, and it seems my friend Betsy thinks the same way. To that end, she swapped out some of the butter in this Food Network dish with heart healthy olive oil... and it works. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil - divided
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter 
• 1 large shallot - chopped
• 3 cloves garlic - smash minced
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 plum tomatoes - cored and chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 1 ¼ pounds peeled and deveined shrimp (about 24 large)
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 tbsp canned unsweetened coconut cream
• ½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro or parsley - chopped

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp butter (Betsy’s note: I use heart healthy olive oil) in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic and 1 tbsp ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot softens, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ½ teaspoon garam masala, a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are soft, about 2 minutes.

Stir the lentils into the tomato mixture until coated, then add 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and thick, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the shrimp with the remaining 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp garam masala and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Heat the 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir the spinach and coconut cream into the lentils until the spinach wilts; season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls. Top with the shrimp and any juices; sprinkle with cilantro or parsley.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chicken & Shrimp Stir Fry

The original version of this dish was made with beef or venison and can be found by clicking here. With white meat chicken being a much healthier alternative for me, I decided to give the substitution a try. I had never really worked with ground chicken before so this was to be a good test. Long story short, it really worked out well, and I now have a use for my grinder again as whole chicken breasts are  far cheaper.... AND I always know for sure what is in my grind.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs ground white meat chicken
• 1 lb large raw shrimp, cleaned and peeled (no tails)
• light olive oil
• 3/4 head green cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 cup ginger teriyaki marinade (more or less)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp spicy mustard
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large non-stick Dutch oven fry the chop meat in a bit of oil. When cooked, add  cabbage, marinade, soy and mustard. Simmer and toss frequently until cabbage is cooked but still crunchy. Finally add shrimp and cook another few minutes until shrimp are just cooked perfectly. Finish with salt & pepper to taste.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Creamy Shrimp & Spinach with Pasta

Shrimp and spinach are an amazing combination I have used in quite a few different recipes. This one features a light cream sauce with hints of lemon. There is also some pasta, but before anyone shouts OMGs please remember that pasta actually has a low glycemic index. It's usually the portion control where most people fall short of optimal, causing the glycemic load to go high. This recipe mitigates the pasta carbohydrates both in quantity (~2 oz per serving) as well as the pairings of protein and vegetables in the dish. So in a nutshell... ENJOY!

This dish is designed to serve FOUR, NOT TWO! :-) Exercise portion control!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb medium or large shrimp raw - peeled and deveined - tail off
• 16oz fresh baby spinach (a little olive oil & salt for prep)
• 1 medium leek sliced cross ways finely sliced - stem & leaves
• 8 oz spaghetti
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced - leave out 15 min after mince for best flavor
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the linguine until al dente by tasting. Drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with a bit of oil to prevent sticking, and set aside. 

Using same pot with fresh water cook down the spinach with an inch of water. Drain and blend in a little olive oil and salt to taste. Set aside.

In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Give a good stir for about 30 seconds and add the leeks. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for ~5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium high, add the shrimp to the skillet with the leeks and cook for about 3 - 4 minutes until the shrimp are cooked and turn a pink white color. Do not overcook!

Add the cooked spaghetti and the spinach to the skillet and toss well to combine. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to melt.

Pour in the cream and vegetable broth. Add the lemon juice and salt. Stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring/tossing gently to heat everything through. 

Finally add parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and stir until well blended. Serve immediately.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Shrimp & Noodle Casserole

Yes.... Shrimp and NOODLES! Before anyone freaks out, please remember that this dish features a mere 8 ounces of noodles in a recipe with six servings. Also, pasta is in the low glycemic range at 50-54. Be sure to serve with a complimenting green vegetable like asparagus and your pasta load will be minimal.

With that out of the way, make this dish... Seriously, it is absolutely packed with comfort food flavor. Carb counters... take a small serving and have more vegetables. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp - tail off
• 8 oz medium or large no-yolk egg noodles
• 2 cans (10 3/4 oz) unsalted condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped orange pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/4tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 medium sized tomato – sliced
•  flat leaf parsley sprigs/leaves for garnish

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop the shrimp into boiling salt water and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cook noodles al dente and drain well.

Combine noodles with soup, sour cream, scallions, orange pepper, dried dill weed, pepper and salt. Cut 25% of the shrimp into thirds and fold cut shrimp and cheese into noodle mixture.

Spoon into shallow baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove foil and arrange remaining shrimp and tomato slices on top of casserole.

Return to oven uncovered for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with parsley sprigs/leaves and serve.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!