fighting the fat, one delicious meal at a time

Posts Tagged ‘quick’

Quick, Easy, Good: Creamy Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta

On April 24, 2013   /   Main Dishes, Pasta, Seafood   /   Leave a comment

Creamy shrimp and asparagus pasta

My name is Kamille, and I am a shrimp addict.

It’s hard for me to remember when my shrimp obsession began. It would have to be well after I was 9 or 10. Around that time, my big brother shared the pleasant news that the veins in shrimp were “doo-doo.”  To be more precise (and less of a fifth-grader), the vein you see on the back of a shrimp is the digestive tract. While it is certainly better to remove it whenever possible, nothing BAD will happen to you if you eat it. Of course, these details escaped me at the time. I refused to eat shrimp for a few years (doo-doo veins or no).

Fortunately, I soon got over this senseless phobia. I am now one of the top five consumers of shrimp in the nation. (Numerous unscientific studies confirm.) One of my best friends is also a member of this elite group. After seeing a recent shrimp-filled post, she expressed clear frustration at my failure to share the shrimpy-wealth. I’ve known this woman for nearly a decade: she meant business. So I made this shrimp and asparagus pasta for our ladies’ lunch on Sunday afternoon.

You all know the drill by now: this dish is simple, easy, and delicious. That’s just the kind of food I believe in. And did I mention it’s under 300 calories per serving?

The pasta’s creaminess is thanks to judicious use of ricotta cheese — just add a dollop to the hot noodles at the end. The flavor of asparagus infuses both the pasta and the shrimp; you’ll be able to really taste it throughout the dish. If you’re not an asparagus fan, broccoli would make a great substitute.

Recipe after the jump! Read more… →

Back to Top

Super-Fast, Super-Easy: Shrimp Couscous with Lemon and Herbs

On April 10, 2013   /   Main Dishes, Pasta, Seafood   /   Leave a comment

Shrimp couscous with lemon and herbs

I always seem to forget how easy it is to make couscous. Since most grocery store couscous (actually a kind of pasta, by the way) is pre-steamed, it’s ready in minutes. And I mean that literally: couscous finishes cooking in five minutes. For a food that doesn’t come out of a suspect box, loaded with sodium and mystery ingredients, that’s pretty amazing.

Shrimp is another super-fast (and super-delicious) food. Shrimp + couscous = your weeknight dinner, made easy. After I made this meal, I immediately became annoyed at myself for (1) not thinking of it sooner and (2) not making couscous more often.

I love the flavors in this dish. The shrimp are seasoned liberally with a mix of dried Italian herbs and black pepper — no oil or marinating necessary. Mixed peppers add a little sweetness, while the lemon keeps the couscous bright.

This is an awesome recipe for company. “Shrimp couscous with lemon and herbs” — it sounds so fancy, right? Like the person who made it drinks wine from a stemmed glass and reads Proust! (For the record, I drink $8 moscato from a tumbler and read almost nothing but cookbooks these days. Deal with it.) Really though, it’s something simple enough for all us plebs to make. You can whip up this dish in the time it takes to watch an episode of Community. Love it.

Read the recipe for after the jump!

Read more… →

Back to Top

Quick, Easy, Good: 15-Minute Veggie Flatbread

On April 2, 2013   /   Main Dishes, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Veggie flatbread, ready in 15 minutes or less

It’s Tuesday night. The week has just started, and you have a million things on your brain. Between the chaos of work and the michegas that is your personal life, the whole shaved-head-and-life-of-solitude thing is starting to sound pretty good. You take a look around your messy apartment, stop at your fridge, and it hits you: you’re going to have to eat at some point. Fear not, friends. This veggie flatbread recipe is here to save you. Start to finish, it takes 15 minutes or less.

There are two shortcuts that make this recipe so speedy. The first? Store-bought pasta sauce. I know, I know — blasphemy! It’s so easy to make good pasta sauce that buying it pre-made just isn’t necessary. Still, when my hanger has reached its peak and I lack the spiritual strength to summon my inner Mario Batali, jarred pasta sauce is a lifesaver.

The other shortcut for this recipe is one of my pantry staples: low-carb lavash. I buy packs of these things two or three at a time. They’re soft and pliable, great for making wraps and roll-ups. Baked in the oven, the thin bread browns and crisps like a dream. At around 100 calories each, a low-carb lavash is a healthy alternative to a thin restaurant crust.

This veggie flatbread always satisfies my pizza cravings. Augment that jarred pasta sauce with some chili flakes and fresh basil, add some melty cheese, and finish with beautiful, fresh vegetables. As always, make whatever swaps you like — artichoke hearts, Brussels sprouts, and bell peppers would be wonderful here. For a bit of extra protein, try adding chicken or shrimp. And if you have homemade sauce on hand, all the better — use that instead. Read more… →

Back to Top

Garlic Shrimp Tacos with Zesty Broccoli Slaw

On February 28, 2013   /   Main Dishes, Seafood   /   Leave a comment

Garlic Shrimp Tacos!One of my college roommates introduced me to the beauty of shrimp tacos. Before that, the only tacos I’d ever had were made with ground beef or chicken. Usually there were boxed hard shells involved. I know, I know. I was living a sad, sheltered shell of a life.

Now that my eyes have been opened, shrimp tacos are almost always the variety I choose to make. For one thing, they’re the easiest option by a mile. Shrimp have a short, fuss-free cooking process. Even if you have to defrost the shrimp, this recipe comes together in 30 minutes or less. Using fresh shrimp? Then it’s more like 15 or 20.

Of course, no one really needs an excuse to cook shrimp. The natural sweetness and tenderness of a a well-prepared shrimp is a thing of beauty. Paired with garlic and olive oil? Mercy.

I topped these shrimp tacos with a mixture of broccoli slaw (one of my favorite convenience foods) and Greek yogurt. The slaw topping is bright and tangy, with a kick from a little red onion.

Two of these super-stuffed tacos come in under 300 calories, so you can enjoy all this shrimpy delight guilt-free. Read on for the recipe! Read more… →

Back to Top

Meatless Monday: Asian-Inspired Spicy Orange Brussels Sprouts

On February 25, 2013   /   Side Dishes, Vegetarian   /   Leave a comment

Spicy Orange Brussels Sprouts

I’m happy that Brussels sprouts are finally getting some of the love and respect they deserve. They’ve popped up on restaurant menus all over the place. Of course, there are some stubborn holdouts that want no part of this Brussels sprouts business. Just means more delicious sprouts for me.

Anyway, this Asian-inspired recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare them. Sautéed in a healthy oil infused with garlic, onion, and chili flakes, the sprouts take on big, bold flavor. Sugar-free orange marmalade is the key to this recipe. It adds bright, citrusy sweetness without adding a ton of extra calories. A few drops of fragrant, nutty sesame oil are the finishing touch. All together, the sauce is similar to the one you find on takeout-style orange chicken. Needless to say, this version is a lot better for you.

These spicy orange Brussels sprouts are an easy, delicious dish for meatless Monday. Most people will prefer this recipe as a side (try it with steamed fish or chicken satay), but I really like it as a main over rice or noodles. Recipe after the jump! Read more… →

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Back to Top
12345...Last »

Login