Creamy Pink Pasta with Shrimp & Spinach

Forgive me on the recipe name here, not my best work.  This dish was fantastic, we will definitely be making it again.  Although “creamy” may make you step away from this recipe, the “cream” is just Greek yogurt!  I fooled Mr. Applebutter once again. ;-)

Creamy Pink Pasta with Shrimp- adapted from back to her roots

Serves: 6

12 oz whole wheat spiral noodles

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

8 oz. mushrooms, diced

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

10 oz. shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 cup marinara sauce

5 oz. plain 0% Greek yogurt

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 oz fat free crumbled feta cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes or until garlic begins to soften.
3. Add in mushrooms and grape tomatoes. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until mushrooms soften.
4. Turn heat up to medium-high and add in shrimp. Cook for 2-5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove from heat, add in spinach and cover skillet. Let spinach wilt for about 5 minutes.
5. Remove lid and place skillet back over low heat. Add the pasta, Greek yogurt and marinara sauce. Stir until sauce is mixed well and all pasta and veggies are coated.   Add Italian seasoning and feta cheese.  Mix well.
6. Heat until just warmed through. Divide into pasta bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Depending on your taste, you may need to increase or decrease the amount of “sauce” (pasta/yogurt mixture). 

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 357 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated), 45g carbohydrate (8g fiber), 26g protein

English Muffin Tuna Burgers

These were quick and easy for a weeknight dinner.  I tend to shy away from any kind of “cake” or “patty” recipe because they never seem to form right, if at all.  This idea attracted me because I am a sucker for English muffins.  Just love them! I was happy to see that the tuna patty did in fact make a solid crispy burger, and it tasted good too.  Enjoy your omega 3’s! :)

English Muffin Tuna Burgers

Serves: 4

2- 6 oz cans tuna fish in water, drained

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

1 tsp. Italian seasoning, dried

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Pinch of salt & pepper

juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tbsp. + 4 tbsp. plain Greek yogurt, divided

1 egg

4 whole wheat English muffins, toasted

4 leaves romaine lettuce

8 tomato slices, 1/4″ thick

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Combine tuna, panko, green onion, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon, 3 tbsp. Greek yogurt, and egg.  Mix well with you hands.
3. Form into 4 equal patties (they will be wet- it’s ok).  Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile toast English muffins.  Once patties are done, place each on English muffin and top with 2 slices tomato, lettuce, and 1tbsp. Greek yogurt.  Serve with suggested side of homemade sweet potato fries and veggies of your choice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 276 calories, 3.7g fat (.9g saturated), 36g carbohydrate (5g fiber), 28g protein

Healthy Tuna Melts

There’s a couple major perks to this recipe.  One, it is an excellent source of protein without the high fat of other protein sources. Two, it’s got as much fiber as my morning bowl of oatmeal.  Three, it’s very very easy!  The hint of cheese gives it the tuna melt flavor without covering it in tons of saturated fat.  As much as I enjoy my Avocado Tuna Melts, this is a similar but slightly slimmed down version.

Healthy Tuna Melts– adapted from Emeril’s Kicked-Up Tuna Melts

Serves: 4

4 cans (5 ounces each) solid white tuna packed in water, drained
1/2 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 slices 100% Whole Wheat Low Sodium Bread
8 thin slices tomato
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese,  shredded

Instructions:

1. Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. Arrange bread on a baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine tuna, Greek yogurt, onion, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano and stir until thoroughly combined.
2. Divide tuna salad evenly among bread slices that have already been arranged on the baking sheet, then top each with 2 slices tomato and 1/8 cup (or small sprinkle) of cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 260 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated), 14.3g carbohydrate (3.3g fiber), 44.6g protein

Lemon Tilapia & Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich

What a delicious protein packed sandwich this was.  I loved every bite.  It is also a quick and easy recipe, it only takes about 20 minutes start to finish.  You can use frozen fish too since it’s more convenient and you’ll be mixing it with a ton of flavor.  I will say that this is one time that I feel like the fresh herbs were really key to the flavor.  I wouldn’t recommend subbing dry herbs here.  I hope you like this one, I’m really excited about it!

Lemon Tilapia & Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich– adapted from Giada Di Laurentiis

Makes: 2 sandwiches

5 oz tilapia (feel free to sub for another white fish of your choice)

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, rinsed & chopped

4 tbsp. Lemon flavored Greek Yogurt 0% fat (I used Oiko’s)

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. fresh parsley , chopped

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (for bread & fish)

Handful of mixed greens

3 oz. ciabatta bread

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Sprinkle tilapia with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake for 10-11 minutes or until flaky.  Remove from oven and allow fish to cool completely.
3. In the meantime, mix together the sun-dried tomatoes, greek yogurt, basil and parsley in a small bowl.  Set aside.
4. Cut ciabatta bread in half, lengthwise and scoop some of the bread out of the top half.  Drizzle both cut sides with olive oil and bake in the 400 F oven for about 6 minutes until lightly browned and crispy.  Remove bread from oven and sprinkle bottom half with garlic powder.
5. Once tilapia is cooled, mix into the sun-dried tomato/yogurt mixture.
6. Scoop mixture onto the bottom of the bread and top with a handful of mixed greens and the top of your sandwich.
7. Serve with a side salad of your choice

Shrimp & Bulgur Risotto

I’m squeezing this recipe in after working an 11 hour day with children… so, you’re just getting the recipe! I hope it looks like something you may enjoy :)

Shrimp & Bulgur Risotto– slightly adapted from Self

Serves: 4-5

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup bulgur wheat
salt to taste
12 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (I used 1/2 of a red pepper and 1/2 of a green pepper because that’s what I had on hand)
1 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring, for 30 seconds; add bulgur and salt; stir 1 minute more.
3. Gradually stir in 2 cups boiling water, 1/2 cup at a time (waiting until bulgur absorbs it to add more), until bulgur is slightly soupy, 8 to 10 minutes (You might not use all the water- I didn’t).
4. Add shrimp. Cook, stirring constantly, until it turns pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add corn, bell pepper, juice from 1 lime and red pepper flakes; stir, adding 2-3 tbsp. water to keep mixture creamy.
6. Cook, stirring, until corn and pepper are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Avocado Tuna Melts

I went to make this recipe this week and was surprised to see that I didn’t put it up on the blog yet.  It’s really become a staple for me.  These tuna melts have such great flavor and are also so easy. GREAT weekday recipe, it only takes about 15 minutes start to finish… enjoy!

Avocado Tuna Melts– inspired from Cooking Light

Serves: 3-4

2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. thinly sliced shallots

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

2 (5 oz) cans of white tuna in water (not oil!)

1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 avocado

2 large tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, quartered)

2 oz. reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded

1 (10 oz) French bread baguette, halved lengthwise

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Cut bread into 2 oz. portions (see picture above) and scoop bread.  “Scooping” just means pulling out some of the thick part of the bread to lower the calorie content.  Like a “scooped bagel.”
3. Place bread on aluminum foil lined cookie sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted.
4. Combine first six ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to coat.
5. Chop avocado and toss with lemon juice in a small bowl (this really won’t do much because avocado’s start to brown as soon as they are opened but it will at least help preserve it for a little longer)
6. Add avocado and diced tomatoes to tuna mixture.  Toss well to combine.
7. Portion the mixture appropriately into each bread “boat.”  Sprinkle the top of each with a little bit of cheddar cheese.
8. Broil for 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

 

Maddi’s Shrimp-Avocado Bowls

There are two great things about this recipe, one is that it comes from one of my old college roommates whom I love and miss every day.  I kind of think of her as my very own Paula Deen.. she’s the southern belle always wanting to add more butter.  Although, I don’t want to paint a bad picture, she is a healthy little vegetarian and she weighs about 90 pounds, but I have heard her say more than once that “you NEED to use butter.”  Here’s one of my favorite pictures from college, “teaching” the butter-loving southern belle to snowboard…

The second best thing about this recipe is that I didn’t prepare it (ha!).  This comes from chef Dan, who jumped in to cook it without being asked.. I’m hopeful some blog recognition will encourage him to do this more in the future ;)

One note on this recipe- it is very high in sodium.  I buy low sodium of everything, but you know how those Asian ingredients can be sometimes.. high in sodium no matter what.  If you have a heart problem such as high blood pressure, it would not be responsible of me as a future RD to tell you to consume this on a regular basis!  So, it’s a nice treat, think of it that way :)

Maddi’s Shrimp- Avocado Bowls

Serves: 6

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled & de-veined (I only used 1/2 lb due to the high cost of shrimp, which also worked just fine)

Sprinkling of ground ginger (adjust to your preferences)

2 Tbsp. rice wine (Buy at an Asian store if you can- much cheaper then a supermarket)

2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced

Juice of 1 lemon

4 cups cooked brown rice/quinoa (I used 2 of the 90 second microwaveable packages of a brown rice/quinoa mixture.  If you don’t have that available, I would do 2c brown rice and 2c quinoa, mixed)

1 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used about 2 tbsp. dried parsley instead)

Dressing:

1/3c low sodium soy sauce

3-4 tbsp. rice vinegar (also from Asian store if you can)

1 1/2 tbsp. rice wine

1 1/2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil (Asian store)

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Place shrimp in another bowl, add ginger and 2 tbsp. rice wine, toss lightly.
3. Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large pot.  Add shrimp mixture, cook for 2.5-3 minutes until shrimp is pink.  Drain in colander and let shrimp cool.
4. In a large bowl, lightly toss avocado with half the lemon juice.  Add cooked shrimp and rice/quinoa.  Add remaining lemon juice and toss.  Add dressing & parsley, and toss.  Taste for seasoning, add more salt if necessary.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Shrimp, Feta & Tomato Dish

This is going to be a short post, but it’s still a delicious recipe!  I actually learned this recipe in my 100 level food prep class last year.  I knew when we made it that it was a keeper, and it’s ready in 20 minutes tops.   Important note:  I was just trying to use up extra shrimp in the freezer, so the recipe only serves about 2.  We had a large salad with it, which you can definitely do too,  but if you want a bigger portion or have more then two people to feed, you’d want to double the recipe.  Enjoy!

Shrimp, Feta & Tomato Dish

Serves: 2

1/2 white onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb shrimp (already peeled and deveined)

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 medium tomato, diced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Drizzle of olive oil

Salt to taste

Sprinkle of dried parsley (or fresh-  if you have it!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Heat olive oil  over medium heat in a nonstick skillet.  Once hot, cook onion about 3-4 minutes until translucent.  Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and shrimp.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.  Add salt to taste.
3. Remove mixture from heat and place in 8×8 glass baking dish.  Cook in oven for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, add crumbled feta over the top and cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Garnish with dried parsley and serve

Shrimp & Corn Chowder

Happy Spring!  Although the weather seems to be back to its usual cold self here, I have a good recipe to warm you up.  The flavors in this were awesome, and don’t be deterred by the word “chowder”- this one only contains a mere 1/4 cup of cream.  What a great healthy alternative to a traditionally fatty dish (Dad- I think you will really like this one AND mom will approve).

I’m working on the appearance of my blog by taking better pictures, making the recipe format standardized, and starting to branch out and make some recipes of my own.  Slowly but surely, I’ll get there.  Also, at the  bottom of all posts there is a “print” button, so you can easily print the ones you like.

Look out for another recipe on Thursday, and with it I’ll be including some helpful nutrition tips to apply when cooking.  Have a great week!

Shrimp & Corn Chowder- slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Serves: 3-4

1 bunch green onions (I used almost 2 because I love the flavor of green onions)

3 cups diced red potato

3 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

1 (16 oz) package frozen corn, thawed

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Black Pepper (optional)

Instructions:

1. Remove green tops from onions, chop and set aside.  Chop white portion of onions, set aside.
2. Combine potato and chicken broth in a medium saucepan, bring mixture to a boil.  Cook 5 minutes, add corn and white portion of onions.  Reduce heat, simmer 8 minutes.
3. Place 2 cups of the potato mixture in a blender (I used a food processor), process until smooth.  Return to pan, stir in shrimp (already diced).  Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink.  Stir in onion tops, cream, and lemon juice.
4. Ladle soup into bowls.  Sprinkle with pepper is desired.

Salmon & Roasted Green Beans

This one was really simple.  Salmon cooked this way is my go-to on nights that I’m really busy, and is also a great beginner fish recipe. The US Dietary Guidelines recommends 8 oz of fish per week.  This is usually advised to be done in two 4 oz portions.  When I buy fish, I tend to buy 5-6 oz for my meal.  That way, if I don’t get around to having it again that week, I’m close to the recommendation, and if I do get in another 5-6 oz, all the better!  I only say that because I know fish can be a little pricey, and not always readily available.  The reason it’s recommended and is good for you is because it’s full of heart healthy omega 3’s and lots of lean protein.  It also only takes about 11 minutes to cook… I bet if you drove to a fast food place and back that it would take you more then 11 minutes…

One other thing I wanted to make note of is that most seasoned breadcrumbs can be high in sodium, so be mindful of labels if you have a heart or kidney condition.  It’s not as crucial for this recipe since you only use a thin layer, but for future uses, just make a mental note ;)

The string bean side dish was fantastic, I really enjoyed it.  I only modified the recipe by cutting it in half, so I’m going to link you over to the blog that I got it from, here.  It was another pinterest find, got to love that site!

Salmon Ingredients:

• 5-6 oz of Salmon (The fish market may tell you that’s not enough, but I think it’s plenty filling)
• 1-2 tsp. honey dijon mustard
• Breadcrumbs to cover the fish (I love using panko, but didn’t have it handy for this one)

Directions: Spread dijon mustard on top of salmon, add breadcrumbs and place on piece of tin foil.  Bake at 400F for 11-12 minutes.  You know the fish is done if it flakes when cut by a fork.