Fajitas!

This marinade used to be on my blog, but somewhere along the way I guess it got deleted so I'm re-posting it.  I'm not sure if soy sauce is technically "real food", but so many of my favorite recipes use it that I decided not to examine that too closely.  I've used this with chicken breast, chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in), flank steak, and even shrimp.  I have the best results when I pat my meat dry and allow it to come to room temperature before I grill it.  Squeeze a lime wedge over it right after you pull it off the grill.  Delicious every time!

1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients together.  Pour over chicken or steak in a bowl or ziploc bag.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Grill your meat and have at it!

Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps

One thing I am going to have to work out while on Project Real Food is tortillas.  I love hot tortillas with butter, salsa, and cheese.  I love wraps.  I love breakfast tacos and burritos.  I love tortillas.  When we started thinking about making these changes to our diet I thought, "No problem!  We'll just eat whole wheat tortillas and corn tortillas."  Ummmm...problem.  I started trying to find a brand of tortillas that doesn't have sugar, enriched flour, or a list of ingredients I can't pronounce.  I looked at Sprouts, Kroger, and Target (the three stores within a reasonable distance from my house).  There was nothing - not one option.  Sprouts has some sprouted grain tortillas that might be a possibility, but they cost $4 per package and that's just not feasible for us.  I've decided to learn to make my own corn and whole wheat tortillas, but it's going to take some practice.  In the meantime, I'm trying to get used to the idea of lettuce wraps.  I'm resistant.  My brain doesn't want to acknowledge this new form of sandwich delivery.  But this afternoon I made myself do it, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good these were.  The Man-Verdict is still out, but as far as I'm concerned these can be a regular addition to our lunch rotation.  

Ingredients

2 (6 ounce) cans chunk white tuna in water, drained well 

        (press most of the water out for best results)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped calamata olives

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 Tsp lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions

Mix the tuna, parsley, olives, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl.  Serve in lettuce leaves.  

I topped ours with a little sprinkling of feta cheese.

Makes 2 servings

Adapted from Ellie Krieger (So Easy)

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp & Basil

So, my last food-related post was in mid-December.  I have really missed being in my kitchen making a mess and trying new recipes over the last couple of months.  I think maybe - just maybe - I'm ready to get back in the saddle.  For the first time since October I made a meal plan for the week and got through a trip to the grocery store without gagging.  Success! 

I had forgotten about this recipe until this weekend when I was going through an old cookbook looking for new ideas.  I've been craving it since I saw it, so tonight the Turners ate Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp & Basil.  The recipe comes from AllRecipes.com, and I make very few changes to it.  The link above is to the original recipe.  My version is below.  Sam and I really enjoyed eating this tonight!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta

3 Tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1/4 Tsp kosher salt

1 pound large shrimp - peeled and deveined

2 (28 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more!)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Place pasta in a colander, and give it a quick rinse with cold water.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until the garlic is tender, about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and add it to the skillet.  Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from the skillet, and set aside.

Stir tomatoes, wine, parsley, and basil into the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, 8 to 12 minutes. Add shrimp and pasta, and continue cooking until the shrimp are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Sprinkle with plenty of Parmesan cheese and serve.

Printable Recipe

Drunken Shrimp (5 P+)

I'm on a new recipe kick.  A co-worker gave me the link to Gina's Skinny Recipes, and I've found tons of yummy recipes to try.  When I found shrimp on sale I knew that this recipe was going to have to be on the meal plan for the week.  This was simple to throw together and it was delicious with a whole wheat baguette and a salad.  Click here for the source recipe including gorgeous pictures and a printable option.  Below is my slightly tweaked version.

Thai Shrimp Curry (6 P+)

15 minutes.  That's how long this took from start to finish.  I was skeptical when I first read the recipe, but Jaden from Steamy Kitchen hasn't steered me wrong yet.  Plus, shrimp was on sale and who am I to refuse that little treasure!  This didn't taste anything like I thought it would.  These flavors combine perfectly to create a totally new taste, and I was really excited by how simple and delicious this was.

Here's the link to the recipe on Steamy Kitchen:  10-Minute Shrimp and Mushroom Thai Curry

Before you make it there are a couple of things to note:

1)  This is not Indian curry.  This is Thai curry.  It tastes different.  At least to me it does.

2)  Red curry paste is easy to find in a little jar in the ethnic section of the grocery store.  Mine is Thai Kitchen brand and it cost about $3.  I used 2 tablespoons, and I have plenty left.  The jar will keep in the fridge for awhile.

3)  Coconut milk.  Ok, word of warning...coconut milk apparently separates and solidifies when it is canned.  I opened my can (after shaking it vigorously as instructed) and what I saw looked like paste.  It was thick and solid.  And it scared me.  But something magical happened when I stuck a butter knife into the can and stirred - the milk softened and liquefied and smoothed out.  So, my friends, do not be scared by the solid paste of coconut milk when you first open the can.  Everything will turn out alright in the end.

4)  Seasonings.  Please add plenty of curry paste.  As I mentioned earlier, I used 2 tablespoons because I didn't want it to be overwhelming.  It was, in fact, the opposite.  Next time I will definitely use more curry paste.  I will also use salt.  The moral of the story is this:  taste and season as you go.  Also, in my humble opinion, the fresh basil leaves are not optional.  They are a requirement. 

5)  I just ran spell check, and apparently I've been spelling the word "liquefied" incorrectly for 30 years.  Who knew?!

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Printable Recipe
Makes 4 servings
6 Weight Watchers Points per serving (without rice)

Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon (10 P+)

This recipe is from Pam Anderson. No, not THAT Pam Anderson. This is the Pam Anderson that is a food critic and cookbook author and has come up with some really amazing recipes that I love.

I stumbled onto this recipe - Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon with Garlic, Lemon, and Dill - last weekend while looking for a fun new way to cook the salmon that I bought. It was beautful, and on sale, and from the Pacific ocean, and I had to buy it. And thank goodness I did because this is one my favorite things I have ever cooked.

Note 1: I bought my cedar planks at the grocery store. They were $5.99 for two planks. If you can't find them at the grocery store try Bed Bath & Beyond or another kitchen specialty store.

Note 2: As far as seafood goes, salmon is probably the one with the highest fat content. This recipe definitely made a dent into my WW points for the week. Would I do it again? You betcha!!

Note 3: Puppies will drag used cedar planks out of the trash and use them for their own personal chew toys. Consider this a public service announcement.

The End.



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Nutritional Information
1 serving = 1/4 salmon fillet = 10 WW Points+