Lemon Shrimp with Roasted Peppers

Day 61: “Flat Belly Diet! Family Cookbook”

March 2, 2011

Meals that take minutes and are healthy for you?  You will find both of those with this recipe.  What is really nice is that this can be a pantry/freezer meal.  You keep everything you need for this recipe in your kitchen for a gourmet meal with minutes notice.  Shrimp can be pulled out of the freezer and submerged in water for a quick thaw.  Bottled pesto, roasted red peppers and pasta are all staples in my pantry.  Throw in a fresh lemon and you are good to go.  We all need a healthy fast recipe in our back pocket and here is the one that you should keep in said pocket.

The “Flat Belly Diet! Family Cookbook” is filled with recipes that most in my family would eat.  Fill a meal with fresh produce seems to be the key to this cookbook.  But shouldn’t that be how we eat anyway?  I will admit it, some nice comfort food is a requirement when you live through the harsh winters of the cold upper midwest.  You will find those dishes in this cookbook, like “Chipotle Beef and Bean Chili” or “Crunchy Crust Mac and Cheese”.  Because this book is dedicated to families, it also has a section on bag lunches that turns a typical bag lunch on its ear.  How about a “Chicken and Creamy Pepper Jelly Wrap” or a “Peanut Butter-Strawberry Wrap”?  The cookbook is full of lovely pictures and tips on fat.

 The Ruling:  Just my oldest son and I ate this, just as I knew we would.  We love shrimp, nobody else does.  The rest of the family had noodles with cheese and butter or sauce.  I just made extra noodles for them and we were all happy.  Because it is still winter, we did not have the option of an outdoor grill.  We made the most of it and used our George Foreman grill.  The meal was so fast and easy to put together, yet tasted as if I worked for hours in the kitchen.  This one is a keeper.

Lemon Shrimp with Rosted Peppers, page 113

Ingredients:

• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 ounces multigrain spaghetti
• 1 toasted pepper, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup pesto sauce
• 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Directions:

1. Combine the shrimp, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to grill, but no more than 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the shrimp from the marinade (discard the marinade) and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers or coat grill basket with cooking spray. Grill the shrimp 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the grilled shrimp, roasted pepper, pesto, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Enjoy!

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

 MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Buffalo Strip Saute

Day 14: “The Lewis and Clark Cookbook”

January 14, 2011

Alright, I kid you not with the title of this cookbook, “The Lewis and Clark Cookbook: With Contemporary Recipes“.  I would hope that they are contemporary……could you imagine what Lewis and Clark ate?  Well I know they didn’t eat what I made for supper out of the cookbook, buffalo strip saute.  This was one of the cookbooks that I gave to my husband to pick out a recipe.  It is always good to have fresh eyes pick something out.  We all have our favorites.  I love seafood, my kids like dessert or anything that is cheesy and my husband loves stir fry.  I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by his pick.  But I was surprised at the flavor combinations.  Needless to say, I am an adventurous gal…..so off I went in search of some buffalo!  It didn’t take me long as my first stop was the frigid tundra……of my local grocery freezer section.  I live in the midwest, we have buffalo in our grocery store as opposed to fresh salmon.  Should I be suspect when the brand of buffalo I buy is called “Lewis and Clark”?

The Ruling: Well, when all was said and done, my husband and oldest son ate it.  I tasted some but it really didn’t wow me.  My middle son tried one piece of the meat (before I told him it was buffalo).  My youngest had one piece of the carrot.  Those two would not have lasted long on the prairie!

Buffalo Strip Saute, page 83

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound buffalo (or lean beef) round steak, cut into 1/4 inch thick strips
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup onion, diced
• 3/4 cup green cabbage, sliced thin
• 1 medium carrot, sliced in thin rounds
• 1 rib celery, slice on the diagonal
• 1 cup small cauliflower florets
• 1 Jerusalem artichoke, sliced
• 1 cup corn
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
• 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the meat in a flat-bottomed (non-reactive) dish.  In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce.  Pour the liquid over the meat, coating all pieces.  Cover the dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Turn meat over once while marinating.
2. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the oil, meat and any excess marinade.  When the meat has started to brown add the onion, cabbage, carrot, celery, cauliflower, artichoke, corn and garlic.  Stir well and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Add the soy sauce, dill week and hot pepper sauce (if desired), sauteing until vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat and cover.  Allow flavors to blend for 5 minutes.
3. Serve with wild rice.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com