Monthly Archives: June 2019

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Delightful Shrimp with Avocado Pesto

Photo: Shrimp with Avocado Pesto

I found this lovely Creamy Avocado Pesto recipe at AllRecipes.com and adapted it to make this delightfully refreshing shrimp pasta with butternut rotini.

As I was contemplating my pasta substitute choices at the grocery store, I spotted Mann’s Butternut Rotini, whooped in excitement, and bought a package. You don’t have to use this exact thing in the recipe. Cubed or spiraled butternut will work just as well, or you can use zucchini noodles I am just excited that Mann’s is making these prepared vegetable options available. In addition to the butternut rotini, they also have cauliflower rice, sweet potato fettuccine, baby cauliflower caulilini, and kohlrabi linguini. I am eager to try all of these except the sweet potato since it is a little higher in carbs than the rest, although the serving size is 1-1/2 cups, so if you cut back to 1/2 cup, you could still have some. Check these out at the Mann’s website. 

Back to this recipe. The avocado pesto is easy to make. Fresh basil is a must. I had to buy a whole basil plant to get any at my grocery store, but with luck, yours might have some in their produce department. I used large shrimp, but you can use the medium ones.

Shrimp with Avocado Pesto

1 10 ounce-package Butternut Squash Rotini
1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1/2 lemon, juiced or 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 cup fresh basil, or more to taste
4 tablespoons grated Romano cheese, halved
2 cloves garlic
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil, or as needed
1/4 cup diced tomatoes, or more to taste (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook the butternut rotini in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes to get them partially cooked. (They are in a steamer bag, but it popped open mid-way, so cut a small opening in it to let the steam out.)

In a large skillet, add one tablespoon oil, then add the rotini to cook. Stir it often until it softens, then add the cleaned shrimp and stir fry until the shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat.

In the blender, use a spoon to scoop out the avocado, then add lemon juice, basil, two tablespoons of the Romano, garlic, salt, and black pepper. If you’d like a little more spice, add about 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper. Pulse until smooth, then add remaining olive oil, pulsing until it looks creamy. Transfer the pesto to the skillet with shrimp and rotini and stir it to coat evenly. Add the rest of the Romano cheese along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Serve immediately. You can refrigerate left-overs for a day or two. The avocado may turn a little darker, but it is still good, and it reheats well.

Makes four delicious servings.

Nutrition Info Shrimp with Avocado Pesto

Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Recipes

Spice it up with a Spanish Omelet Pepper Ring

Image: Spanish Omelet Pepper Ring

The first time I heard of a Spanish omelet was when I was a child watching an episode of “Dragnet,” and Friday’s partner was cooking one when Friday stopped by his home. My grandmother promptly made one for me the next morning based on the one in the show.

I’ve seen eggs cooked in bell pepper rings on a Keto diet as well as Atkins. It’s an excellent low carb option, but I decided to kick it up a level by making a Spanish omelet in the ring. It’s still simple to do and tastes muy fabulous.

Spanish Omelet in Bell Pepper Rings

2 Bell Pepper rings*
2 Eggs
1 tablespoon Ricotta Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
2 tablespoon Salsa
Salt and Pepper to taste

*To cut the rings, use a large bell pepper, slice off the top (or the bottom), remove the seeds, and cut across the pepper at about 1/2 inch to cut a ring. Repeat for the second ring. The pepper makes from 3 to 4 rings. Save the top and bottom for using elsewhere.

Put the pepper rings on a paper towel and microwave for 30 to 40 seconds to just soften it a little.

In a bowl, break the eggs, add the ricotta cheese and seasoning and whisk together until well mixed.

Heat a pan to medium-high heat and add a little butter. When it is melted and sizzling, put in the pepper rings and divide the egg mixture between them. The egg will leak out some, so use a spatula to push the egg back against the peppers. The eggs should begin to set with 15 to 20 seconds.

Once they are set, lower the temperature a little, put a lid over the pan and cook for about five minutes, then flip the eggs over. Put 2 tablespoons cheese on top and add a tablespoon of salsa. Let the cheese melt a little, then remove to a plate.

Makes two servings. (Or one hungry person serving.)

Appetizers, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Tasty BBQ Chicken Biscuit Rolls

Photo: BBQ Chicken Rolls

Want a low carb variation of the BBQ Chicken that tastes great and is pretty easy to do? To make these, I used Carbquick from Tova Foods. You could also use Bakesquick from Dixie Carb Counters. If you use other flours, they may not hold together as well and you’ll need to add butter and baking powder. This uses precooked rotisserie chicken, which makes it a great way to use any extra chicken.

You can order either Carbquick or Bakesquick from Netrition.com or from Amazon. It may be a little higher from Amazon, but if you have Prime, you may save on the shipping.

BBQ Chicken Biscuit Rolls

2 cups CarbQuick
1/4 cup Water
1 teaspoon Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1/2 cup G. Hughes Sugar-free BBQ sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/3 cup Onion, finely chopped
1 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.) Prepare a baking pan with either a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Mix the Carbquick in a large bowl with about 1/4 cup of water. Add enough that it pulls together into a ball, but don’t get it too moist. It will roll out better if it is a stiff dough. Form the dough into a 5-inch x 3-inch log, then put in on a silicone mat or wax paper covered board. Place a sheet of wax paper over the top and press it into a rectangular shape. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to about 10 inches long by 6 or so inches wide.

Put BBQ sauce in a cup and use a basting brush to spread about half of it over the top of the biscuit dough. Add the rest to the diced or shredded chicken. Spread the chicken evenly over the dough, allowing a slight edge on each side for rolling the dough. Top with chopped onions, cheese, and sprinkle on the parsley.

Roll the dough on the long side to form a roll-up. The dough may break in places, so pat it back together as you go. If it becomes difficult to roll, then pull the other side to meet the rolled side and press together to seal. Cut the roll into 8 slices.

Photo: Pan of BBQ Chicken rolls

Place slices flat with the filling up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until they are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Let cool about 5 minutes, then serve with a poblano ranch dressing or more BBQ sauce. Makes 4 servings of two rolls each.

Italian Inspired Recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Creamy Tuscan Chicken for Two

Photo Creamy Tuscan Chicken

I make most of the meals at my house into small portions for two people. This is the case with this recipe for delicious creamy Tuscan-style chicken. If you want to make it for more people, it’s easy to double the amounts. If you have one very plump chicken breast, you can probably cut it across the middle as if you were butterflying it to make two chicken pieces. If the chicken is too thick, over 1/2″, then you should cut it to thinner slices, so it cooks thoroughly.

This recipe uses sun-dried tomatoes, but you can also use about six to eight cherry tomatoes cut in half.

Creamy Tuscan-Style Chicken

3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Spinach, chopped
1/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Add olive oil to a medium-sized skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken pieces for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until they are browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.

To the skillet, add heavy cream, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. If you are using cherry tomatoes, add them in now also. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring briskly with a wooden spoon until the sauce begins to thicken. Add spinach and the sun-dried tomatoes and stir them in. Turn to a simmer and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Add the chicken and any juices on the plate back to the pan and cook another three or so minutes until the chicken is heated.

Makes two servings. Serve with riced cauliflower or zucchini noodles. I served mine with a delicious riced golden beets side dish. Recipe follows.

Image: Nutrition Info

 

Savory Riced Golden Beets

Photo: Riced Golden Beets

I’ve tried the frozen riced purple beets, and they are yummy with the earthy taste that the dark beets have and make a great side dish. However, I prefer golden beets with their lighter flavor. So, I riced up a beet and added a little chicken broth and seasoning. Voila! Delicious couscous-like pearls of delight. Along with the chicken, they really provided that extra touch of the Mediterranean flavor.

1 medium-sized Golden Beet, cleaned and peeled
1/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (optional)
1 tablespoon Butter

Rice golden beet in a food processor, using the pulse until it is the size of rice kernels. You can also use a grater to grate the beet, but the food processor is much easier.

In a small skillet, melt butter then add riced beets. Add about 1/4 cup of water and cook over low heat until the water almost evaporates. Add the chicken broth, seasoning, and salt, reduce heat to simmer and continue to cook until the beets are done about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir often and add additional water if they get too dry.

Makes two servings.

Image: Nutrition Info