Asian Pasta Salad With Shrimp, Red Pepper and Honey Roasted Peanuts

I am certainly enjoying our summer weather and taking advantage of it and spending as much time as possible outside!  Often times we will eat out on the patio as long as it’s not raining.  It’s so peaceful and relaxing listening to the birds singing and the water flowing from our fountain.  Summer is GOOD!

I love pasta salads and I love Asian flavors so I knew this would be a winner.  This is quite possibly one of my new favorite pasta salads!  I discovered this recipe at thegalleygourmet.net.  Check out her blog – she has some fantastic recipes!

Asian Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Red Pepper, and Honey Roasted Peanuts

serves 6-8 as a main dish, 12-16 as a side dish

For the Dressing

1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic

1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

6 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 cup canola or safflower oil

For the Pasta Salad

1 pound medium shrimp

1 Tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon dry Sherry

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1 pound fusilli pasta

1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces

8 ounces snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias

3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped and divided

3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Crushed red pepper to taste

For the Dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil.  Using a wire whisk, slowly whisk in oil in a steady stream to make an emulsified dressing.  (Dressing can be made and refrigerated a day in advance.)

For the Pasta Salad

In a small bowl, marinate the shrimp in the soy sauce and sherry while preparing the other ingredients.

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large stock pot.  In a separate saucepan, heat 1 inch of water.  Arrange shrimp in a steamer basket and set over boiling water in the saucepan, cover, reduce heat to low, and steam without lifting the lid until shrimp are opaque, about 5 minutes.  Remove the basket and set aside to cool.

Add the salt and pasta to the stock pot of boiling water; cook according to manufacturer’s directions.  Thoroughly drain and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature.

Transfer shrimp, pasta, pepper, snow peas, 1/2 cup of the peanuts, green onions, and cilantro to a large bowl; do not mix. (Pasta can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)  When ready to serve add the dressing, toss to coat, and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Add crushed red pepper to taste and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup peanuts.  Enjoy!

Source: thegalleygourmet

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus and Lemon Risotto  – Asparagus is often associated with Spring, but good any time of the year.  Enjoy!

Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 16-19 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups water
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chipped
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup chopped asparagus

Directions

Begin with melting two tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Once almost melted through, add your garlic and saute until it looks like it might begin to golden, about 30 seconds.  Then add your Arborio rice. Stir to coat and cook until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes, making sure to stir regularly.  Then add the wine and cook until the liquid is fully absorbed.  Meanwhile, combine your two cups of water and chicken stock together.  Then add 5 cups of the liquid to your pot.  Raise your temperature to high/medium to bring your broth to a very low simmer.  Then cover and immediately lower your temperature to low. Cook for 16-19 minutes, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, making sure to stir twice while it’s cooking.

 

Meanwhile, chop your chives and your parsley.  As well as prepare your asparagus by rinsing it, breaking off the ends, cooking it, and then slicing them into 1 inch pieces, cut at an angle.  Once your rice is cooked to al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, turn off the heat and stir in your Parmesan cheese. If your risotto appears to be drying up, warm 3/4 cup of the remaining chicken broth and water mixture in the microwave for 1 minute and gradually add it to your rice until you’ve reach your desired consistency.  Then remove your pot from the stove and add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to coat.  Then add your herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped asparagus, as well as any other ingredients you’d like to add to your risotto.  Stir until well blended and serve immediately with a sprinkling of chives, slivers of Parmesan cheese, or additional lemon zest.

 

 Source:  sprinklesofparsley.com

 

 

 

 

Balsamic Asparagus with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Feta

Somehow it just doesn’t seem right to slather butter and loads of cheese on vegetables.  Isn’t that defeating the purpose of eating healthy vegetables?  It is always a challenge to find new healthy ways to cook vegetables.  I discovered this recipe and loved it.  Not only is it flavorful, but quick and easy.  I have also made it on the grill and loved it even more.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• One bunch Asparagus
• sprinkling of Feta Cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped, sun-dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil)
• 2-3 tablespoons good quality Balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

Trim the bottoms of your asparagus.  Quick and easy – microwave asparagus on a plate with a few tablespoons of water, covered with a paper towel, for a couple of minutes.  Be careful not to overcook.  My personal favorite – drizzle asparagus with olive oil and grill.

To finish, top with balsamic vinegar and other ingredients, season with salt and pepper as desired and serve.

 Source:  adapted from dailycrave.wordpress.com 

 

Stir Fry Snow Peas and Mushrooms – Keeping it Healthy & Vacation Memories

I’m back after 11 days of vacation in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.  It was hard to leave, it is always difficult for me to leave as the beach is my favorite place to be.  I spent each early morning walking the beach, taking photos and looking for shells. During our morning walks we saw dolphins, manatees, stingrays and a variety of birds.  The days in the sun and surf went like the speed of lightning and before I knew it our 11 days were gone!  Reality hit me in the face this morning as I got up and got ready to face the work week.  My body is here, but my mind and spirit are still at the beach, walking along the gulf, finding beautiful shells, swimming, watching sunsets and eating delicious seafood!

Come walk with me and catch a glimpse of what I saw on my beach walks!

Roseate Spoonbill

Young Roseate Spoonbill

We discovered a superb new restaurant that just opened in March of this year in Fort Myers beach.  Fresh Catch Bistro is directly on the beach and is a much-needed restaurant for Fort Myers Beach!  The food and presentation are incredible as well as the service, and the view can’t be beat!  If you are in the area be sure not to miss it!

Already I’m missing fresh seafood and the gourmet fare of Fresh Catch Bistro!  I way over-ate on vacation … so it’s time to start eating healthier again and what better way to start out then to make some veggies!  I love vegetables, I crave vegetables and this is one recipe that is easy, healthy and delicious.  Enjoy!

Stir Fry Snow Peas and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound snow peas
• Red Pepper, sliced thin
• 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the sesame seeds about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Heat oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Stir in snow peas, red peppers and mushrooms, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until tender.
3. Transfer snow peas and mushrooms to a medium bowl. Toss with sesame seeds and teriyaki sauce, and serve warm.

Source:  Allrecipes.com

Homemade Lemon Fettuccine

Homemade pasta is so versatile in terms of colors and taste.  One of my favorite variations is lemon pasta.  Lemon pasta goes so well with numerous dishes and adds a wonderful fresh burst of lemon without being overpowering.  Enjoy!

Lemon Fettuccine Noodles

• 2-1/4 Cups Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-2 Tablespoons Water (if necessary)
• 1 Lemon
• Dash of Salt

Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour.

In a small bowl put eggs, zest of 1 lemon, juice of 1 lemon and whisk lightly.

Add to the middle well of flour the egg mixture, olive oil, and water (if necessary).  Add flour or extra water to dough as needed – consistency should not be sticky. With beater attachment, beat on low for 1 minute. Switch to dough hook and mix for 6 minutes. Take dough and cover in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 10 minutes.  Make pasta into desired shape and be prepared for a taste sensation.

Mixed Green Salad with Quinoa, Cranberries and Toasted Almonds

This is a wonderful salad with a homemade dressing.  Homemade dressings are so very good and they take only minutes.   Why buy store-bought dressing when you can have homemade in minutes and it tastes so much better!

Quinoa, Pomegranate, Almond and Feta Salad

(makes about 4 servings)

• ¼ cup white, black or red quinoa, rinsed thoroughly and drained in a sieve
• ½ cup water
• pinch of salt
• 4 cups greens – either all spinach, a mix of spring baby greens, or a combination of the two (I used combo)
• ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (optional)
• 1 pomegranate, seeded (about 1 cup) (I could not find pomegranate and substituted dried cranberries)

The vinaigrette:

• 3 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I chose a lemon-infused olive oil)
• 1 extra-full Tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa in several bowls of fresh water, using a fine sieve to contain the little seeds. Bring ½ cup lightly-salted water to a boil, add quinoa, reduce heat and simmer with the lid on for 12 minutes. Allow pot to sit, undisturbed for another 4 minutes. Remove lid and fluff the quinoa. Allow to cool.

In the meantime, toast almonds on a baking sheet in a pre-heated 350°F oven until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.  *Almonds can also be toasted stove top for approximately 5 minutes – watch closely and stir until nicely browned.

Whisk up the vinaigrette’s ingredients and allow the flavors to blend.

To a large bowl, add the greens, feta, onion (if using), quinoa, cranberries and toasted almonds. Toss with the dressing and serve immediately

Source:  Cooking-Spre.com

Grilled Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

This was a taste treat and very easy to make! To keep asparagus fresh in the fridge, store it upright, in about an inch or two of water.

Ingredients:

• Asparagus, bottoms trimmed
• Prosciutto
• Olive Oil

After asparagus has been washed and trimmed coat with Olive Oil, wrap each asparagus with a slice of prosciutto. 

Place on the grill for approximately 2-3 minutes a side until tender crisp.

Mmmmmm …. Enjoy!

Related articles

• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (tasteofwonderland.wordpress.com)

Green Beans in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce

This was quite good – although I probably would only make this once in awhile due to the fat content.  I discovered this recipe on another blogger’s great site.  Check it out he has some really good recipes!  I could not find porcini or cremini mushrooms so I substituted baby bella mushrooms and omitted the soaking in water and sautéed in butter.

Source:  Closetcooking.com

Green Beans in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce from Closet Cooking Servings: makes 4 servings   Ingredients 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 1/2 cup boiling water 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, diced 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped 1/2 cup cream 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated salt and pepper to taste 1 handful parsley, chopped 1 pound green beans Directions Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in the water for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minutes. Add the cremini mushrooms and saute until the start to caramelized and turn golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Add the porcini mushrooms and the water they were soaking in to the pan and simmer at medium-high until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and parmigiano reggiano, season with salt and pepper and simmer until it thickens, about 2-4 minutes. Meanwhile steam the green beans. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and mix in the parsley. Serve the green beans covered in the mushroom sauce.

Related articles

• Spicy-Sweet Green Beans (saltandserenity.com)

Kale, Butternut Squash & Sausage

I had kale, butternut squash and sausage in the fridge and came up with this recipe.  This recipe is 5 ingredients, super easy, and packed full of flavor.  I love garlic, but I must admit I overdid the garlic with 5 cloves of garlic!  Yikes … I feel sorry for the people who came anywhere near me after all the garlic I had!  The taste sensations are ridiculously crazy good – and as an added bonus Kale has so many super health benefits! 

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups cubed and peeled butternut squash
• 4 cups chopped kale, stems included
• 2 links of sausage hot and sweet, removed from casings

Saute chopped garlic in olive oil until lightly browned, add sausage and brown.  Add cubed butternut squash and saute for approximately 10 minutes until cooked.  Add Kale and continue cooking.  Serve and enjoy!

Zucchini Boats

I’m always on the lookout for new recipes for vegetables. This recipe was a winner!  It is easy and quite tasty.  I made the recipe as written, but I think next time instead of roasting the zucchini in the oven I would grill the zucchini and then finish roasting in the oven to melt the cheese.

Stuffed Zucchini

Be sure to pack stuffing tightly in the zucchini shells so it doesn’t fall out as it cooks.

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini, (6 to 8 ounces each), halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• Freshly ground pepper
• 7 1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Using a tablespoon, scoop out zucchini centers to form “canoes,” leaving a 1/4-inch border. Roughly chop centers; set aside.
2. Arrange zucchini, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped zucchini, and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Fold in feta and tomatoes.
4. Turn hollowed-out zucchini cut sides up, fill with vegetable-feta mixture, and bake until top is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Lift zucchini from baking sheet with a wide spatula, and serve.

Source:  Martha Stewart Recipes