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Shrimp with Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

8 oz spaghetti (or other pasta)

8 oz roasted red peppers, drained

4 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

minced garlic to taste (1/4 cup?)

1 to 1-1/4 pounds peeled cooked shrimp

red pepper flakes to taste

cayenne pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped parsley

grated parmesan cheese to taste (1/2 cup?)

 

Cook pasta to end coincident with cream sauce.

 

Place the red peppers, cream cheese, broth and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Pour mixture into a large skillet.

 

Cook sauce mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.

 

Add shrimp, crushed pepper flakes and cayenne and cook 3-5 minutes until thoroughly heated.

 

Remove from heat and pour over hot pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan and serve.

 

Serves 4.

 

 

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Spanish Potato and Spinach Tortilla with Red Pepper Sauce+

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers (about 3 ounces), rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon dry-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 8 ounces red potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
  • optional: add 1/2 c thinly sliced onions and 1/2 c thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons half-and-half
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 – 1 cup shredded asiago or other dry cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Combine bell peppers, almonds, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Set aside.

3. Combine the potatoes and 1 cup water in a skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 4 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Drain.  Don’t overcook because they will have a chance to brown later.

4. Combine half-and-half, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, eggs, and egg whites in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Heat a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add potatoes to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Add spinach; sauté for 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add egg mixture to pan; cover and cook for 4 minutes, gently shaking pan occasionally. Sprinkle the cheese on top and broil tortilla 4 minutes or until top is lightly browned and center is set. Cool slightly; serve with red pepper sauce.

Nutritional Information (doesn’t include the cheese which I added)

Amount per serving

  • Calories 246
  • Fat 16 g
  • Satfat 3.9 g
  • Monofat 8.6 g
  • Polyfat 2 g
  • Protein 13.3 g
  • Carbohydrate 13.1 g
  • Fiber 1.9 g
  • Cholesterol 282 mg
  • Iron 2.4 mg
  • Sodium 579 mg
  • Calcium 71 mg

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Duck Breasts with Blackberry-Port Sauce+

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) boneless duck breast halves, skinned
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups blackberries
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup port or other sweet red wine
  • 3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle duck with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add duck to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn duck over; cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove duck from pan; let stand 5 minutes.

2. Add blackberries, shallots, and thyme to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add port; cook 1 minute or until syrupy. Add stock and any juices from duck; cook 5 minutes or until thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and vinegar. Cut duck across grain into thin slices; serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

  • Calories: 227
  • Fat: 7.6g
  • Saturated fat: 1.7g
  • Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g
  • Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g
  • Protein: 20g
  • Carbohydrate: 11g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 71mg
  • Iron: 5mg
  • Sodium: 441mg
  • Calcium: 32mg
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Lamb Meatballs over Apricot Couscous+

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1/2 c bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tbsp Persian Lime Curry Rub spice mix from Oaktown Spice Shop

Couscous

  • 2 c chicken broth
  • 1 c Israeli couscous
  • 1/3 c dried apricots, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp orange juice
  • 1/ tsp cinnamon
  • Bag of spinach leaves
  • 1/2 c cashew pieces

Preheat oven to 450.  Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack on baking sheet and mist rack with cooking spray.  Combine meatball ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands.  Form 1 1/2″ balls; place on rack.  Bake meatballs until just cooked through – 12-14 minutes.

While meatballs are baking, toast Israeli couscous in 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat till popping and light brown.  Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to simmer.  Mix apricots, olive oil, orange juice and cinnamon in a prep bowl; set aside.  When couscous is cooked (10-15 min), toss in apricot mixture and fluff couscous.

Place spinach in bottom of bowl, top with couscous, sprinkle with cashews; add meatballs (4-5) and serve.

Serves 4-6

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Barbecue Salmon and Snap Pea Slaw

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste, such as Huy Fong)
  • 4 (6-ounce) fresh or frozen sustainable salmon fillets (such as wild Alaskan), thawed
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1/2 cup grated radishes
  • 1/4 cup very thinly vertically sliced shallots
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the grill to high heat.

2. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and ginger in a mini food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add juice and next 4 ingredients (through chile paste); pulse to combine. Place salmon on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; brush tops of salmon with half of sauce. Grill 10 minutes; brush with remaining sauce. Grill an additional 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Combine peas, radishes, and shallots. Combine vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil, stirring well; drizzle over pea mixture. Sprinkle with salt; toss. Serve with salmon.

Yield: serves 4 (1 fillet and 3/4 c slaw)

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving
  • Calories: 268
  • Fat: 11.4g
  • Protein: 27.8g
  • Carbohydrate: 12.7g
  • Fiber: 1.8g