Coconut Shrimp

This is from Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner blog

Shrimp: 

28 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
 Cooking spray

Salsa: 

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup pineapple preserves
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare shrimp, peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Rinse shrimp in cold water; drain on paper towels until dry.

Combine cornstarch, salt, and red pepper in a shallow dish; stir with a whisk. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until frothy (about 2 minutes). Place coconut in a shallow dish.

Working with one shrimp at a time, dredge in cornstarch mixture. Dip in egg white; dredge in coconut, pressing gently with fingers. Place shrimp on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining shrimp, cornstarch mixture, egg white, and coconut. Lightly coat shrimp with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until shrimp are done, turning after 10 minutes.

To prepare salsa, combine pineapple and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir to combine.  4 servings (serving size: 7 shrimp and about 1/4 cup salsa). Sometimes I use a pineapple salsa from Costco instead of making my own.

CALORIES 397(26% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 8.4g,mono 0.7g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 29.9g; CHOLESTEROL 194mg; CALCIUM 80mg; SODIUM 753mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45g

from Cooking Light magazine 

Chicken Tamale Casserole

• 1 cup (4 ounces) pre-shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 whole egg)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy) 
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso) (I sometimes use green)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. 3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Cooking Light
NOVEMBER 2008

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

{photo courtesy myrecipes.com}

I first had this dish when we were at the Outer Banks with my family last summer. I recreated it from memory, and it was good. But this week Jessie directed me to the actual recipe (Cooking Light, 2006) and I made it again. This is officially one of my new favorite meals, and Marc and Max really like it as well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Crema:

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets (I used tilapia)
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (I used more, because we like to double them up)
2 cups shredded cabbage

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions (I spray them with Pam, sprinkle them with salt, and warm them in a small skillet). Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.

Tex-Mex Nachos

• 3/4 pound ground round
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 3/4 cup taco sauce (I used water + taco seasoning)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained (I used pinto beans)
  
• 1 can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained
• 2 ounces fat-free baked tortilla chips (about 2 cups or about 18 chips)
• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Cook meat and green onions in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and return meat mixture to pan. Stir in taco sauce, garlic powder, pepper, beans, and corn, and cook until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup meat mixture over 1/2 cup chips, and top with 3/4 cup lettuce, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup cheese, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

4 servings

Pasta with Chicken Wine Artichoke Sauce

I tried this recipe this week when I was pressed for time and didn't want to go grocery shopping (I didn't have fresh basil so I used a little dried, and I just used dumb parmesan cheese in a can). The sauce is very bright and flavorful and it really was super-fast! Delicious, now part of our rotation.

Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) package kamut spirals
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke quarters, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• Chopped fresh basil (optional)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add wine, salt, pepper, and artichokes; simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened and chicken is done. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and 1/3 cup basil. Place sauce and pasta in a large bowl; stir gently to combine. Garnish with chopped basil, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 434 (19% from fat)

Fat: 9.2g (sat 2.7g,mono 4.5g,poly 1.2g)

Protein: 40.1g

Carbohydrate: 49g

Fiber: 4.7g

Cholesterol: 72mg

Iron: 4.3mg

Sodium: 629mg

Calcium: 156mg

Flank Steak and Blue Cheese Quesadilla Salad

vinaigrette:
3 T. Dijon-lemon vinaigrette
1 1/2 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. chopped fresh thyme (optional)

quesadillas:
1/2 lb. flank steak
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray
1/2 c. (2 oz.) crumbled blue cheese
4 8" flour tortillas

remaining ingredients:
1 head torn red leaf lettuce
1 c. vertically sliced red onion
2 large tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges

1. Prepare grill.

2. Combine vinaigrette ingredients; set aside.

3. To prepare quesadillas, sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Place steak on grill rack and grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over 2 tortillas. Divide steak evenly over cheese, and top with remaining tortillas.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over med. heat. Cook quesadillas 4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cut each quesadilla into 8 wedges.

Combine vinaigrette, lettuce, onion, and tomato in a large bowl; toss well. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates; top each serving with 4 quesadilla wedges.

{Dijon-lemon vinaigrette:
3 T. vegetable broth or water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 t. minced garlic
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. black pepper
1/4 t. salt

Combine all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly and shake vigorously. Store in refrigerator.}

Old-fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

Comfort food defined.

2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
6 T. ice water
2 cans chicken broth
5 diced, unpeeled red potatoes
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 c. frozen peas
1/2 t. poultry seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. milk
2 c. chopped cooked chicken breast

Combine 2 c. flour and 1/2 t. salt in a bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle ice water over surface; toss with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide dough in two and gently press into 4" circles; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bring broth to a boil over med. high heat. Add potato; cover and cook 5 minutes. Add carrot and onion; cover and cook 5 minutes.

Combine remaining 1/4 c. flour, 1/2 t. salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, and milk in a small bowl; stir well. Gradually add to the vegetable mixture, stirring well. Cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in peas and chicken.

Roll out dough to a size 1" larger than your casserole dish. Fit one piece into dish to form the bottom crust. Fill with chicken/vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining dough and cut two slits for venting.

Spray with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(the original recipe halved the dough ingredients and had only a top crust, but I like a top and bottom crust)

Ultimate Quick & Easy Pasta Sauce

1 t. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. red wine or 2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. sugar
2 t. dried basil
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. black pepper
2 14-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained

Heat oil in a saucepan or large skilled over med. high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in wine or vinegar and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes. Stir in chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Yields 3 cups.

Chicken Parmesan

(not to be confused with Parmesan Chicken, which is much quicker and easier...)

4 chicken breasts
1/2 c. seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 c. parmesan
1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning
1/8 t. black pepper
1/3 c. flour
2 lg. egg whites, lightly beaten
2 t. olive oil
4 c. hot cooked spaghetti (~8 oz. uncooked)
3 c. Quick & Easy Pasta Sauce
1 c. shredded mozzarella

Flatten chicken to 1/4” thickness with a rolling pin. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then in egg whites, then in bread-crumb mixture. Heat oil in a large skillet over med. high heat and add chicken. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

Place 1 c. spaghetti on each plate. Spoon 1/2 c. pasta sauce over each serving. Top each with 1 chicken breast and spoon 1/4 c. sauce over. Sprinkle each with 1/4 c. mozzarella. Microwave until cheese melts.

Chicken Couscous

This is one of those quick & easy recipes that always tastes good to me.

1 1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut in strips
1 T. olive oil
1 5.7-oz. box couscous
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. golden raisins
1 t. salt
1 3/4 c. water

Mix spices in a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken and shake to coat. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet and add chicken. Sauté until cooked through, ~8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

In skillet, sauté bell pepper and scallions until softened. Stir in raisins, orange juice, salt, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous.

Remove from heat, cover, and let stand until liquid is absorbed, ~5 minutes. Add the chicken; mix thoroughly with a fork. Serves 4.

Chicken and Brie Sandwich with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Quite possibly the best sandwich ever.

1 t. olive oil
2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 T. whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
16 oz. loaf French bread
4 oz. Brie cheese, sliced
3 c. shredded cooked chicken
2 c. fresh spinach
1/4 c. mayonnaise

Cook tomatoes in 1 t. hot oil over med. high heat for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 T. vinegar. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Wrap handle of pan with foil and bake at 300 for 15 minutes.

Combine mayo, mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Spread mixture evenly over top half of cut bread loaf. Spoon tomatoes over bottom half of loaf. Arrange Brie over tomatoes, top with chicken. Add spinach and replace top half of bread. Cut loaf into 6 pieces.

Penne with Chicken, Peas, and Asparagus

2 1/2 c. uncooked penne pasta
1 1/2 c. diagonally cut asparagus
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. olive oil
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Place the broth and 1/2 c. peas in a blender; process until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil over med. high heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Add asparagus and chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until chicken is done.

Add pea purée, remaining peas, and salt; stir well. Stir in pasta and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add cheese and pepper; toss.

Red Pepper Pasta Primavera

1 c. snipped fresh basil (or 1 c. parsley + 1 T. dried basil)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. parmesan cheese
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. ground cayenne pepper
8 oz. fettuccine
3 large carrots, julienned
1 med. onion, in thin wedges
1 med. yellow squash, julienned
10 oz. cooked chicken strips

For pesto, combine in a blender container or food processor: basil (or parsley), red pepper, mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, and 1/8 t. black pepper. Cover and blend or process till puréed.

Cook pasta for 6 minutes. Add carrots and onion. Return to boiling and cook for 2 min. Add squash; return to boiling and cook for 2 min. Drain pasta and vegetables. Stir in pesto; add chicken.

Toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Toffee Dip with Apples

3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. toffee bits
1 c. pineapple juice
6 Red Delicious apples
6 Granny Smith apples,
cut into wedges

Combine sugars, cream cheese, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Stir in toffee bits; mix well. Cover and chill.

Combine juice and apples in a bowl; toss well. Drain apples. Place in an airtight container and chill. Serve dip with apples. (I never use Red Delicious, because I don't care for them. Use whatever apples you like!)

Spaghetti Pie

1 lb. ground round
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. chopped green onions
4 c. hot cooked spaghetti (~8 oz. uncooked)
1 1/3 c. shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet until browned. Drain and return to pan. Stir in salt, pepper, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Combine sour cream, green onions, and cream cheese in a small bowl. Place the noodles in a 2-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Spread the sour cream mixture over noodles. Top with meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serves 6.

Green Beans with Bacon/Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
2 bacon slices
1/4 c. minced shallots
3 T. coarsely chopped almonds
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. brown sugar

Cook beans in boiling water for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Cook bacon in a small skillet over med. high heat until brown. Remove bacon from pan and crumble. Add shallots to bacon drippings in pan; saute 1 minute. Add almonds; sauté 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Add vinegar and sugar to pan and stir until sugar dissolves. Add crumbled bacon. Pour vinaigrette over beans, tossing gently to coat. Serves 8.

Barbecued Chicken Pot Pie

1 t. butter
2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. ground coriander
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1 t. ground cumin
4 c. shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/3 c. chicken broth
2 T. brown sugar
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated
12 oz. bottle chili sauce (find it near the ketchup)
1 can refrigerated corn bread twists (or regular breadsticks)

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt butter in a large skillet and add onion, pepper, chiles and garlic. Saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in coriander and cumin; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

Add chicken, broth, brown sugar, chocolate, and chili sauce; cook 15 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.

Spoon chicken mixture into an 11x7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Unroll corn bread strips and place dough strips in a lattice fashion over chicken mixture.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Americana Pot Roast

4 lb. rump roast
3 medium onions, sliced
2 T. paprika
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 c. red wine OR 2 T. red wine vinegar
1 can beef broth
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
6 carrots, cut into 1 1/2" thick pieces
6 small red potatoes
1/2 c. water

Preheat oven to 300.

Heat a large pan over med. high heat. Add roast, browning on all sides. Remove from pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes. Add paprika, basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic; cook 1 minute.

Add water, wine, and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in salt, pepper, carrots, and potatoes. Return roast to pan.

Cover and bake at 300 for 2 hours. Turn roast, cover and bake an additional hour or until tender.
Yields: 8-10 servings.

Blackberry-Lemon Pudding Cake

This is one of my favorite Spring/Summer desserts. By the way, I am a big Cooking Light fan; I was a subscriber for years and years and they have great recipes. Their website is very cool, too. (This is 6 points for you Weight Watchers fans.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, melted
2 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl; add buttermilk, rind, juice, margarine, and egg yolks, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into buttermilk mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Fold in blackberries.

Pour batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Place in a larger baking pan; add hot water to larger pan to depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 285(23% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.7g,mono 2.8g,poly 1.8g); PROTEIN 6g; SODIUM 198mg; FIBER 3.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 51.2g

Peanutty Noodles

Peanutty Noodles (from Cooking Light)

2 carrots, peeled
1 T. vegetable oil, divided
2 t. grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. fat-free chicken broth
1/2 c. natural-style peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce
3 T. rice or white wine vinegar
1 t. chili garlic sauce
1/4 t. salt
2 c. red bell pepper strips
1 pounds snow peas, trimmed
8 c. hot cooked linguine (about 1 lb.)
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Shave the carrots lengthwise into thin strips using a vegetable peeler; set aside.

Heat 1 t. oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and next 5 ingredients (broth through salt); stir until well-blended. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

Heat 2 t. oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and snow peas; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Combine carrot, peanut butter mixture, bell pepper mixture, and linguine in a large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature (I even like it cold).

Yield: 10 1-cup servings.

296 calories
8.8g fat
11.7g protein
3.4g fiber