Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Shrimp

Mike and I celebrated our two year anniversary by renting a little (very little!) garage apartment in Galveston. It was fun and we had a great time together but, not the best time to go to the beach!! On Sunday it was about 40 degrees and pouring raining! We wanted to get out of the garage apartment so we went to eat lunch at a restaurant on the sea wall and then went to go see the new OZ movie. Our plan was to cook dinner on Sunday night so we went and bought fresh shrimp on the pier. This is the best shrimp I have ever had!! It tasted so fresh. Mike even taught me how to peel and devein shrimp.
This is a great recipe for a romantic night in or to make for a dinner party. Serve with some warm french bread to soak up the extra yummy sauce!

Pasta with Shrimp and Vodka Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups whole wheat bow-tie pasta

1 large can Multiglen or other good organic whole tomatoes

½ cup vodka

1 cup plain greek yogurt

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

4 cups spinach

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ tsp salt

1/3 lb. shrimp – peeled and deveined

Directions:

Rinse and pat dry the shrimp, set aside. In a large skillet heat the olive oil on medium low heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and sauté for another minute. Now add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside. Add the whole can of tomatoes with their juices. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon so they will be easier to blend. Let cook for a few minutes and then pour into a large bowl and use an immersion blender to break up the tomatoes until smooth. Put the sauce into a pan, add vodka, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the greek yogurt and continue to simmer.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente and drain.

To cook the spinach, use a large skillet and add either extra virgin olive oil or water. Cook on low until wilted.

Mix the pasta, shrimp, spinach, and sauce together. Serve and top with parmesan and basil.

The Best Smoothie Ever!

I am on spring break this weak so I had extra time this morning to play around with smoothie ingredients. I usually make a smoothie every morning using Carnation Instant Breakfast because it has a great source of protein and vitamins and the flavors are tasty! I bought a lot of smoothie ingredients at the grocery store yesterday - bananas, frozen blueberries, ground flax seed, almond butter, almond milk, and a box of variety flavors Instant Breakfast. I was in the mood for chocolate this morning but, also in the mood for blueberries. I decided to just throw it all together, hoping for the taste of chocolate covered blueberry. It came out tasting like a chocolate blueberry pie milkshake. SOOO GOOD! And....don't forget the sprinkles. I didn't get a pic this morning because I drank it too fast. I will add the picture soon.

Health Benefits:


*Flax Seeds- If you buy whole flax seeds, make sure you ground them first to get the health benefits. If you don't grind, the seeds just pass through your body without your body being able to absorb all their nutrients. Also, make sure you store flax seeds in the refrigerator.
- Fiber - which helps your body with digestion
- Omega - 3's- These are healthy fats that are great for your heart!
- Protein- helps build muscles, builds and  repairs tissues, makes your hair and nails prettier, fights off yucky diseases, and gives you energy
- Flax seeds have also been found to help clear breakouts

*Blueberries -Blueberries are packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin K, antioxidants, and Fiber. They also help with brain health and can improve your memory. Studies have also found that blueberries help fight high blood pressure.

*Almond Butter - Almond butter is heart healthy, lowers blood sugar, and has 7 grams of protein per 2 tbsp serving.

*Almond Milk - One cup of almond milk offers 50% daily value of the antioxidant Vitamin E - which helps your heart, 50% daily value of Vitamin B12, protein & calcium, and no cholesterol or saturated fat.

Dark ChocolateBlueberry Banana Almond Butter Smoothie

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate Protein Powder – I use the prepackaged InstantBreakfast

½ frozen banana

1/3 cup frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

2 tablespoons almond butter

1 cup almond milk

1 ice cube

sprinkles to top - optional but makes your morning a littlehappier : )

Directions:

Using a blender or magicbullet, ground your flax seed if it is not already pre-ground. Add theremaining ingredients and blend until smooth. 

Top with sprinkles : )

Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp

 I made this pasta for Valentines Day dinner. I basically just made it up using the ingredients I had on hand. There are a lot of steps in this process but, it is definitely worth it!

  

Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 ½ tablspoons smartbalance butter

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ tablespoon cornstarch

½ cup milk

1 ½ cup vegetable stock

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp white wine

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup tomatoes

3 cups fresh spinach, washed and dried

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Pasta of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275.

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Place in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in oven for 1 hour.

Peel the garlic cloves and process in the food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, chop finely. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 ½ tbsp butter over low heat. Add the garlic and stir for two minutes. Add the flour and stir for another two minutes.

Slowly add the milk and vegetable broth and whisk constantly for 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and turn the heat to medium high. Continue to whisk for 3 minutes.

Return heat to low and add the onion powder and salt & pepper to taste. Cover saucepan and stir occasionally for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente and drain.

Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Season with salt and peper. Heat the remaining butter in skillet. Cook the shrimp on medium low for 4 minutes on each side. Set aside.

Using a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons water and sauté the spinach on low until wilted.

Mix the lemon juice and white wine into the sauce. Increase heat to medium and stir until well heated. Add the pasta, spinach, and fresh basil.

Serve pasta and top with tomatoes, shrimp, and parmesan cheese.

Veggie Sliders

I love these little sliders!! They are full of flavor and have my favorite vegetable - Kale! I like the flavor so much I usually eat the bun on the side.

Veggie Sliders

Kale Pesto Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable stock

¾ cup water

2 cups kale

2 large carrots

¼ cup scallions

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ tablespoon cornstarch

1 egg + 1 egg white

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

½ tablespoon salt

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat over to 350.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Pour in the quinoa and toast for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add the vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil.

Once it boils, reduce heat to simmer and cover for 25-28 minutes. During this time check the quinoa to see if it is getting dry. If this is the case add 1/3 cup water.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel and chop the carrots. Wash, dry and chop the kale.

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. You may need to add more flour if your mixture seems to wet.

Spray a large cookie sheet. Form small patties and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn the patties over and bake for another 10 minutes.

These are great with slider buns and your favorite cheese or on top of a green salad.

Couscous with Creamy Kale Pesto and Walnuts

This is a good recipe if you have leftover Creamy Kale Pesto Sauce! I added chopped walnuts for some nice texture and topped with parmesan cheese for a nice cheesy salty kick. You could modify this by adding in cooked chicken or roasted veggies.

Couscous with Creamy Kale Pesto Sauce and Walnuts

Kale Pesto Ingredients:

4 cups kale

1 ½ tablspoons smartbalance butter

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ tablespoon cornstarch

¾ cup milk

5 tablespoons water, divided

1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pepper

2 cups cooked couscous

1 cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook couscous according to directions.

Peel the garlic cloves and process in the food processor. Set aside.

Rinse, dry, and chop or tear the kale off the stems. Pulse kale in food processor with 2 tablespoons water until it is completely pureed into a liquid.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and stir for two minutes. Add the flour and stir for another two minutes.

Slowly add the milk and 3 tablespoons water and whisk constantly for 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and turn the heat to medium high. Continue to whisk for 3 minutes.

Return heat to low and add the onion powder, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.  

Mix the couscous, sauce, and walnuts together. Serve and top with parmesan cheese.

Creamy Kale Pesto Sauce

This is seriously my favorite go to pasta sauce. The flavor and color is so vibrant! Every time I make it, I try it with different things. I make it a lot so this is an updated version of my previous post Creamy Kale Pesto. It goes great with any meats and veggies you have in your fridge on top of pasta. My class harvested our carrots so I had tons of fresh carrots at home. I peeled and steamed them to add to the pasta. The next night I had it with roasted cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pasta and parmesan cheese. It really goes great with anything! .

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Creamy Kale Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

4 cups kale

1 ½ tablspoons smartbalance butter

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ tablespoon cornstarch

¾ cup milk

5 tablespoons water, divided

1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pepper

Directions:

Peel the garlic cloves and process in the food processor. Set aside.

Rinse, dry, and chop or tear the kale off the stems. Pulse kale in food processor with 2 tablespoons water until it is completely pureed into a liquid.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and stir for two minutes. Add the flour and stir for another two minutes.

Slowly add the milk and 3 tablespoons water and whisk constantly for 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and turn the heat to medium high. Continue to whisk for 3 minutes.

Return heat to low and add the onion powder, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.  

This is great with pasta, meat, veggies, or sometimes we just eat it with a spoon from the fridge!

Kale Salad

This is seriously my new favorite food! I have had kale salad before but, never actually made it! I looked at tons of recipes and decided to make my own that would fit to my likings and what I had on hand. I liked this salad so much that I made it twice in one week!

Mike isn't into the artichoke hearts and tomatoes like I am so I made his some grilled chicken. 

 

 

Kale Salad

Ingredients:

4-5 cups washed and cut kale

½ honey roasted pecans

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 can artichoke hearts

¾ cup cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

grated parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

½ tbsp honey Dijon mustard

1 small or ½ large lemon, juiced

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

Rinse, dry, and finely chop or tear the kale, not including the stems. Place the kale in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the kale and massage the kale for about 1 minute. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you are working on prepping the rest of the ingredients. A good 20 minutes will give the kale a nice flavor and texture.

Meanwhile, drain the artichoke hearts and chop into bite size pieces. Rinse the tomatoes and cut into fourths. Then chop the pecans.

After 20 minutes, take the kale out of the fridge and mix in the pecans, cranberries, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and hemp seeds.

Serve and top with parmesan cheese.