When I think of tacos, I float back to the days of 24 hour drive thru Mexican places where a taco is meat and cheese placed in a tortilla, deep fried, and finished with lettuce. Although really delicious and perfect for a late night or mid-afternoon bite, they aren't what I would consider an every day food. No matter how you slice it, that lettuce does not make up for the meat cheese deep fried factor.
If you are looking for something that will take you south of the border without actually breaking your financial or caloric budget, look no further. Here I have a taco that is similar to what you may find in a small beach-side town. This time of year, anything beach-side sounds good to me.
*Shrimp Tacos*
(serves 4)
Slaw
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1/4 red onion, sliced
2-3 Tbsp minced cilantro
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp light mayo
1/4 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
48 medium shrimp (about a pound), tail off
2 tsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano, ground in your fingers before adding
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 lime
12 corn tortillas
Make the slaw first. In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, vinegar, mayo, chile powder, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add cabbage and onion and toss to coat. Set aside.
Place the shrimp in a bowl. Add chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, garlic powder and olive oil and toss to coat. Set aside.
Heat a medium sized saute pan over medium high heat. Take a tupperware with a lid, moisten two paper towels. Ring them out until they are damp, not wet. Place one on teh bottom of the tupperware. Heat the tortillas in the pan, two at a time, about one minute on each side. When warmed, place them in the tupperware and cover with the second paper towel. Place the lid on teh tupperware and heat the rest of the ortillas, making sure to keep the lid on betwen batches and the paper towels in there (this will keep them pliable for taco making). Place it on the table.
In the same hot pan, add the shrimp. Toss until cooked, about 4-5 minutes. When done, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the shrimp.
You are ready for taco assembly! I like to put it all in bowls on the table and allow people to build their own. The nutriton info is for 4 shrimp and 1/8 cup slaw per taco, and a serving of 3 tacos per meal. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.
Nutrition Info: Calories 265; Total fat 5g (sat 1); Carbohydrate 38g; Protein 20g; Fiber 6g; Sugars 3g
Bonus!! Iron 16% DV
WW points: 5
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Grain Side!
Pasta. Rice. Potatoes. Pasta. Rice. Couscous? Pasta. Rice...
Does this sound like your usual starch rotation? If it does, I'm going to blow your mind...quinoa.
Yes, that magical, mystical grain! It tastes nutty, kind of like an earthy rice. Containing complete proteins (in case you worry about your vegan friends), it's as easy to cook as rice. Try it out plain or, if you are feeling adventurous, check this out...
*Not So Blah Quinoa*
(serves 4)
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 Tbsp minced dried mango (or dried apricots, cranberries, pineapple...use what you have)
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup water (or veg broth or chicken broth)
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
In a sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, mango and ginger. Saute until onion is translucent. Add salt, pepper and quinoa. Stir around to coat grains, about 7-10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or so.
Nutrition Info: Calories 158; Fat 4g; Carbohydrate 26g; Fiber 3g; Protein 5g; Sugars 0
WW Points: 3
Does this sound like your usual starch rotation? If it does, I'm going to blow your mind...quinoa.
Yes, that magical, mystical grain! It tastes nutty, kind of like an earthy rice. Containing complete proteins (in case you worry about your vegan friends), it's as easy to cook as rice. Try it out plain or, if you are feeling adventurous, check this out...
*Not So Blah Quinoa*
(serves 4)
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 Tbsp minced dried mango (or dried apricots, cranberries, pineapple...use what you have)
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup water (or veg broth or chicken broth)
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
In a sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, mango and ginger. Saute until onion is translucent. Add salt, pepper and quinoa. Stir around to coat grains, about 7-10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or so.
Nutrition Info: Calories 158; Fat 4g; Carbohydrate 26g; Fiber 3g; Protein 5g; Sugars 0
WW Points: 3
new words
Redeliculous (adj): A cross between rediculous and delicious. The potato-poblano hash was so redeliculous, I couldn't stop eating it even though I was full.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Let's BBQ inside!
Burgers rule the world. I'm sorry, but they do. In honor of American Heart Month and Go Red for Women (Wear Red Day is this Friday, 2/6, by the way), I changed a recipe I found to one lower in saturated fat and higher in fiber. Easily GF and a plain old spring mix dressed lightly is an awesome side.
*Burger PIZZAZ*
(serves 4)
1 lb ground turkey breast*
3 cups onions, sliced thin
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp smoked sweet paprika*
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced green olives
1tsp salt
black pepper
4 slices light cheese (swiss, mozzarella, jack... pepper jack oo la la)
3 Tbsp light mayo
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp lemon zest
4 whole wheat buns
Combine mayo, 3/4 tsp lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cover and cook til translucent stirring occasionally about 10 minutes. Heat the grill top or turn the broiler on to 450 degrees. When onions are done, take half and finely mince them.
Add turkey breast to a bowl and add minced onions, paprika, olives, 1/tsp salt, black pepper, 1/4 tsp lemon zest and garlic. Stir together with a fork, do not over mix them. Form into 4 even sized patties.
If using a grill top, oil it and add patties and cook, about 4 minutes each side. If using a broiler, cook patties on a foil covered pan for about 5 minutes each side. When they are about done, add one slice of cheese to each for melty, delicious purposes.
Toast the buns, put the mayo on the table and grab some tongs for those onions...its burger time.
*Ground turkey breast does not contain the skin, therefore reducing the saturated fat content. Ground turkey, however, does.
*Find smoked paprika at a spice store or use sweet paprika.
This recipe called for ground pork originally, which I think would be tasty. Beef would be good, too, but I can't think of a veg version...barley mushroom and egg? Well, if you really do want to up your Omega-3 intake here and make it interesting, you could use chopped fresh tuna to make these.
Nutrition Info: Calories 486: Fat 25g (sat 7g); Carbohydrate 33g; Protein 32g; Fiber 4g; Sugars 9g
Bonus!! Calcium 30% DV (go cheese!!)
WW Points: 9 (a lot, but a full meal)
*Burger PIZZAZ*
(serves 4)
1 lb ground turkey breast*
3 cups onions, sliced thin
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp smoked sweet paprika*
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced green olives
1tsp salt
black pepper
4 slices light cheese (swiss, mozzarella, jack... pepper jack oo la la)
3 Tbsp light mayo
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp lemon zest
4 whole wheat buns
Combine mayo, 3/4 tsp lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cover and cook til translucent stirring occasionally about 10 minutes. Heat the grill top or turn the broiler on to 450 degrees. When onions are done, take half and finely mince them.
Add turkey breast to a bowl and add minced onions, paprika, olives, 1/tsp salt, black pepper, 1/4 tsp lemon zest and garlic. Stir together with a fork, do not over mix them. Form into 4 even sized patties.
If using a grill top, oil it and add patties and cook, about 4 minutes each side. If using a broiler, cook patties on a foil covered pan for about 5 minutes each side. When they are about done, add one slice of cheese to each for melty, delicious purposes.
Toast the buns, put the mayo on the table and grab some tongs for those onions...its burger time.
*Ground turkey breast does not contain the skin, therefore reducing the saturated fat content. Ground turkey, however, does.
*Find smoked paprika at a spice store or use sweet paprika.
This recipe called for ground pork originally, which I think would be tasty. Beef would be good, too, but I can't think of a veg version...barley mushroom and egg? Well, if you really do want to up your Omega-3 intake here and make it interesting, you could use chopped fresh tuna to make these.
Nutrition Info: Calories 486: Fat 25g (sat 7g); Carbohydrate 33g; Protein 32g; Fiber 4g; Sugars 9g
Bonus!! Calcium 30% DV (go cheese!!)
WW Points: 9 (a lot, but a full meal)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Yellow Split Pea Curry
There are foods that taste better the second day: soups, dressings, marinades, salsa and currys. I was digging through my old recipe box today, looking for an answer to a couple of busy nights this week, and stumbled upon this wedged into the cookie section. It is something I make the day or two ahead of a night I am training or going to a meeting. It makes for a quick, but really yummy, dinner that only takes re-heating time. There's plenty of textures in this to keep it interesting for more than one meal. Serve with naan, rice or even slightly room temperature over salad greens and grape tomatoes. Gluten free.
*Split Pea and Veggie Curry*
(serves 6, about 1 cup each)
1 large russet or Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup yellow split peas (chana dal)
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup green bean pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
2 tsp canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed (or ground cumin)
4 karge garlic cloves, cut into think slivers
1-3 fresh chiles (jalapeno, serrano, Thai). stemmed, sliced crosswise thinly***
1 Tbl cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped cliantro
4 long slices of ginger sut into matchsticks
juice from 1 lime
Place potatoes in a large bowl and cover with water. Place the peas in a large saucepan. Fillt eh pan halfway with water and rinse the peas by rubbing them between your fingers (the water will become cloudy). Drain, repeat until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Drain the potatoes and add to the peas. Return to a boil, reduce to medium and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cauliflower, green beans, carrot, salt and turmeric. Return to a boil, cover, reduce to a gentile simmer and cook, stirring occasionally but not too much, until the vegetables are tender and the peas are soft but firm looking, about 7-10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, heat oil over medium high heat. Add cumin and cook until they sizzle and smell fragrant, about 15-20 seconds. Stir in garlic and chiles to taste and cook until the garlic is light brown and the chiles are fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir garlic-chile mixture into the cooked vegetables. Scoop a ladle of cooking water from teh saucepan to the skillet and pour the "washings" back int othe saucepan.
Whisk the cornstarch with 3 T of the cooking liquid in a bowl until smooth. Stir it into the stew with the cilantro and ginger. increase heat to medium high and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice.
Nutrition Info: Calories 135; Total Fat 2g ; Carbohydrate 25g; Protein 6g; Fiber 7g; Sugar 3g; BONUS! Vitamin C 31%DV; Vitamin A 38% DV
WW Points: 2
***The peas and vegetables tend to mellow out the chiles. However, if you feel that they are too much as they are you can either seed them before using or substitute 1/2 cup green bell pepper or Italian sweet pepper.
*Split Pea and Veggie Curry*
(serves 6, about 1 cup each)
1 large russet or Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup yellow split peas (chana dal)
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup green bean pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
2 tsp canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed (or ground cumin)
4 karge garlic cloves, cut into think slivers
1-3 fresh chiles (jalapeno, serrano, Thai). stemmed, sliced crosswise thinly***
1 Tbl cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped cliantro
4 long slices of ginger sut into matchsticks
juice from 1 lime
Place potatoes in a large bowl and cover with water. Place the peas in a large saucepan. Fillt eh pan halfway with water and rinse the peas by rubbing them between your fingers (the water will become cloudy). Drain, repeat until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Drain the potatoes and add to the peas. Return to a boil, reduce to medium and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cauliflower, green beans, carrot, salt and turmeric. Return to a boil, cover, reduce to a gentile simmer and cook, stirring occasionally but not too much, until the vegetables are tender and the peas are soft but firm looking, about 7-10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, heat oil over medium high heat. Add cumin and cook until they sizzle and smell fragrant, about 15-20 seconds. Stir in garlic and chiles to taste and cook until the garlic is light brown and the chiles are fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir garlic-chile mixture into the cooked vegetables. Scoop a ladle of cooking water from teh saucepan to the skillet and pour the "washings" back int othe saucepan.
Whisk the cornstarch with 3 T of the cooking liquid in a bowl until smooth. Stir it into the stew with the cilantro and ginger. increase heat to medium high and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice.
Nutrition Info: Calories 135; Total Fat 2g ; Carbohydrate 25g; Protein 6g; Fiber 7g; Sugar 3g; BONUS! Vitamin C 31%DV; Vitamin A 38% DV
WW Points: 2
***The peas and vegetables tend to mellow out the chiles. However, if you feel that they are too much as they are you can either seed them before using or substitute 1/2 cup green bell pepper or Italian sweet pepper.
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