Wheatless Wednesday – Chili Prawn Linguine with Wilted Greens

by joycevandenbergporterDecember 30, 2015

Shrimp is America’s number one seafood, beating out salmon, crab, clams, tilapia and even canned tuna. I can take or leave shrimp but my family really loves it so I do prepare it occasionally. Even I really liked this savory Chili Prawn Pasta with Wilted Greens. This is an elegant and tasty dish worthy of company or a special dinner, but it’s deceptively easy and fast. If you buy pre-shelled shrimp, the prep time is very short and dinner can be ready in the time it takes to boil the pasta. Now that is what I call fast food!

Pasta is often thought of as empty carbs but that is not completely true. In processing traditional pasta the bran layer and oil-rich germ is removed which gives an indefinite shelf life, a quick cooking time, a familiar texture and a mild, versatile flavor. Depending on the type, however, 50 to 90 percent of a grain’s nutrients and phytonutrients are removed during processing. To address this substantial loss of nutrients, the United States government requires refined flour to be enriched with specific vitamins and minerals, including iron and the B vitamins folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin, so it may not be as bad as you think. Whole-grain pasta is an excellent source of B vitamins and iron, which occur naturally and provides significantly higher levels of essential trace minerals and fiber. The most common whole-grain pastas are made from whole wheat or buckwheat, but there are many new combinations available now made with brown rice, quinoa, spelt, farro and kamut which are good gluten free options. I tried a new multi-grain pasta for this dish, made with red quinoa and amaranth. I liked the flavor but be warned that some whole grain pastas can get sticky if overcooked. I always save a cup of pasta water before draining and then adding some of it back to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Some whole grain pasta, this one included, don’t increase in volume when cooked so I had to double the quantity of dry pasta.

So how does the nutrition of traditional pasta made with refined flour stack up with whole grain pasta? A 1-cup serving of plain, cooked enriched spaghetti provides 221 calories, 8.1 grams of protein, 1.3 grams of fat and 43.2 grams of carbohydrates, of which 2.5 grams are fiber, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. By comparison, 1 cup of cooked whole-wheat spaghetti has 174 calories, about 7.5 grams of protein, less than 1 gram of fat and 37.2 grams of carbohydrates, of which 6.3 grams are fiber — an amount equivalent to 25 percent of the daily value for fiber. ( HealthyEating.SFGate) Surprisingly, refined pasta is not a bad choice (thanks to the US government), so I no longer feel guilty when digging into a big plate of pasta in a restaurant. When I cook at home, though, I prefer to use whole grains.

NOTES ON SHRIMP AND PRAWNS: When buying shrimp, look for wild vs farmed shrimp, if possible, and pay attention to where they are from. According to Seafood Watch, wild-caught shrimp is generally a “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative” with the exception of shrimp fisheries in Mexico and Thailand, which are on the “Avoid” list for poor management. Most “Best Choice” shrimp is caught in Alaska, but there are other great farmed and wild options. Buy these first, then look for a “Good Alternative” like U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp. Only buy imported shrimp if you’re sure it’s from a “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative” source. Heads up: You’re good to go if the shrimp is caught in a way that reduces harm to sea turtles. Also, over 90% of our shrimp is imported. Farmed shrimp from the U.S. is also a good option. However, 90% of our shrimp is imported farmed shrimp, mostly from Asia, and is generally on the “Avoid” list due to questionable practices including overcrowding, chemicals, poor quality of food and even abusive labor conditions. So even though they are likely to be more expensive than farmed, wild-caught shrimp are also better for you. Go to Seafood Watch for a current listing of shrimp fishing practices around the world.

TIPS: The shelling process is not difficult but does take a bit of effort. You can shorten the prep time by about 10 minutes by purchasing prawns that have already been shelled and deveined. Just make sure the tails have been left on for best presentation. Don’t skip the step of drying the prawns or your shrimp won’t sear properly and might curl into tight little balls when you cook them instead of keeping their gorgeous traditional shape.

CHILI PRAWN LINGUINE WITH WILTED GREENS

2 lbs raw prawns
8 oz linguine or spaghetti (wheat or gluten-free if desired)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp Creole Seasoning (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 fresh red chillies, sliced thinly (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
3 cups fresh greens (spinach, kale, arugula, etc)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsn fresh mixed herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme or basil), chopped (optional)

Shell and devein prawns, leaving tails intact. There are two veins that should be removed; a white one that you remove along with the legs and a black one (usually) along the back that can be removed with a sharp knife. The black vein (poopy vein) especially gets gritty when cooked.

Dry prawns on a layer of papertowels.

Cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling water, according to instructions, until just tender. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water then drain pasta and return it to the pan. Add a bit of pasta water if pasta seems dry or sticky. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in large frying pan. Cook prawns, without crowding, just until they just change colour.

Turn to cook the other side and remove from pan and loosely cover. I love Tony’s Creole Seasoning with prawns, so I sprinkle a pinch on them while cooking but this is not necessary if you don’t have it.

Heat remaining oil in same frying pan. Cook garlic and chilli, stirring, until fragrant.

Stir in greens and saute until slightly wilted. Taste and add salt and more red pepper, if desired.

Put prawns, reserved cooking liquid and greens mixture in with pasta. Toss to combine, top with fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Chile Prawn Linguine with Wilted Greens

Servings: 2-4
Time: 25 minutes or less
Difficulty: easy
Print

20151224_194857

2 lbs raw prawns
8 oz linguine or spaghetti (wheat or gluten free if desired)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp Creole Seasoning (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 fresh red chillies, sliced thinly (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
3 cups fresh greens (spinach, kale, arugula, etc)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsn fresh mixed herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme or basil), chopped (optional)

Shell and devein prawns, leaving tails intact. Make sure to remove the vein along the back as well with a sharp knife.
Dry prawns on a layer of papertowels.
Cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling water, according to instructions, until just tender. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water then drain pasta and return it to the pan. Add a bit of pasta water if pasta seems dry or sticky.
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in large frying pan. Cook prawns, without crowding, just until they just change colour. Turn to cook the other side and remove from pan and loosely cover. I love Tony’s Creole Seasoning with prawns, so I sprinkle a pinch on them while cooking but this is not necessary if you don’t have it.
Heat remaining oil in same frying pan. Cook garlic and chilli, stirring, until fragrant.
Stir in greens and saute until slightly wilted. Taste and add salt and more red pepper, if desired.
Put prawns, reserved cooking liquid and greens mixture in with pasta. Toss to combine, top with fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Coconut Curry Fish with Red Ginger Rice

by joycevandenbergporterApril 2, 2015

Seafood is good for us, or is it? Those that have been following Goodmotherdiet know that I care about our food and where it comes from, both from an agricultural and an animal standpoint. I am not alone in thinking this is important for our health and the health of our planet which we share with all animals. So, I am excited to announce that I have recently partnered with The Sustainable Seafood Blog Project, whose goal is to bring food bloggers together in a conversation about sustainability, and to provide resources for sustainable seafood to bloggers and readers alike. Here is what the Sustainable Seafood Blog Project has to say about seafood:

It can be daunting to wade through all of the information out there about what we should be eating. Between fad diets, sale prices, ambiguous terms like “natural” or “safe”, and convoluted ingredient labels, “good” and “bad” food have fallen into an ever-expanding grey area. When it comes to seafood, it can be even more difficult to discern what the “right” purchases are. Many times, the public is unaware of the plight facing our world’s oceans.

Some of our seafood is unsafe to eat due to farming practices and/or polluted water and other species are at risk of extinction due to overfishing. Luckily, we don’t have to research everything ourselves, as others have already taken on that challenge. Seafood Watch has also partnered with this project to provide more information on the sustainability of our seafood. I have long relied on Seafood Watch for guidance while in the grocery store on which fish or shrimp is “Best Choice”, “Good Alternative” or “Avoid”. It’s easy – just click on the website and type in the name of the seafood you are contemplating and you will get an instant, informed response. Here is their recommendation from March,2014, but check the site as a few things may have changed since then.

Photo Credit: Seafood Watch

For my techie friends, here are the apps for easy access:

Monterey Bay Seafood Watch App for iPhone

Monterey Bay Seafood Watch App for Android

Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Online Buyer’s Guide

So join the conversation! Check out the The Sustainable Seafood Blog Project for more information. Click on their Shopping and Dining Guide for a state by state listing of good seafood sources. For more delicious sustainable seafood recipes, check out the other bloggers who are also new partners with the Sustainable Seafood Blog:

Manhattan Food Project

WhitBit’s Indian Kitchen

So the way I see it, we can still enjoy seafood as long as we make good, informed purchases. As your Mother used to tell you, “Make good choices.” How does Coconut Curry Fish with Red Ginger Rice sound? I love coconut curry with almost anything but I have never made it for fish. I created this curry with red curry paste which is warm and mildly spicy rather than green, which is very spicy and I thought it might overpower a delicate fish. I used Pacific Cod (live-caught in the U.S.) which is considered ‘Best Choice’ by Seafood Watch. Cod is a light, white fish that is adaptable to many recipes, however other good choices might be halibut, rockfish and salmon. This red curry sauce is so tasty you will want to serve the fish on something to soak it up. I really like it with red or black rice, both of which are dense and chewy but brown rice would be another good choice. The red bell pepper and snow peas add color and interest. Other veggies to consider would be zucchini, carrots or green bell pepper. I love a color contrast.

TIPS: I like really spicy food so I added red pepper flakes. For a milder dish, leave them out and use less curry powder, or turn them both up for even more heat. In making ginger rice, I add a one inch piece of fresh peeled ginger to the water as it’s cooking and then remove it before serving. This is an optional step but it adds a nice gingery flavor to the rice without too much extra work.

COCONUT CURRY FISH WITH RED GINGER RICE

2 lbs fresh boneless, skinless, mild fish (halibut, cod, rockfish or salmon)
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsn fish sauce (optional)
2 tsp ginger paste (or fresh ginger, finely minced)
2 Tbsn red curry paste
1-2 tsp curry powder (preferably Madras)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsn fresh lime juice
1 cup red, black or brown long grained rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1″ piece fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ginger paste)

Optional Veggies: 1 red bell pepper and 20 sugar snap or snow peas

Cook rice according to instructions using vegetable broth instead of water for added flavor. Throw in a piece of peeled ginger but remove before serving

Rinse and dry fish and place it in a baking dish in a single layer

Combine coconut milk, fish sauce, curry powder and paste, garlic, red pepper flakes and lime juice in a small bowl.

Pour coconut curry sauce over fish and lift each piece to allow sauce to cover the underside. Bake fish at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes.

While fish is cooking, slice red bell pepper and sugar snap peas into thick julienne and saute in olive oil, with salt and pepper and a minced clove of garlic on medium heat 4 or 5 minutes or until softened but still al dente and brightly colored. Remove from heat.

Spoon sauce over the fish and broil for another 5 minutes. Fish should be opaque in the center and the sections beginning to pull apart.

To serve, place fish on a bed of rice, spoon sauce over the top and dress with veggies.

Coconut Curry Fish with Red Ginger Rice

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

Optional Veggies: 1 red bell pepper and 20 sugar snap or snow peas

Rinse and dry fish and place it in a baking dish in a single layer
Combine coconut milk, fish sauce, curry powder and paste, garlic, red pepper flakes and lime juice in a small bowl.
Pour coconut curry sauce over fish and lift each piece to allow sauce to cover the underside.
Cook rice according to instructions using vegetable broth instead of water for added flavor. Throw in a piece of peeled garlic but remove before serving.
Bake fish at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes.
While fish is cooking, slice red bell pepper and sugar snap peas into a thick julienne and saute in olive oil, with salt and pepper and a minced clove of garlic on medium heat 4 or 5 minutes or until softened but still al dente and brightly colored. Remove from heat.
Spoon sauce over the fish and broil for another 5 minutes. Fish should be opaque in the center and the sections beginning to pull apart.
To serve, place fish on a bed of rice, spoon sauce over the top and dress with veggies.

Wheatless Wednesday – Maple Bourbon Glazed Salmon

by joycevandenbergporterDecember 31, 2014

Have you made your New Year’s Resolutions yet? Some years I don’t bother because, well I don’t want to disappoint myself – again. This year, however, I am not aiming so high. I’m not promising to exercise more, lose weight, drink less, eat more fruit, spend less, volunteer more, enjoy life more and get organized; all on lists of Top 10 Resolutions. I’m not saying I won’t pursue any of those very worthy goals (there’s a reason they’re on the top ten) but I have to go where my heart is – goodmotherdiet. So without further ado, here are my Top Five Food Related (of course) Resolutions for 2015

GOODMOTHERDIET TOP FIVE RESOLUTIONS FOR 2015

5 – Continue my search for the world’s best (and healthiest) pizza, although the quinoa pizza crust will be hard to beat.

4 – Pursue my love affair with exotic spices like turmeric and za’atar. That could mean jumping onto the Ottelenghi bandwagon and trying more recipes from ‘Jerusalem’ and his newest cookbook, ‘Plenty More’.

3 – Increase my support for local growers and producers. If we support the people doing it the ‘right way’, more will follow. (i.e. Buy organic local products when possible. Choose pasture raised not factory farmed.)

2 -Try something new. 2014 was the year of using new grains like quinoa, barley and farro. 2015’s something new will be experimenting with more meat free options. I have always been suspect of foods that ‘pretend’ to be other foods but I will just have to get over that. There are reportedly some really good animal product free options out there now and I’m ready to explore. Chia seeds and almond milk, here I come! Readers, please tell me your favorite products!

1 – Promote Meatless Monday as an easy way to make a difference.

So, now that our resolutions are out of the way, what’s for dinner? This Maple Bourbon Glazed Salmon is an easy but delicious and super quick ten to fifteen minute meal. The maple bourbon glaze is surprisingly delicate and makes this an elegant meal sure to please your guests. It’s a perfect combination of sweet and salt. The citrus and bourbon give it a tangy sweetness and the pepper adds the proper savory balance. When broiled properly, salmon has a ‘melt in your mouth’ consistency. Delicious!

According to Seafood Watch, The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s program which helps consumers and businesses choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that protect sea life and habitats, lists wild caught salmon to be a Best Choice option but some Farm Raised salmon is considered a Best Choice or Good Alternative depending on the methods and practices used. It’s a great site for consumers to use in deciding what types of seafood to buy at the market. Just click on Seafood Watch and type in the name of the seafood you are interested in for great up to date information. It’s handy dandy! You can look up those shrimp while waiting in line at the market.

Here’s an idea! While you have the ingredients out, pour yourself a ‘Maple Leaf Cocktail’. (Just 2 oz Bourbon, 3/4 oz Maple Syrup, 3/4 oz Lemon Juice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass filled with crush ice ). Compliments of Drink Dogma.

TIPS: I like to buy a nice side of salmon and slice it into individual portions before cooking. It makes a nicer presentation and is easier to serve. If I am serving a crowd, I make one inch slices, especially if there are several other dishes available. For a family dinner, I pre-slice into larger portions, or the sizes I think people will eat. For this method I prefer skinless salmon so the marinade has more contact with the fish, however, the skin does help keep it moist and you can still precut the slices without having to cut through the skin. The fish will slide right off the skin in perfect slices after being cooked.

Wishing you a happy and delicious new year!-J

Maple-Bourbon Glazed Salmon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 whole side skinless salmon fillet or 4-6 individual 4 oz filets

Ground black pepper

salt to taste

Slice salmon into one or two inch slices and place in an oiled baking dish.

Combine maple syrup, orange juice, bourbon, soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper in a small dish. Taste and add salt if necessary’

Pour over fish making sure to coat all pieces and the insides of each cut. Let sit for a few minutes while you preheat the broiler.

Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for about 3-4 minutes. Check salmon, brush with glaze and broil another 3-4 minutes. It should be golden brown and flake easily with a fork.

Maple Bourbon Glazed Salmon

Servings: 4-6
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 whole side skinless salmon fillet or 4-6 individual 4 oz filets

Ground black pepper

salt to taste

Slice salmon into one or two inch slices and place in an oiled baking dish.
Combine maple syrup, orange juice, bourbon, soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper in a small dish. Taste and add salt if necessary’
Pour over fish making sure to coat all pieces and the insides of each cut. Let sit for a few minutes while you preheat the broiler.
Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for about 3-4 minutes. Check salmon, brush with glaze and broil another 3-4 minutes. It should be golden brown and flake easily with a fork.

Photo Credits

Happy new year 2015: happyanniversarytext.com

Spices: iappfind.com

Chia Heart: intentblog.com