Spicy Thai Noodles with Shrimp + Weekly Menu

March 3, 2013 by · 13 Comments

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Being back on the campus of the University of Illinois brings back so many memories. Without a doubt, college was the best 4 years of my life. At least so far. In college I met great friends, joined a sorority full of great women, played ice-hockey, pursued my dream of becoming a dietitian…and met Mr. Prevention.

A lot has changed about campus — there are skyscraper-like apartments now and the rec center got completely redone. They’re rebuilding the “cool” dorms (“The Sick Pack”). My favorite bar is out of business. Green Street (the main drag) has all sorts of new restaurants and businesses. A lot looks the same…but a lot looks different.

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We went to the Illinois vs. Nebraska game last night and it was a back-and-forth score with no one really pulling ahead by more than just a few points. It’s still surprising to me that I love basketball as much as I do — the sport never interested me much before dating Mr. Prevention. He was a huge fan and after years of season tickets, he had moved his way to floor seats around the time we started dating. A few times, I got to join him for the game.

Yesterday? We were the second row from the very, very top. Our seats were pretty horrific but it was still a blast to be in the building for senior day and the last Illini home game this season.

Oh, and they won. Did I mention that? :)

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After the game, we returned home to wear out the dogs and as I edited these pictures in preparation of this post, the group was debating where to go to dinner. The pictures stimulated my hunger as this meal was memorable…memorable indeed.

Almost as memorable as my 4 splendid years of college. Almost.

But really, this one is a must-make. Plus, it’s super simple and very easy to adapt to your liking!

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Spicy Thai Noodles with Shrimp adapted from A Small Snippet

14 oz whole wheat linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti
1 1/2 Tbsp* crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup toasted sesame oil
5 Tbsp honey
6 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

Directions:

Heat 4+ quarts of water in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-14 minutes. Drain and keep hot.

Meanwhile, combine the crushed red pepper and oil in a small sauce pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. With a colander, strain out the crushed red pepper, reserving the oil. To the oil, add the honey and soy sauce; whisk to combine. Add raw shrimp to sauce while pasta finished cooking.

In the pot used to cook the pasta, pour in the shrimp and sauce. Over medium-high heat, cook the shrimp until pink and curled, about 5 minutes. Add the hot pasta and using tongs, cook the pasta and shrimp for an additional 2-3 minutes to absorb the sauce. Remove from heat and top noodles with green onion, cilantro, and peanuts. Serve hot.

*use more or less crushed red pepper depending on your heat preference.

Yield: 7 servings (about 1 1/3 cups each)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 494 calories; 17.3 g. fat; 129 mg. cholesterol; 720 mg. sodium; 54.0 g. carbohydrate; 4.9 g. fiber; 32.0 g. protein; 14.9 g. sugar

Result: We adored this meal…a sure favorite to make again! I love how simple the ingredients are and how quick the meal comes together. The original recipe called for more oil, more honey, and no protein. The shrimp were the perfect addition to make this a balanced meal. Adjust the heat to your liking — 1 1/2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper gave this some heat, but not too much at all since it is only used to flavor the oil and the honey cuts the spice even more. Make this – you’ll love it!

 Weekly Menu: March 3 – March 7th

Another week almost here…better enjoy today ;)

Be well,

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Filed Under: 500 calories or less, fiber, guilt-free, quick meals, recipe, reduced-calorie, Uncategorized ·

Soy Citrus Scallops with Udon Noodles and Snow Peas

November 30, 2012 by · 12 Comments

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It has been a really long time since I’ve had a terrible, no good day.

I should go knock on some wood.

But, yesterday was a terribly, no good day.

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I had blocked out my schedule to attend a diabetes conference in Kalamazoo and I was excited for a day away from the hospital and a day devoted to learning about diabetes –a topic I’m very passionate about.

I was actually NOT running late, but my GPS was having trouble finding the location. When it said I had arrived, there was definitely not a hospital campus in sight. I was sitting at a red light and leaned over to the passenger side floor to pick-up the printed page that contained the address of the conference. During my lean to retrieve the paper, my foot came off the brake and the car started rolling forward. I slammed on the brake, but unfortunately, my foot landed on the accelerator instead.

I went speeding ahead…straight into the Jeep in front of me.

Seriously? Seriously.

The young guy driving the Jeep pulled over and in my haze of stupidity for my careless action, I was totally shaken up, literally. “Are you okay?”….Are you sure you’re okay?” he kept asking as I was jotting down my insurance information.

A diabetes conference later and a quick visit to a body shop for a quite, I’m looking at $2-3k for my carelessness. UGGGGGGGGGGGH.

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After my workout, Mr. Prevention suggested going out for dinner. And I happily obliged. Even though I had a very simple dinner planned, I jumped on the ease of dinner being made for me. I don’t think I could’ve handled a dinner as simple as this last night and that’s saying something because it doesn’t get much easier than this.

I’ve been anxious to post this recipe for over a week now — we were both wow-ed by this one. Simple, fresh, and delicious!

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Soy Citrus Scallops with Udon Noodles and Snow Peas slightly adapted from Cooking Light

6 oz dry Udon noodles (or pasta of choice, such as soba)
3 cups snow pea
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil, divided
3/4 lb sea scallops
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook 6-7 minutes. Add the snow peas for the final 2-3 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, combine first 6 ingredients and 1 teaspoon oil in a shallow baking dish; add scallops to dish in a single layer. Marinate 4 minutes on each side.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove scallops from dish, reserving marinade. Add scallops to pan; sauté 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm by covering with foil.

Place remaining marinade in pan; bring to a boil. Return scallops to pan; cook 1 minute. Add noodles and snow peas to pan and toss to coat. Top each serving with about 3-4 scallops, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon sauce.

Yield: 3 servings

Nutrition Information (per serving): 476 calories; 18.7 g. fat; 80 mg. cholesterol; 810 mg. sodium; 57.3 g. carbohydrate; 3.3 g. fiber; 46.3 g. protein

Result: This was a very fast meal and while I had high hopes that we would enjoy this meal, we actually LOVED this meal. This was a generous portion with everything to make for a balanced meal in one simple recipes. You can sub in any protein or veggie(s) of your choice, and any pasta would work! Enjoy!

TGIF! We actually have a busy weekend planned….luckily, all fun stuff! :-D Happy weekend!

Be well,

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Filed Under: 500 calories or less, fruits and vegetables, guilt-free, kid-friendly, quick meals, recipe ·

Kung Pao Tacos

September 23, 2012 by · 23 Comments

The other day at work, one of the maintenance workers came in wanting to borrow a full sheet pan. Of course I was happy to lend out a pan, but of course my curiosity got the best of me and I had to find out why he was in need of a huge sheet pan.

He said that he was taking off the next day to prep for his anniversary. He had purchased a beef tenderloin that was marinading in red wine and rosemary and he had no clue what he was doing. He was asking for wine recommendations and shared that he was serving parsnips and potatoes with his beef tenderloin — recommendations from his foodie boss. (Mmmm!)

As a woman, my heart melted for him. What a sweet plan for his wife and their anniversary. So well-planned. So thought out. Even if the meat was raw and disgusting, it’s the thought that matters. Why do I have the hunch that Mr. Prevention would never attempt such a feat? A successful anniversary is one that he actually REMEMBERS.

I’m anxious to hear how his meal turned out when I see him this week.

While his most recent culinary attempt was a challenge, mine was not.

If I’m being honest, none of my cooking magazines have wow-ed me lately. I rip out less recipes to try each month and even after thumbing through several magazines, I am left with nothing new and different to try.

But Cooking Light pulled through for me this month. This recipes caught my attention immediately and I must say, it’s one phenomenal recipe that I adapted very slightly. This meal was ready in 30 minutes or less and it really wow-ed me. Mr. Prevention, too.

It’s no beef tenderloin, but this recipe definitely delivered the wow-factor.

Kung Pao Tacos slightly adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken beasts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup +1 1/2 tsp cornstarch, divided
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 stalks celery, diagonally cut
3 Tbsp dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sambal oelek (chile paste)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Directions:

Place diced chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to bag; seal and toss. Add 1/4 cup cornstarch  to the ziplock and shale well to coat chicken pieces.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add  chicken; sauté for 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. With 1-2 minutes left to cook, add celery and peanuts.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, and next 3 ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Microwave on high for 1- 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick. Add to skillet and toll with chicken to coat.

Divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas (2 1/2 ounces per taco). Top each taco with green onions and bell pepper strips.

Yield: 4 servings (2 tacos each)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 492 calories; 18 g. fat; 69 mg. cholesterol; 645 mg. sodium; 46 g. carbohydrate; 4.3 g. fiber; 39.3 g. protein

Result: DELICIOUS! I think this has been my favorite new recipe in quite some time. It was simple, flavorful, and healthy. I’m a sucker for tacos, but this was something new for sure. Enjoy!

I ran 6 miles yesterday! I flipped on the Shawshank Redemption — one of my favorite movies and I just kept putting one foot in front of the other. I have hockey pracrice tonight and a game tomorrow!

Be well,

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Filed Under: 500 calories or less, carb-controlled, fruits and vegetables, kid-friendly, one-pot meal, quick meals, recipe, Uncategorized ·