Red Mango - Frozen Yogurt with Probiotics

Red Mango Frozen Yogurt

Flavors to try this Week:

Raspberry and Blueberry with Fresh Fruit!!

Spicy Linguine with Shrimp

Whole Wheat Linguine with Shrimp

serves 4-6

1/2 pound whole wheat linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (or to taste)
3 plum tomatoes (you can also use canned tomatoes)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley (dried parsley is fine if you don't have the fresh stuff)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 pound of large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the linguine according to package directions omitting the salt if desired.  Drain and keep warm

Pre-heat skillet and add oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant.  Add tomatoes, and cook stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the broth, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp of salt.  Bring to a boil.  Remove skillet from the heat.  Stir in the parsley and lemon zest.  Keep warm.

Meanwhile, season shrimp with a little salt and pepper. Spray shrimp with some nonstick olive oil spray or a tsp of olive oil and grill until opaque, about 1-2 minutes on each side.  No grill? You can stir fry the shrimp in a nonstick skillet. Add cooked shrimp to the sauce. 

Transfer the linguine to a serving bowl and spoon the shrimp mixture on top.

Enjoy!

Hummus

Hummus Dip

makes 2 cups

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved (15.5 ounce can)
1/3 cup tahini or sesame paste
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
8 dashes of Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons of kosher salt

Place the chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid, the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until coarsely pureed.  The hummus should be moist and thick; add more lemon juice or reserved chickpea liquid to thin, if necessary.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours for the flavors to blend.  Taste for seasonings.

Serve with fresh pita or pita chips. 

Yummy Chicken Kabobs

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive or canola oil (use only half of the oil if you are watching your fat intake.  Add some chicken broth to boost the marinade.)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced  
• 3/4 teaspoon McCormick dried poultry seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon Goya adobo 
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (added salt not necessary if you used Adobo.  Adobo has salt)

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, dried spices, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt if desired. Reserve half of marinade for basting; cover.

Cut chicken into 1-in. wide strips; weave on skewers with any vegetable that will hold up to grilling.  I made this recently with red bell pepper, green zucchini, and grape tomatoes.

Place in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. glass baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Drain, discarding marinade.

Place skewers on grill over medium-low coals. Grill, turning and basting with reserved marinade, for 12 minutes or until juices run clear.

If you don't have a grill, don't fret!  Target sells great indoor grills that fit on the stovetop.  You will get the grill marks you desire and the flavors of a summer cookout. 

Serve with your favorite sides! Happy eating.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash

serves 4 to 6

I love butternut squash in any form and this is an easy recipe.  You can cut the squash a day in advance and throw it into the oven before dinner. 

It's a simple winter dish that's great served with Herb-Roasted Chicken.

1 large (4 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and 1-inch-diced
3 tablespoons of good olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the squash on a sheet pan, add the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, and toss with your hands.  Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender, tossing once during cooking with a large metal spatula so the cubes brown evenly. Season to taste and serve hot.

Tapas: Crispy Potatoes with sauces for dipping

Crispy Potatoes with Aioli and Spicy Tomato Sauce
A classic Spanish Tapas, these golden fried potatoes are served with two perfect dipping sauces: a fiery tomato sauce and a garlicky aioli.Ingredients

Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
One 14-ounce can whole tomatoes with juices, chopped
Salt

Aioli
1 garlic clove, halved
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature (if you are afraid to add raw egg, you can
substitute with a full Tbsp of Mayonnaise, such as Hellman's)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt



Potatoes Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt

(Tip: If you want a no-fry alternative then sprinkle red potatoes with salt and olive oil and roast in a hot oven until the potatoes turn golden brown. Check periodically to see when its time to flip)Directions Make Ahead The tomato sauce and aioli can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.


MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE:
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the crushed red pepper and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their juices and boil until the sauce is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a serving bowl.

MAKE THE AIOLI:
Set a small bowl over a damp dishcloth to prevent it from sliding. In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste. Transfer the paste to the bowl. Add the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Gradually add half of the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until the aioli is very thick. Whisk in the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Add the remaining olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until thick. Season the aioli with salt and transfer to serving bowl.

PREPARE THE POTATOES:
Set a rack over a large rimmed baking sheet. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil. Add the potatoes and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until just softened, about 7 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and cook, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the rack to drain. Season the potatoes with salt.

Arrange the potatoes in the center of a platter. Place the sauces on either side and serve right away.

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Alternate sauce if you want to make Patatas Bravas (Spicy Potatoes)

In a saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft. Turn off the heat, and add the paprika, Tabasco sauce, and thyme, stirring well. Transfer to a bowl and add the ketchup and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Mix the potatoes with the sauce inmediately before serving to ensure that the potatoes retain their crispness. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Wine Pairing:
I suggest La Crema, Pinot Noir.  Its fruity and bright.  Another good choice is a bottle of Tempranillo.  　

Shrimp and Chorizo Tapas

Shrimp and Chorizo

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon, plus 1/4 cup Spanish olive oil
• 1 pound chorizo, sliced on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry (fino) sherry
• 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and saute the sliced chorizo until it begins to brown around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are caramelized around the edges and softened somewhat, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of the sherry and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sherry and 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and remainder of the salt and pepper; stir to combine and remove from the heat. Serve immediately, on small plates with any accumulated cooking juices spooned over the top.

Pass some nice, crusty bread around the table!

Shrimp and Grits

 Shrimp and Grits

4 cups water
½ cup cream
2 oz butter
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Dash of Cajun or Cayenne spice
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp (41/50 count)

1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Chopped tomato or canned, diced tomato
Chives, Scallions or Green onions for garnish

Bring water to a boil; add cream, butter, and seasoning.

Gradually whisk in corn grits whisking constantly. Simmer until done about 20 minutes until thickened. Add cheese, taste and add seasoning if needed.

Cook sausage in 1 tsp olive oil for 2 minutes.
Add shrimp and sautée (2 pounds) in  ¼ to ½ stick of butter and 2 tsps. olive oil. Season with a little Cajun spice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until done.

Spoon grits into shallow bowl and top with shrimp and sausage. Garnish with tomatoes and chive, scallion, or green onion.

The importance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The essential fatty acids are important to the human immune system and to the regulation of blood pressure.  Omega-3 fatty acids have shown to play a role in keeping cholesterol levels low, stabilizing arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), and reducing the incidence and severity of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.  The list of benefits go on and on. 

I just wanted to make a quick case today and give you some suggestions of what you can eat so you can get more Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.

Common Sources of Omega-3's:
Fish.  Atlantic Salmon and other cold water fatty fish (including both Atlantic and Pacific herring, sardines, Atlantic Halibut, bluefish, tuna, and Atlantic mackerel), and lake trout. 
Plant. Canola oil, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, almonds, and leafy green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. 

Uncommon Sources of Omega-3's:
Cheese.  Alpine cheeses from animals that free-graze on high alpine greens.
Meat.  Wild-grazing animal meats, such as venison and buffalo. 
Enhanced food.  Eggs and breads enriched with omega-3 fatty acids.

Healthier Chicken and Bean Burrito

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 2 cloves garlic; 1 smashed, 1 minced
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomato 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers, plus 2 tablespoons pickling liquid or 2 pinches of red pepper flakes
•  4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar or mexican-blend cheese
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Plain low-fat sour cream or salsa, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the rice and smashed garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the chicken over the rice mixture, cover and remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, make the bean salsa: Drain and rinse the beans, quarter the tomatoes and chop the cilantro and jalapenos. Toss with the pickling liquid and minced garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the chicken-rice mixture and spoon it down the center of each tortilla, then top with half of the bean salsa and sprinkle with the cheese. Fold in the sides and roll up. Slice in half and serve with avocado and the remaining bean salsa, if desired.