Garlic-Basil Shrimp

This super simple recipe has become one of my favorites (and Bryan's too I think).  Its from the "So Easy" cookbook by Ellie Krieger.  You really have to give this a try and best part, the original recipe almost 100% naturally gluten free.  The only substitution I have to make is instead of orzo pasta, I use either white or brown rice

Garlic-Basil Shrimp by Ellie Krieger

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 pounds shrimp (20-25 per pound), peeled and deveined (I used tail on frozen shrimp)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup finely chopped basil

salt and freshly grounded black pepper, to taste

3 cups of brown or white rice (original recipe calls for whole wheat orzo pasta)

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then add the shrimp and cook, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the wine and cook over high heat stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Return the shrimp to the pan and cook just until heated through.  Serve with rice (or orzo).

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

I'm going to give P.F Chang's a run for their money with this chicken. (ok maybe only in my mind). I love P.F.'s Spicy Chicken but this one I made tonight has got a good kick of heat to it.

Last week at the Farmer's market I found some Thai Chili's and have been trying to think of ideas of what to make with them. I plan to make some pad thai with tofu later this week. I wanted to create something by playing with the spice and contrasting it with sweet. And out came my Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

1 chicken breast - boneless, skinless

1/4 cup corn starch

4 tablespoon veggie oil

Sauce:

1/4 cup honey

3-4 Thai Chili peppers finely chopped (keep seeds in for even more heat...adjust the amount of peppers depending on your spice level)

3 tbl spoons of water

1 tbl veggie oil

Mix honey and chopped peppers, let sit over night. When you are ready to use it add three table spoons of water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix well.

Cut up chicken in bit size pieces. In a medium bowl add the corn starch and cut up chicken. Coat well and shake off any excess corn starch. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add half the chicken and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Place chicken on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with second half of chicken.

In the same skillet add the honey - chili mixture and bring to a boil for two-four minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Add chicken back to the pan and coat well. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Serve over white or brow rice. Its a bit sweet with a nice spicy finish.

Mongolian Beef (adapted from P.F. Chang's)

Mongolian Beef

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 tablespoon garlic, choped

1/2 cup Gluten Free soy sauce

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup...I used less with my non stick pans)

1lb flank steak

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 large green onions, sliced

~For the sauce: heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat (don't get oil too hot)

~Add ginger and garlic to the oil and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic and ginger start to brown.

~Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Remove from heat.

~Slice the steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices

~Dip the beef pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of the steak pieces.

~Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the corn starch sticks.

~As the beef sits, heat up the one cup (or less) of oil in a skillet.  Heat over medium heat until its nice and hot but not smoking.

~Add the beef to the pan and sauté for for two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need to cook the beef completely, because it will finish cooking when added to the sauce.

~After the beef is finished cooking use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and rest on paper towels, then pour the oil out of the skillet.

~Put the pan back over the heat, add the beef back into the pan and simmer for one minute

~Add the sauce and cook for another minute while stirring then add the green onions.  Cook for another minute then remove the beef and onions to a serving platter.  Leave excess sauce behind.

~Serve over white or brown rice.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

(adapted from Eating Smart w/ Ellie Krieger)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Two 14.5-ounce cans of Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chillies*

1/4 Cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely minced dill

1 1/4 pounds froze and thawed medium shrimp peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the tomato juices thicken.

Remove from the heat.  Stir in the parsley, dill and shrimp and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the feta over the top.  Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

Serve over rice.

*The original recipe calls for two 14.5-ounce cans of no-salt-added diced tomatoes.  For a spicy version use two Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes.  If you do not like a lot of heat use one can of the TJ's and one of the no-salt-added.

General Tso's Chicken (A bit lighter)

General Tso's Chicken

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine issue pg, page 34)

1/4 cup corn starch

1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons ginger (freshly grated or jarred)

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

2 large egg whites

salt and pepper

1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Brown Rice

~Cook rice according to package or rice cooker.

~In a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes; toss to combine and set aside.

~In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.

~In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Lift half the chicken from the egg-white mixture (shaking off excess) and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, set aside (reserve skillet)

~Add snow pea mixture to the skillet. Cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with brown rice.

Steak and Salsa

This is by far one of my favorite and easiest recipes. To me its definitely a comfort food. Sadly I didn't not come up with this one, but I try to make it my own.

Steak and Salsa

1 - 2 lbs of Steak

2 Garlic Cloves minced

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

4-5 Shakes of Gluten Free Soy Sauce

1 Medium size jar of Salsa (chunky salsa works great)

2 tbs White Sugar

*Olive Oil

White Rice

*If using a non-stick pan, there is no need to use oil

Cut steak into bite size pieces. Brown steak in a non-stick skillet. Add garlic. Pour salsa over steak. Add brown sugar, white sugar and soy sauce. bring to boil. After 5 minutes turn to low heat. Simmer about 45 minutes. Serve over white rice.

Sesame Orange Shrimp

Sesame Orange Shrimp

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's Every Day Food, #13 page 76)

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sesame seeds

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten free)

1 tablespoon sugar

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Steamed white rice

~In a large blow, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until frothy. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

~Heath 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.

~Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce and sugar; boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4-5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

~Serve over steamed white rice.