Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Jodee

By Jodee Weiland

An old favorite here in our home is Shrimp Creole. Shrimp Creole is a dish that I first made long before I ever had children years ago. The rich flavors of Shrimp Creole have always made it a favorite of mine. Those flavors are a blend of flavors from several countries, who all found themselves in the port of New Orleans. Some of those countries were Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The savory flavors of these countries and others long ago created the delicious food selections found in New Orleans, as well as whole new languages they used to communicate among themselves, pidgins and creoles. It was when I was studying these languages in a linguistics class during a master’s program, that I fell in love with New Orleans from a distance, and later when I visited, I was in love forever. All of this gave new meaning to my Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice.

Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice is a wonderful dish, which starts out with what some call the trinity: onions, celery, and garlic. Sauteed in olive oil, these three ingredients are only the beginning of this delicious dish. Add in the tomatoes, various seasonings, shrimp, and green peppers, you will create a dish do full of rich flavor, it will soon become a family favorite. It is definitely a family favorite for us, and we enjoyed it every time we have it.

Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice

1 medium onion chopped
3/4 cup celery chopped
2 fresh garlic cloves minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 – 15 ounce can organic diced tomatoes
1 – 15 ounce can all natural crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon or to taste sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder or more to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 shakes bottled hot sauce or more to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus one tablespoon water
1 pound large shrimp deveined with shell and tail removed
1 medium sweet pepper chopped
cooked rice for each serving

Cook the onion, celery, and garlic in heated olive oil. Cook over a low to medium heat until tender. Do not brown. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Blend this mixture together and simmer uncovered on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Once done, add the cornstarch plus one tablespoon water to the mixture. Stir together and then add the shrimp and green peppers. Bring to a low boil, cover, and simmer for five to ten minutes longer until cooked. Serve with rice.

My Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice is so delicious and will soon become a family favorite in your home. Serve this dish with a red wine and a crusty bread. The flavor is so wonderfully rich and will leave you pleasantly satisfied. Eating this Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice for dinner is like bringing a little bet of New Orleans into your home. Take your time and savor the flavors, and enjoy!

On the Go Bagel Sandwich with Egg Whites, Spinach, and Cheese

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Jodee

By Jodee Weiland

Lately, it seems we are always on the go early in the morning, so I decided to make a bagel sandwich that can be made ahead and reheated for about twenty to thirty seconds in the microwave. It was important to me that this bagel sandwich not only tasted good, but was healthy as well. Just because you are in a hurry, that doesn’t mean you can’t choose a healthy homemade bagel sandwich over a fast food version. My On the Go Bagel Sandwich with Egg Whites, Spinach, and Cheese is delicious, easy to do, and healthy!

Buying bakery fresh bagels are always my first choice. I like to know I’m getting bagels with all natural ingredients whenever I can. I also buy sliced low fat cheese for a recipe like this. Why add extra calories to your bagel sandwich unnecessarily? You always have the option of adding a round slice of Canadian bacon/ham if you would like, but I made mine without the ham for us. If you are watching your salt intake, ham is not really necessary to a good bagel sandwich. For the eggs, I always use egg whites and in this case, added fresh cut up spinach, fresh chives, and sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. You can add vegetables you choose, but I like spinach or kale.

On the Go Bagel Sandwich with Egg Whites, Spinach, and Cheese

2 honey wheat or multigrain bagels
2 slices low fat cheese of your choice (I used provolone)
2 slices round Canadian bacon/ham (optional)
6 egg whites
3/4 cup fresh leaf spinach cut up
1 teaspoon fresh chives cut up
1/4 teaspoon unsalted whipped butter
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Slice the two bagels and toast. Mix together in a bowl the egg whites, spinach, chives, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Spray or coat with olive oil two small microwaveable containers. I used some clear plastic 1.25 cup containers with lids that I have from Rubbermaid. These containers worked well because I could loosely cover them with the lids laid offset on the top. Divide the egg mixture into the two containers, cover loosely with a lid or saran wrap and place in the microwave.

Microwave for 50 seconds or for two eggs, stopping halfway through to slide a knife around the sides and add half the butter to the center of each lightly stirring in with the knife. Cover again and finish microwaving for the remainder of the first 50 seconds. Then microwave for 50 seconds or for two eggs again, still with a loose cover over the container.

Remove from the containers from the microwave and let sit for one minute or more. The eggs will finish cooking. In the meantime, put a slice of cheese on one half of each bagel. When ready and still hot, run the knife around the sides the egg container again, and with a spatula, remove each one carefully from the containers and place on the bagel half with the slice of cheese. This will melt the cheese. If using Canadian bacon/ham, add it now. Close the bagel sandwich by placing the other bagel half on top, and you are ready to eat or wrap in aluminum foil your bagel sandwich to go! You can make this the night before and refrigerate. Simply unwrap your sandwich in the morning, reheat it for 20 to 30 seconds, re-wrap in the foil, and go!

My On the Go Bagel Sandwich with Egg Whites, Spinach, and Cheese is a great way to eat a delicious and healthy bagel sandwich when you are in a hurry! If you’re driving alone, re-heat and eat your bagel sandwich when you arrive at work, so you can drive safely! Or eat before you leave for work. You will save time in the morning making your morning rush easier. If you are sharing the drive on a longer trip, take turns driving, so each of you can enjoy your bagel sandwich. However you do this, be safe, have a great breakfast, and enjoy!

Healthy Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Jodee

By Jodee Weiland

Zucchini spaghetti is a great way to stay healthy and have your “pasta”, too. I love the versatility of zucchini spaghetti and with a veggie spiralizer, it couldn’t be easier. There are several ways to make zucchini spaghetti, but since I bought my veggie spiralizer, I couldn’t imagine making this dish any other way. Since I had some fresh tomatoes to use, I decided to make Healthy Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce for dinner, and it was absolutely delicious and definitely healthy!

A while back, I found out that you can prepare the zucchini spaghetti with a julienne peeler, a mandoline with a julienne blade, or with a veggie spiralizer type product. I chose the veggie spiralizer type product for a number of reasons after reading reviews and checking prices. The one I chose was at a store that gives 20% discounts with their coupons, so the price was under $25 with tax. Also, the product I chose was made basically the same as a more expensive version at another store and both had similar reviews. Last of all, after looking into it, this product made preparing the zucchini so easy, it cut the time of preparation down tremendously.

For this dish, I began my preparation the same way I did when I made my Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes. I prepared my zucchini and set it aside to drain, while I prepared my tomato basil sauce using my fresh tomatoes from the garden. The recipe is similar to my marinara sauce with a few differences. In this sauce I use the addition of fresh tomatoes, and I eliminate the tomato paste and water, but for the most part, they are very similar. The main thing is my Healthy Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce is awesome, and you will definitely want to have it again.

Healthy Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce

For zucchini spaghetti:

3 medium zucchini cleaned and skin removed (skin may be left on if preferred)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove chopped
Sea salt

Prepare the zucchini first by peeling it and cutting it into long thin spaghetti like strands with a veggie spiralizer, a julienne peeler, or a mandoline with a julienne blade. Lightly salt the zucchini strands and put them into a colander for about thirty minutes or longer, placing the collander in a large bowl, so the moisture in the zucchini can drain off. Toss and squeeze lightly every once in a while until ready. You will use the olive oil and garlic when you lightly heat the zucchini later.

For the tomato basil sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 medium onion chopped or sliced
1 teaspoon basil or use 1 tablespoon fresh basil cut up
1/2 teaspoon dried or ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar (some people prefer to use 2 carrots finely shredded or chopped for sweetness)
1 cup pureed fresh tomatoes (puree in a blender or food processor)
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
Freshly grated imported Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Sauté onions, garlic, basil, and oregano in olive oil and stir together. Then add your fresh tomato puree and the can of crushed or puree tomatoes. Add in the sugar if you do not use carrots. If using carrots, sauté the carrots with the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Let the sauce begin to bubble and then cover the pot lowering the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes or longer, stirring every so often.

When the sauce is just about ready, drain and squeeze the zucchini spaghetti. Then put the zucchini in your serving bowl or dish, being sure to drain off any excess liquid. There may be some left, but this will not hurt the flavor of your dish. Last of all, add your sauce to your zucchini and when ready, toss lightly.

My Healthy Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce is so delicious, while definitely healthy! Serve this dish with freshly grated imported Parmesan Reggiano cheese for those who like it, a crusty loaf of bread, and a glass of red wine. Some people think this meal will not be filling, but they are wrong. Not only is it filling, but if you want some frozen yogurt for dessert, you won’t feel the least bit guilty about it. So try this wonderful dish, and enjoy!

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Category Archives: Main Dish

Fabulous Shrimp Creole with Rice

On the Go Bagel Sandwich with Egg Whites, Spinach, and Cheese

Healthy Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce