Caribbean Shrimp

Marinate time: 1 hr.
Prep time: 5 min.
Cook time: 3 min.

1 pound large or jumbo shrimp, cleaned, tails left on (frozen works fine)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juice1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh limes for garnish

Combine all ingredients, except limes - 'cause they are garnish!

Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Heat a dry skillet on medium-high.
When skillet is hot, lay shrimp in pan.
Cook shrimp 3 minutes per side, brushing them with marinade before turning.

Garnish with lime.

Serves 4

(The naughty monkey's recipe!)

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Chickpeas

The assertive flavors of broccoli rabe and rosemary are paired with sturdy chickpeas in this satisfying pasta dish. When buying broccoli rabe, check to make sure the bottoms of the stems are relatively tight, green and moist. If the broccoli rabe at your store is past its prime—or if you prefer a milder taste—use broccolini or regular broccoli instead. Garnish with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

2 servings, 2 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 ounces whole-wheat orecchiette, or chiocciole (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup vegetarian chicken-flavored broth, (see Note)
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1/8 teaspoon dried
• 1 8-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 
  

Preparation

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 6 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli rabe are just tender, about 3 minutes more. Drain. Rinse and dry the pot.
2. Whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the broth mixture. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Add chickpeas, vinegar, salt, pepper and the pasta mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through and coated with the sauce, about 2 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Note: Chicken-flavored broth, a vegetarian broth despite its name, is preferable to vegetable broth in some recipes for its hearty, rich flavor. Sometimes called “No-Chicken Broth,” it can be found with the soups in the natural-foods section of most supermarkets.

Nutrition

Per serving: 413 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 6 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 74 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 14 g fiber; 655 mg sodium; 448 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (240% daily value), Vitamin A (210% dv), Iron (25% dv), Calcium (20% dv).

3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 4 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Mexican Polenta Scramble

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 poblanos or 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 16-ounce tube prepared plain polenta, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, preferably sharp
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and just starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cumin and salt; cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes start to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Crumble polenta slices into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese, cilantro and lime juice. Serve the scramble topped with diced avocado and toasted pepitas.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Pepitas, olive-green-hulled pumpkin seeds, are commonly used in Mexican cooking and are a perfect snack when roasted and lightly salted. Find them in the bulk-foods section of natural-foods markets, Mexican grocers or at melissas.com. To toast pepitas: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 315 calories; 20 g fat (6 g sat, 8 g mono); 20 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein; 6 g fiber; 600 mg sodium; 645 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (220% daily value), Calcium (45% dv), Vitamin A (35% dv), Folate (20% dv), Potassium (18% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 high fat meat, 2 fat

Not Your Mama's Banana Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
• 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Maple Mustard Salmon

Maple Mustard Salmon

Salmon fillets for four
2/3 cup melted butter
1/2 tablespoon dried dill
1/2 cup Vermont maple syrup*
1/4 cup Dijon style mustard

Blend ingredients over low heat until melted together.
Grlll or broil salmon, basting and turning until flaky.

*Grade A works better in this recipe then Grade B.

Paella

Ingredients (serves 4)

250g chorizo sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
500g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 5cm (2in) pieces.
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red capsicum (pepper) finely diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 cups long grain white rice
400g can chopped Italian tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

This is what you do:

1. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage. Cook for 4 minutes, turning, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Cut into 1cm (1/4 inch) thick slices.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil and chicken to frying pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden. Add onion, garlic and capsicum (pepper). Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft.
3. Add turmeric, cumin, rice, tomatoes and stock to frying pan. Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice is tender.
4. Remove lid. Stir through peas and sausage. Cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve
   

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
2 Mango – peeled and chopped in small chunks
1 medium to large avocado – chopped in small chunks
1 ½ tbsp. cilantro
1 sm. can (4 oz.) chopped green chile
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped green onions
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 pinch of salt

Optional ingredients:
1-2 tbsp. tequila
½ – 1 tbsp. chopped jalapeno (less or more according to tastes)

Instructions:
Simply mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.

Refrigerate one hour before serving.