Shrimp and Feta and Tomatoes...OH MY!

Shrimp, Feta and Tomato Bake
#GlutenFree

This dish is full flavor! I personally love roasted tomatoes and garlic, which this dish has plenty of.  It easy enough to make on a weeknight after work or is good enough to have when you have company over for dinner.  The main part of this dish is gluten free, but creates a beautiful sauce that goes wonderfully with a crusty bread or even served over pasta.  If you want to keep it gluten free you can always serve over polenta or on its own.



Ingredients:

• 3-4 cloves garlic diced
• 4 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 1/2-2lbs raw shrimp shelled and deveined
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved or 4-5 large tomatoes quartered 
• Salt and pepper to taste  
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup feta
• chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
2. In a 13x 9 inch glass or ceramic dish stir together garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper and olive oil
3. Roast for 20 mins
4. Add shrimp, feta, and lemon and return to oven to bake for additional 5-7 mins until shrimp are fully cooked
5. If desired sprinkle with Parsley before serving

Why it's good for you:

• Shrimp: concentrated source of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient called astaxanthin.  Also contains antioxidant mineral selenium, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.    
• Garlic: has antibacterial and antiviral properties, may be helpful in treating fungal infections, has blood thinning properties, reduces blood pressure and cholesterol, helps reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics and helps with iron absorption.  It has been found to help combat respiratory issues and allergies.     
• Tomatoes: Contain a large amount of vitamin C and A.  They also contain small amount of iron and calcium.  Tomatoes contain lycopene, which has been found to be a powerful antioxidant.

Mexican Tofu

Mexican Tofu
 #Vegetarian, #GlutenFree

Kind of sounds like and oxymoron...Mexican Tofu???  Not something you might typically think would go together. Sweet and Sour tofu or Mexican nachos sure, but Mexican tofu...come on!  I think most of the dishes I make with tofu have an Asian flavor to them, but not this one... and it is delicious.
A little while back I came up with a rule for myself....try to use at least one local ingredient in each meal that I cook. As much as I would love to eat completely local (if you ever want to be inspired by someone who did check out the book Animal, Vegetable, Miricale, by Barbra Kingslover), I am not going to kid myself into thinking that is something I can pull off day in and day out.  However, I can try and get a least one ingredient...milk in my oatmeal for breakfast, carrots in my salad for lunch, or a clove of garlic in my recipe for dinner.  I find it helps me to eat "in season" and get a bit more creative with my cooking.  The amount of local ingredient changes as the seasons do, but even in the winter months it is still doable to find just one ingredient.
In this dish the local ingredient I love to use is Primo and Mary's Black Bean and Corn Salsa.  It is Locally made here in Central New York and adds a great flavor to this dish.  I have also used local corn that I have frozen from the summer or depending on the season, fresh local spinach.  So go ahead and challenge yourself and see if you can do it...just one local ingredient.  Try it for a week for one meal a day and I think you will be surprised at how easy it is.

Ingredients:

• 1  14oz package of extra firm tofu
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 5-6 mushrooms sliced
• 1-2 cups fresh spinach chopped
• 1 cup beans ( I have use black bean, pinto beans, chix peas...whatever you have on hand)
• 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2-1 cup salsa
• Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
• Tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain, rinse and pat dry tofu.  Slice block in small 1/2-1 inch squares.  
2. Heat oil in saute pan and  cook on each side for 4-5 mins or until brown
3. Add mushrooms and cook for another 5-7 mins
4. Add spinach, beans, and corn.  Cook stirring occasionally for another 5 mins or until vegetables are cooked. 
5. Stir in salsa and cook unit heated through
6. Serve with tortilla chips and topped with shredded cheese if desired 

Why it's good for you

• Tofu and beans-great source of plant protein
• Mushrooms- there has been research to show that mushrooms have anti-inflammatory and antioxident benefits as well as support the immune system.  Also contain over 15 vitamins and minerals 
• Spinach: Contains 23 vitamins and minerals.  Is one of the highest foods in vitamin K (blood clotting, bone health) and vitamin A (anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory) .  However raw spinach contains a compound call oxalic acid, which blocks the absorption of calcium and iron.  One way to solve this problem is to pair it with foods high in vitamin C.
• Primo and Mary's black bean and corn salsa- Locally produced and contains non-GMO corn, black beans, tomatoes, with no added sugar and is gluten free!  

      

Party Pleaser Ziti

Party Pleaser Ziti 

Over the past five years my husband and I have had seven family parties to celebrate the birthday's of our two boys.  It is the same people (family) that we have to every party and I always feel pressure to come up with food that:
1.  Is something everyone will enjoy
2.  Is easy to cook (maybe this should be number 1)
3.  Homemade and not processed ( However, I will fully admit to ordering pizza for one party because I just couldn't get it together!)
4.  Something I didn't make the last time!

In March our youngest turned 3 and I was racking my brain for something and thought of Ziti. I started looking online for a little inspiration and found a few recipes that didn't use ricotta, but instead used other cheeses such as provolone or sour cream! I put together some of these ideas and came up with something that everyone loved!  I came to find out later that some of my family wanted to take home left overs because they like it so much.  Best part was I put the whole thing together the day before and I all I had to do was slide it in the oven the day of the party!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasture raised local  ground beef
• l lb pasture raised local sweet pork sausage
• 3- 16oz boxes of Rigatoni  (you can use Ziti or Penee) 
• 3- 26 oz jars of spaghetti sauce. 
• 1- 8oz container of sour cream
• 12-15 slices of thinly sliced provolone cheese 
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Brown beef and sausage in large skillet.  If sausage is in its casing remove before browning.  
2. Add sauce to skillet and simmer for 10-15 mins
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions and drain
4. Pre-heat oven to 375.  Layer as follows in a LARGE aluminum "pasta pan":  1/2 of Rigatoni, provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 of mozzarella, 1/2 of sauce, 1/2 Rigatoni, 1/2 of mozzarella, 1/2 sauce.  Sprinkle Parmesan.  
5. Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour.  Remove foil and cook for another 20 mins.  

Why it is good for you:

• Most would probably think that baked Ziti isn't necessarily good for you, but I say if you use the right ingredients, it is.  Use minimally processed, organic, and local products and you have a meal that is good for you and one that everyone will love!
• Another reason this dish is "good for you" is because of how easy it is.  Easily prepared the day before to make for less stress the day of your event!