Category: Pasta

Mediterranean Stir Fry

 

Mediterranean Stir Fry

A "what's in the kitchen" dish that can be pulled together quickly. Perfect for "doctoring up"!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword garden, one-dish, potluck
Servings 2 servings
Calories 611 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2/3 cup orzo
  • 12 ounces shrimp frozen, tail-off preferred
  • 6 medium roma tomatoes diced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 tablespoons basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic diced
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 2 tablespoons Italian dressing
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch pepper
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese grated

Instructions
 

Pasta

  • Cook the orzo pasta by boiling in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.

Frying Pan

  • Once you've added the orzo to the water and it is cooking, place the frozen shrimp in the frying pan and cook on medium-high heat to thaw.
  • Once the ice is off, drain the water from the pan.
  • When the orzo is done, return the shrimp to the pan and add the diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and basil leaves. Stir and cook until the mushrooms start to soften.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and add garlic, capers, and Italian dressing. Cook until reduced.
  • Add the orzo and stir occassionally until heated throughout.
  • Salt and pepper to taste and serve on a plate. Top with parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • Substitute penne pasta for orzo.
  • Substitute cubed ham for the shrimp.
  • Add bell peppers and/or green onions if desired.
  • Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt adds a nice touch too.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 50gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 277mgSodium: 704mgPotassium: 1679mgFiber: 10gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1636IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 356mgIron: 20mg
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Shrimp and Sweet Peppers

 

Shrimp and Sweet Peppers

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 536 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces shrimp fresh
  • 2/3 cup acini di pepe
  • 2 scallions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 ounces sweet peppers
  • 2 tablespoons verjus blanc (or white grape juice)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

Prep

  • Peel and roughly chop the garlic.
  • Cut off and discard the stem and core of the peppers. Halves them lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise.
  • Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions. Thinly slice crosswise keeping the white bottoms and the green tops separate.

Pasta

  • Heat a pot of salted water to boiling.
  • Add pasta and cook 14-16 minutes or until tender.
  • Drain thoroughly and return to pot.
  • Stir in half the vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.

Shrimp

  • Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Remove tails.
  • In medium non-stick pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot.
  • Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook without stirring 1-2 minutes or until slightly opaque.
  • Add the garlic, peppers, capers, white portion of scallions, and as much red pepper flakes as you'd like. Season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally 2-3 minutes or until the peppers are slightly softened and the shrimp are cooked through.
  • Add the verjus and remaining vinegar. Stir frequently and cook 1 minute until combined.
  • Serve the finished shrimp over the cooked pasta and garnish with the green scallions.

Notes

Couscous, or even orzo, can be substituted for the acini di pepe.

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 50gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 290mgSodium: 1096mgPotassium: 264mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8g
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Linguine with Ham and Walnuts

 

Linguine with Ham and Walnuts

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 531 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces whole wheat linguine
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 small shallots chopped
  • 6 ounces spinach leaves (1 bag)
  • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped
  • 8 ounces ham cooked, diced
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup parsley fresh, chopped

Instructions
 

Cook the pasta

  • Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
  • Once the water is boiling, stir in the linguine and return to a boil.
  • Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, 8-10 minutes.
  • Reserve a cup of the pasta water before you drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Cook the ingredients

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Stir in the garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the spinach and mushrooms and stir until the spinach is wilted.
  • Stir in the walnuts and cook until the nuts give off a toasted smell, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the sliced ham and cook the mixture until the ham is hot and beginning to brown, about 5 more minutes.

Finish the dish

  • Add the pasta to the skillet and lightly toss with the ham mixture. Add some of the pasta water as needed to keep it moist.
  • Plate the dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese and serve hot!

Notes

Yes, Spam works in place of the ham.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 21gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 605mgPotassium: 415mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6g
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Pasta with Tomatoes

 

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

A basic pasta recipe that's perfect for "doctoring up"
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 512 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Italian dressing
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion diced
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions
 

Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  • Add penne pasta to the pot and cook 10 minutes until al dente. Drain.

Prep

  • Dice the tomatoes
  • Dice the red onion
  • Chop the fresh basil

Finish

  • In a small frying pan, saute the onion.
  • In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the tomatoes, Italian dressing, basil, red onion, and top with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Add additional vegetables such as green peppers or mushrooms. Sauté with the onions before adding.

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 18gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 412mgPotassium: 423mgFiber: 10gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 371IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 2mg
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