Shrimp Creole - the Big Easy

the Like many people, Judy and I love to travel.  It doesn't matter whether we're traveling around the Unites States or Internationally. We just like visiting other places, seeing relatives or meeting new people, taking photographs, sight seeing, shopping, and of course eating.

We enjoy having local dishes from the places we visit.  Dishes that are indigenous to the places we happen to be.  Then, later, when we return home we can prepare some of those dishes, and the tastes will bring back good memories of delicious dining.  Or, we can just pretend that we're there again.

A few years ago I took Judy, for one of those major birthdays, to New Orleans.  We traveled with several of our friends and had a wonderful time.  Who wouldn't have a great time in the Big Easy?  We were there for a long weekend and ate everything!

For those of you who are new to the blog, my wife Judy and I alternate weeks preparing dinner. Recently, during one of my cooking weeks, I felt like a quick visit back  to New Orleans. I searched the web for a recipe that would remind us of that great weekend and still  fit into our new food lifestyle.  (Judy and I don't diet, we simply changed our food lifestyle.  Instead of eating our 4 - 5 time a week, we stay home and cook more.)  We prepare food from recipes that, for the most part, offer lower fat, lower calories and a higher fiber content.  Our "low point" recipes follow the Weight Watchers philosophy.

I found a recipe for Shrimp Creole that was just what I needed.  The flavors explode in your mouth and it's so simple to prepare.

We hope you will try this recipe, and enjoy the Big Easy.

Shrimp Creole -the Big Easy

Ingredients

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 medium stalk of Celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
14 & 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 pc. bay leaf
1/8 tsp paprika, smoked, hot Spanish variety
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste (not too much more, won't need it)
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp scallions, minced
1 Tbsp parsley, Italian, fresh minced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups cooked brown rice.  We like Trader Joe's frozen style. 3 minutes to prepare and each serving is just 3 points

This may seem like a big shopping list, but you probably have most of the items in your pantry or fridge already.

Instructions 

Heat oil in a large skillet; stir in flour and cook over low heat stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes.

Stir in celery, onion, garlic and green pepper; saute 5 minutes.

Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, broth, bay leaf, paprika, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.

Stir in shrimp and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, parsley and lemon juice; simmer for 1 minute.

Remove bay leaf.

To serve, spoon 1/2 cup of rice into each of 4 bowls and top each with about 2 cups of Shrimp Creole.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus value including rice is 8, Makes 4 servings, Level of difficulty is easy. Prep time is 25 minutes. Cooking time is 20 minutes.

Weight Watchers is a trademark of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.   www.weightwatchers.com

We also want to feature recipes from places we have not yet been, but certainly hope to go.

Out next blog will be a Thai Chicken dish that Judy prepared.