Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir Fry in Orange Sauce

Judy and I have been living in Palm Desert, Ca. for about two months now and we are loving every minute.  We’ve been playing some golf, hiking the mountain trails, taking long walks, going to the gym and cooking.  After a year, we’re still maintaining our goal weight and we are still Weight Watchers Lifetime members.

We have several citrus trees just outside the kitchen door, so we have been enjoying a lot of fresh Tangelo and Lemon juice as well as some wonderful Pink grapefruit.

Here’s a recipe for a delicious stir fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas in a sauce we made utilizing our fresh citrus.  It’s crisp, fresh and fruity.

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir Fry

1 spray Cooking spray

4 medium uncooked Scallions, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp Ginger root, freshly minced

2 Tbsp Orange zest.  We were able to use our fresh Tangelos for this.

5 medium cloves Garlic, freshly minced

3 cups Snow Peas, ends trimmed

8 oz uncooked Shrimp, peeled and deveined, 

25 count

2 cups uncooked Bean Sprouts

1 cup Orange juice, freshly squeezed recommended. Or Tangelos if you can get them

2 Tbsp low sodium Soy sauce

1 ½ Tsp Honey

1 ½ tsp cornstarch

1 ½ cups Rice Vinegar

1 tsp Sesame Oil

¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes, or to taste

Instructions

Coat a large non-stick skillet or Wok with cooking spray; heat to smoking over high heat, about a minute or two.

Toss in Scallions, Ginger, Orange zest and Garlic.  Stir and toss constantly for about 30 seconds.

Add Snow Peas and continue tossing until crisp/tender, about 2 minutes.

Add Shrimp; continue cooking, and tossing, until the shrimp turn pink and are firm, about 2 minutes.

Add Sprouts, Orange Juice, Soy sauce and Honey. Toss until it bubbles, about a minute.

In the meantime, combine Cornstarch with Rice vinegar in a small bowl.

Stir in Cornstarch mixture and continue cooking until sauce has thickened somewhat, about 30 seconds.

Remove Wok or pan from heat and drizzle Sesame Oil over the dish.

Yields 4 servings. PointsPlus value per serving is 4. Prep time is 20 minutes. Cooking time is 9 minutes. Level of difficulty is Moderate.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I tend to "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes and ideas. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Jambalaya with Chicken and Shrimp

Here’s an easy dish to prepare that is as much fun to make as it is to say. 

According to Zatarains, a New Orleans Tradition since 1889, ”Jambalaya is one of the most celebrated foods on Louisiana menus. The spicy concoction makes an appearance at virtually every festival in South Louisiana—especially the Jambalaya Festival in Gonzales, west of New Orleans, which calls itself the Jambalaya Capital of the World.

Similar to a Spanish paella, but feistier, jambalaya is made by cooking rice with almost any combination of meat, poultry, seafood, or game, along with peppers and other Creole seasonings. The name is believed to have come from the French word for ham, “jambon.” 

Jambalaya is great for entertaining since it’s easy to make in either small or large batches. Cajun and Creole cooks often prepare it outdoors in huge seafood boiling pots over propane burners.”

Our version is prepared in a Slow Cooker, and we promise you, this is one of the best dishes we’ve made.    

You are really going to love this.

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Jambalaya

1 cup Celery, diced

1 large Onion, chopped

1     14 ½ oz can Tomatoes, low sodium, diced

1  14 ½ oz can Chicken broth, low sodium, reduced fat

3 oz Tomato paste

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 ½ tsp Creole Seasoning

1 pound Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 ½ cups Instant Rice

8 oz Shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined

¾ cup Green Pepper, chopped

Instructions

In a 4 quart Crock Pot combine Celery, Onion, Un-drained Tomatoes, Broth, Tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and Creole seasoning.  Stir in chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours. 

Stir in Rice Shrimp and Green Pepper. 

Cover and let stand 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed into the Rice, and the Rice is tender. 

Note; If you have any left-overs, this dish will taste even better the second night, as the liquids continue to be absorbed into the rice, and the flavors continue to marry.

Yields 6 servings. PointsPlus value per serving is 6. Prep time is 15 minutes. Cooking time is about 5 ¼ hours. Level of difficulty is Easy.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I tend to "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes and ideas. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Roasted Pork in Molè Sauce, Holy Molè!!

Here is a recipe for a dish that takes several hours to prepare, but all of the work is well worth the wait.

It’s like a gift that just keeps on giving.  We enjoyed it the first night served over corn tortillas, which we tore into pieces and used as “carriers”, and loved the left-overs which we served with whole wheat tortillas as Pork Molè Burritos.  It’s a beautiful dish with a depth of flavor that is unparalleled. 

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Pork Mole

3 pounds Pork Tenderloin

1 Tbsp Paprika

1 tsp Kosher Salt

3 sprays, Cooking Spray

3 medium Poblano Chilies, dried, seeded, sliced, divided

2 medium Onions, thinly sliced, divided

¼ cup water

2 tsp Olive Oil

6 cloves Garlic, minced

3 Tbsp Chipotle in Adobo sauce

1 ½  Tbsp Cumin, ground

½ cup Cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tbsp Cocoa, unsweetened

3 cups tomatoes, fresh, chopped

½ cup Raisins, golden

3 Tbsp Peanut Butter, reduced fat

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Rinse and dry Pork tenderloin: Rub all over with Paprika and Kosher Salt.

Coat a large, heavy, oven-proof pot with cooking spray; Set over high heat.  Place seasoned Pork into pot and sear each side for about 45 seconds.

Remove pot from stove-top and place 1 whole sliced Pepper and 1 whole sliced Onion under Pork; Add water to the pot, cover, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.  Reduce heat to 225°F and continue to cook for 2 additional hours.  When Pork has cooked for 1 ½ hours, start Mole sauce.

To make the Molè sauce, heat Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When Oil begins to shimmer, add Garlic and Chipotle Pepper in Adobo sauce.  Sauté until Garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute.  Add remaining Onion and Pepper slices; Sauté until Onion starts to turn a golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in Cumin, ¼ cup Cilantro and Cocoa; Mix well until everything is incorporated. Stir in Tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

When the Pork’s cooking time is up, remove pot from the oven, but leave the oven on.  Remove the Pork to a cutting board; Remove vegetables and juice from the pot and add those to the skillet containing the Mole sauce.  Add the Peanut Butter and Raisins to the sauce.  Mix well and simmer for about 5 minutes more.

Working in small batches, puree the Molè sauce in a food processor until it is thick and smooth.

Thinly slice the Pork and return it to the pot, placing a small amount of pureed sauce beneath the Pork. Cover the sliced Pork with the remaining sauce and cook 1 hour more.

Remove from the oven and serve garnished with the remaining ¼ cup of finely chopped Cilantro.

Yields about 16 servings, 1 cup each, of meat and sauce.  PointsPlus value per serving is 4. Whole Wheat and/or Corn tortillas, taco size, have a PointsPlus value of 2 each. Prep time is about 30 minutes. Cooking time is about 3 ½ hours. Level of difficulty is Moderate.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I tend to "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes and ideas. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh