Pan Seared Lemon Pepper Sea Scallops

I love, love, love seafood! Thankfully, it is not something that I am allergic to. One of the best parts about living downtown on the water is that there is a surplus of fresh seafood that is harvested locally. I will walk to one of the many seafood shops and get whatever I am in the mood for that day.

 

Scallops are one of my favorite types of seafood. Scallops are a great source of protein, packing in over 80 percent. They are also high in magnesium and potassium. Potassium is crucial to the health of our bodies. It boosts the nervous system, prevents muscle cramps, and improves bone health and muscle growth. Potassium also reduces anxiety and stress!

 

What You Need:

Scallops

1/2 Lemon

Olive Oil

Pepper

Salt

Garlic Flakes

What To Do:

Season the sea scallops with salt, pepper and garlic flakes. In a preheated, hot pan, drizzle a bit of olive oil. Carefully add in sea scallops and leave them! You want them to get a nice crust on them and if you keep touching them, they will start to fall apart. You want to cook the scallops for 1-½ minutes per side. When the scallops are cooked, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and enjoy!

Shrimp Tacos with Mango Slaw

Just in time for Taco Tuesday and the Cinco de Mayo!!! 

OH MY GOODNESS!!! These were sooooo good!!! It’s the perfect touch of spice with creamy slaw. The mango takes it to a whole new level. I like to experiment with different flavors of spicy and sweet. This is the perfect combination, if you ask me!

 

What You Need:

Raw Shrimp (peeled and deveined)

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

1 Clove of Crushed Garlic

2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper

Corn Tortillas

Salsa

Guacamole

What You Need for the Slaw:

1 cup Shredded Cabbage

1 cup Shredded Purple Cabbage

½ cup Shredded Carrots

¼ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Water

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Cloves of Crushed Garlic

½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt

Juice of Two Limes

Salt and Pepper

2 Mangos, sliced and diced

What You Need To Do:

Make the slaw ahead of time and let it sit for at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving. In a large bowl, add both cabbages and carrots. In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients with the spices and garlic. Once incorporated, pour into the large bowl and mix together. Add in the mangos and stir again. Let the slaw sit in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle a light coat of olive oil on a baking pan. Place peeled shrimp, garlic, and spices on the baking pan. Mix and cook in oven for about 8 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp). You will know they are cooked when the shrimp turn pink and curl a bit. If they curl too much, they will be over cooked. Let the shrimp cool for a minute.

Take a warm corn tortilla and fill the bottom with shrimp. Layer on guacamole and salsa (if you like). Top with the mango slaw and enjoy! xoxo

Shrimp Two Ways

Hope everyone had a lovely New Year! This quick and simple dish reminds me of the shrimp I had when I was in Hawaii at one of the famous shrimp food trucks on the North Shore. My favorite flavors were the spicy shrimp and the lemon pepper shrimp. So this is my quick and simple version of them.

 

What You Need:

1 bag of fresh, unpeeled shrimp (you can use cooked but it won’t soak up the flavors as well)

Lemon Juice

Garlic (4 cloves, chopped)

Vegan Butter

Salt and Pepper

Hot Sauce

What To Do:

Peel and devein the shrimp. Place them on a baking pan with vegan butter in mini chunks (I just put a few blobs around so that it would melt while the shrimp are cooking). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

On half the tray, cover the shrimp with lemon juice, garlic, and extra pepper. On the other half, cover the shrimp in hot sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, flip and cook for 5 more. Depending on the size of your shrimp will determine the cooking time.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp

Buffalo Shrimp

Enjoy! xoxo

Pan Seared Scallops

One of the benefits of living next to the ocean is being able to get fresh, local seafood. Scallops are one of my favorite seafood.

What You Need:

3 Sea Scallops (if you make more than three, double the recipe)

1 bag of Spinach

1/4 cup White Wine

2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter

Garlic, chopped (2 cloves for Spinach, 1 clove for Scallops)

Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

What To Do:

Put one tablespoon of vegan butter in a pan on medium heat. Add in the spinach and garlic with some salt and pepper. Sauté until the spinach is soft. Put the spinach on a plate and 1 tablespoon of vegan butter in the pan.

Take the spinach out of the pan and add 1 more tablespoon of butter in the pan. Salt and pepper the scallops and place them in the pan. Add the garlic after a couple minutes.

Pour in the white wine and flip the scallops. Squeeze half a lemon on top of the scallops.

Depending on the size of your scallops will determine the cooking time. You want to be able to put a fork through it easily and the insides to be white, not translucent. If you over cook them, they will become rubbery. Squeeze the other half of the lemon over the scallops and place on top of the spinach.

Enjoy xoxo

Creamy Shrimp and Vegetable Risotto

I love making risotto, especially when I am home with my family. People often get nervous making risotto because they feel like it might be difficult or will take too much time. As long as you cook it on low to medium heat and keep adding the liquid in slowly, the rice will cook and turn into a creamy and delicious dish. I have tried various proteins and vegetable combinations, but this one is my favorite!

 

What You Need:

2 Cups of Arborio Rice

2 Tablespoons Butter, Separated

1/2 Cup of White Wine

5-6 Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Bag of Spinach, Chopped

Package of Mushrooms, Chopped

Olive Oil

1 Pound of Shrimp, Uncooked

Salt and Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Basil

What To Do:

In a large saucepan, add in the Arborio rice and 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat to toast the rice.

Add in the white wine, salt and pepper to taste while stirring constantly.

When the wine is absorbed, slowly add in 1/2 cup of chicken or veggie stock. Keep stirring and when that is absorbed, continue adding in 1/2 cup of broth until the rice is no longer crunchy and is smooth. Sometimes you will need a little less broth or more.

While the rice is cooking, in another saucepan, add in a drizzle of olive oil and spinach. Season with salt and pepper and when the spinach is cooked, transfer to a plate. Drizzle on some more olive oil and cook the mushrooms. Transfer to a plate when finished and add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and when the shrimp starts to turn pink on the one side, flip them over. Undercook the shrimp a bit because the shrimp will finish cooking in the risotto. Cut the shrimp and add to the risotto when all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft.

Add the vegetables and stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Add in the rest of the butter and a sprinkle or two of Parmesan Cheese. Sprinkle the top with some fresh basil and a pinch of cheese. Enjoy!

Foil Baked Tilapia

Tilapia is a very versatile fish. It takes on whatever flavors you pair it with. I find it fun to play around with different flavor combinations and types of vegetables mixed in.

What You Need:

Tilapia

Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

Spinach

Lemon or Lime Juice

Olive Oil (or any type you prefer)

Trader Joes 12 Spice Seasoning

Salt and Pepper

Foil

 

What To Do:

Make a foil dish/pocket for your tilapia. Pour a little olive oil on the bottom and layer on top a bed of spinach. Remember that the spinach will decrease in size, so add extra.

Put a handful of tomatoes on top of the spinach. Sprinkle with seasoning.

Coat the tilapia with seasoning (as much as you would like) and put it on top of the vegetables. Add a few drops of lemon or lime juice and cook at 400 for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your tilapia).

When it is done (fish is flakey when you put a fork in it), you can eat it right out of the foil dish or place it on rice. A nice sauce will form from the juicy tomatoes, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Enjoy 🙂

xoxo Jenn

Gluten Free Shrimp Scampi

This is one of my mom’s creations and it is delicious. I was really missing her the other day so I made one of her favorite dishes. This dish is quick to make during the week and it is a crowd winner!

 

What You Need:

3 Garlic Cloves (crushed)

3 Tablespoons Vegan Butter (or regular butter)

1/2 cup of White Wine

Can Chopped Tomatoes (liquid drained)

Fresh Shrimp (I used about 1/2 pound but you could use up to a pound for this recipe)

1/2 -1 Teaspoon Ground Red Pepper

1 Teaspoon Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

What To Do:

Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a few minutes (don’t burn the garlic-it will get bitter). Add the wine and cook for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes and spices while cooking the mixture for about 5 minutes.

Add the raw shrimp and cook until pink.

Top over gluten free spaghetti and enjoy!

Crunchy Breaded Tilapia

I hope everyone had a great Christmas/Holiday Season!  Happy New Year! Sorry for the lack of posts lately but I have been super busy with the holidays.  I have some great recipes that were tested during the month of December and I can’t wait to share them! 

I love seafood! Thank goodness I am not allergic to seafood (knock on wood!).   My mom has discovered that if you put on a thin layer of mayonnaise on the tilapia (and you can do this with chicken), it helps keep the moisture in.

 

What You Need:

Tilapia

Mayonnaise

Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

What To Do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. I like to season my bread crumbs with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. (I don’t really measure this mixture. It depends on how much you are making but typically I will do two parts bread crumbs and one part parmesan cheese).

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the tilapia (both sides) and put in the bread crumbs.

Sprinkle a thin layer of olive oil in your pan and put the tilapia on top. Sprinkle a bit of olive oil on top and cook for about 20 minutes. You know the tilapia is done when the bread crumbs are crunchy and the fish is flaky.

I paired the tilapia with a delicious salad that has kale, slaw, lettuce, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon with a citrus white balsamic. Yum!