Ramadan # 3 Spinach and Almond Pesto with Fresh Mozzarella and Garlic Shrimp

O Allah, I seek your forgiveness for every sin that leaves grief in its wake, that causes remorse, that holds back sustenance, and that prevents acceptance of [my] prayers.

I really enjoy creating pasta-based concoctions in my kitchen. I usually stick with one type of pasta in my dishes, but lately I've been mixing different flour-based or vegetable-based pastas, trying to find combinations that work and that my family will eat.  One combination that I like is an equal blend of white and whole wheat pastas because you get the heartiness of the whole wheat pasta without having the dish become too heavy and dense.

A while back, I came across a blog post on pesto. The recipe was surprisingly easy and didn't require Parmesan cheese (it's hard to find Parmesan cheese without rennet in it). I tagged this recipe under "Recipes to Try ASAP" and let it be.  A couple of weeks ago, I came back to this recipe and thought I would test it out.   I changed the recipe by using almonds instead of walnuts, mixing up the pasta and adding fresh mozzarella and shrimp.

Spinach and Almond Pesto with Fresh Mozzarella and Garlic Shrimp

 

2 big handfuls of fresh baby spinach, stems removed and washed and dried
1/4 cup of almonds, skin removed
4 tbsp freshly minced garlic,
10 basil leaves, washed
4 tbsp olive oil
6 small fresh mozzarella balls, drained of liquid and sliced into quarters
15-20 frozen raw peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed and washed
1.5 cups dry whole wheat rotini pasta
1.5 cups dry white rotini pasta
salt and pepper to taste

In a food process,  mix together spinach, almonds,  3 tbsp garlic, 8 basil leaves, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper until a gritty-like texture is formed.  Taste for salt and pepper.  If a stronger flavour is desired, add more spinach, basil and almonds and give the mixture a spin in the processor.

In a frying pan, add the remaining olive oil, 1 tbsp of garlic and the 2 basil leaves (torn up into small pieces).  Saute on low-medium heat for 1 minute.  Add in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp have curled in a bit and are pink all the way through.  Season with some salt and pepper before removing from heat.

Cook the dry whole wheat and white pastas (SEPARATELY) according to box instructions.  Strain the water and mix the pasta in a large bowl with the pesto. Gently mix in the mozzarella quarters and shrimp. Taste the pasta for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.  Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for a later time.

Easy Peasy Shrimp Salan (Curry)

Earlier this week I had discovered some kosher fresh mozzarella balls at the store and thought they would be interesting to work into a pasta dish.  I didn't have any meat ready or seafood on hand, so I ended up making a vegetarian pasta with Smart Health spaghetti, fresh basil, sliced tomatoes, the fresh cheese with the sauce it came with and salt and pepper.  My husband, ever the carnivore, thought it tasted good, but would taste even better with shrimp or shredded chicken.  Yesterday, I went to the grocery store to pick up some shrimp to make the pasta again, but I forgot to get the cheese. Instead of making the pasta, I ended up throwing some ingredients together in a pot and came up with this easy shrimp salan/curry. It involves a small list of simple ingredients and about 20-30 minutes of cooking time. What you are left with is a curry that you can eat with pita or over rice.

Shrimp Salan

20-30 raw white shrimp, thawed, deveined and shell removed
3 tsp minced garlic, reserve 1 tsp to the side
1/4 tsp salt
4 Roma tomatoes, cut into half and then chopped
2 small onions, diced
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup of water
1 tsp chopped coriander
cayenne chili powder and salt to taste

In a medium pot add the oil and onions. Soften the onions over medium heat until transparent.  While the onions are cooking, prepare the shrimp and marinate in the reserved garlic and and 1/4 tsp salt and set aside. Once the onions are ready, add in the minced garlic and chopped tomatoes.  Cook this mixture until the tomatoes begin to break down.  Add in the turmeric, salt, chili powder and water. Continue to cook the onions and tomatoes over medium heat. Taste the curry base for salt and heat. Add more salt and chili powder as necessary.

Once the mixture resembles the picture to the right, add the shrimp.

Watch over the pot and stir occasionally.  The shrimp will start to curl and turn pink. Once all of the shrimp have turned pink (2-3 minutes), taste the mixture, adjust for spices and stir in the chopped coriander. Remove from heat immediately. Serve with pita or rice.

My Take on Coping with Frugality's Mexican Shrimp and Quinoa

Quinoa is a seed that's rich in amino acids, manganese, iron, copper and phosphorus. It has a nutty flavour and I recently discovered that it comes in different colours- original (off-whitish), red and black! I recently started experimenting with quinoa in the hopes that it may one day replace rice in my kitchen. Sadly, I'm not sure if that day will ever come. I'm not sure the crowds will be happy with quinoa biriyani!

One recipe that I tried with quinoa is from Amanda at Coping with Frugality- Mexican Shrimp and Quinoa Salad with Avocado Lime Vinaigrette I'm posting my adaptations to her recipe. Hope you enjoy!

 

Mexican Shrimp and Quinoa Salad with Avocado Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette

1 c. quinoa ( I used red quinoa for this recipe)
2 c. water
15 shrimp, peeled and deveined ( I picked up a bag of frozen PC Organic shrimp for this recipe)

1 T. sweet and hot spice blend (you can sub in tandoori masala or chili powder )

1 avocado (mine was over ripe)
1 1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp. garlic paste
2 limes zested and juiced
2 T. fresh lemon juice ( I added this because I couldn't get enough juice out of the limes)
drizzle of olive oil (for frying shrimp)
4 scallions, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded, chopped

Soak quinoa for 3 minutes in cool water. Rinse well to remove starch (run it through a small-hole strainer). Put quinoa and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then place in freezer to cool (or if you have patience, you can cool in the fridge).

Toss shrimp with seasoning, ginger, and garlic. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add shrimp. Cook until pink (approx. 5 minutes). Do not over cook.

In a bowl, smash avocado (like you would for guacamole). Add lime zest and juice, and lemon juice. Whisk together until blended. Add in quinoa, scallions, tomatoes and jalapenos and toss. Top with shrimp. Toss gently.