Advanced Recipes
Asparagus Shrimp Pasta
This recipe cooks the asparagus quickly to help preserve as much of the folate as possible during the process. The nutritious vegetable is then mixed with garlic, lemon zest, and shrimp for a wonderful pasta meal.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 1 cup ice
- 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound shrimp, cleaned
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 lemon wedges, for garnish
Wash the asparagus and trim about 1 inch from the bottom edge of each shoot. Chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
In a large soup pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil; in a separate pan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl with 1 cup of ice and fill about halfway with water.
Once the 2 quarts of water begins to boil, drop in the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately place in the ice bath. Remove from the ice bath and place in a separate bowl. Set aside.
Once the 4 quarts of water begins to boil, toss in the pasta and stir gently. Cook until the pasta is tender, but still slightly firm. Drain in a colander and set aside.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over mediumhigh heat and add the garlic. Stir in the shrimp and cook until opaque. Add the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat.
Add the pasta and asparagus to the skillet and toss with the shrimp and oil. Remove from heat and serve warm. Garnish with lemon wedges.
PER SERVING Calories: 602 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 759mg | Carbohydrates: 92g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 42g
Blanching Vegetables
Blanching is a technique that cooks vegetables quickly in boiling water just until they become tender. Then they are submerged in an ice bath to discontinue the cooking process. This results in a bright green, crisp vegetable and is a great method to use with asparagus, broccoli, or green beans.
Whole-Grain Orange Flax Muffins
These hearty muffins can be used as a base for a variety of ingredients. Add some of your favorites to the batter just before dividing it into muffin cups for baking — for example, ½ cup raisins, ¼ cup shredded coconut, or chopped pecans.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup demerara sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 12-muffin tin.
In a bowl, mix together the butter and sugar, then mix in the eggs. Stir in the yogurt, orange juice, vanilla, and zest.
Sift together the flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. For tender muffins, avoid overmixing.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 3 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
PER SERVING Calories: 190 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 384mg | Carbohydrates: 23g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 5g
Ground Versus Whole Flaxseed
Choose ground flaxseed for your baking. Whole flaxseed can be difficult to digest, which decreases the amount of nutrients your body can absorb from it. Eating the ground version is like helping your gut with the digestion process. Store ground flaxseed in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within a month.
