Sweating to Death Part One: Vegetarian Friendly Dinner and Easy Desserts!

First of all, hello!  Sorry I haven't written in a while but this is the first day off for me since school ended.  Eric and I have been doing lots of driving, visiting, sweating, and traveling since the middle of June, and we are not done yet.  But with the end almost in sight I thought it was time to take a moment to share some new recipes with you.  Since we have been go go go-ing, and because it has been what I deem unnecessarily hot out, these recipes are all designed to be quick with minimal time spent standing over a hot stove sweating into your food.  I know... gross but true.

Yes I am aware I am complaining yet again, but really would my blog be complete without a little griping?  I often joke that New Englanders are the only people who can endure ridiculous temperature fluctuations and really never be happy with any of them.  I also recognize that it is slightly ironic to hate almost every season (I like fall!) yet also never want to leave the area that inflicts such suffering.  I love it here, even if I whine quite often, and I know most of my friends are the same way.  I could never give up the four seasons for somewhere warmer or more constant.  In fact if I REALLY think about it the biggest issue I have with summer in New England is trying to COOK on the humid, muggy, oppressive, constantly sweating even if I just lay here on the hardwood floor and barely breathe days.  It's not fun, and it makes me grumpy.

Many of you are thinking "Why not just grill?  That's what normal New Englanders do when it gets too hot,"  or "Turn on the AC, what is wrong with you?" I will tell you why not and what is wrong with me, and I promise to do it nicely.

1) Our grill is currently in our guest room sitting all shiny and new and waiting for a place to call home.  In fact I had planned at this point in the summer to be happily seated in a chair reclining on a sunny roof deck while ERIC grilled us dinner.  However the city of Boston had other plans and so our grill sits, reminding us of better days that didn't involve trying to cook indoors when it is 100 degrees outside.

2) I grew up with ceiling fans and cool forest breezes.  Air conditioning was unheard of in my house and only became a necessity when I got an apartment.  Now I am too cheap and lazy to buy the big one we need to cool our whole place properly while fighting off the heat from our skylights AND overcoming an oven or stove.  This is why I complain, and I feel okay with it.  Hypocritical maybe but it's more fun this way, right?  

Right, guys?

Okay, I could go on but I will spare you.  Long story short I have no grill and my AC is not strong enough to keep me cool while cooking.  The great thing about this is that I now have four recipes to share with you that are primal, delicious, and involve minimal sweating to make and consume.  I will warn you, many of them have measurements for your sake but I tend to just wing it, adding or subtracting based on the consistency, taste, and smell.  Obscure, I know, but such is the sacrifice when cooking under hot conditions in a half-starved state.

#1 Shrimp Tacos with Lettuce Wraps

(dinner and leftovers for two)

• 2 lbs shrimp, peeled, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 packet taco seasoning
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
• few handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 avocado, diced
• romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed
• cheese of choice
• taco condiments of choice

Add a bit of olive oil to pan with onion.  Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then add shrimp and pepper.  When shrimp is just starting to turn pink (another minute or two) add taco seasoning with a tbsp or two of water and mix well.  Cook until shrimp is pink, adding a little water as needed so it doesn't burn but also doesn't get runny.  For last 30 seconds add spinach and mix in so it wilts.  Remove from heat.

 

You can eat it hot or wait until it chills.  Add shrimp, avocado, cheese, and other condiments to one leaf of lettuce, wrap like a taco or burrito, and messily eat away!  You will want napkins, but it is delicious.

#2 Pineapple Shrimp with Arugula

 

This follows the same ingredients as my Shrimp Scampi, but with two additions.  Add chopped pineapple to the pan about 3 minutes before the shrimp is done and a handful of arugula 30 seconds before turning off pan.  You can serve this over more arugula or lettuce or spinach OR over some rice.  Again great chilled or hot and very easy to make!

#3 Strawberry Ice Cream

(thanks to my mom for the idea!)

• 1 package frozen Trader Joe's strawberries
• 1-2 cups heavy cream

I promise you DO NOT need sugar for this.  Start with one cup heavy cream plus 1/2 bag strawberries (or other berry) in blender.  Try to blend it.  The two ingredients should firm up to an ice cream consistency.  If too loose add more strawberries, if too hard (aka won't blend) add more cream.  You need to FREEZE it not eating right away, but please eat a little bit when you are done because it is just so freaking good! 

#4 PB/Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp agave
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup almond butter Beat until well blended and cookie dough consistency
• chocolate chips

Beat eggs and agave (I use my food processor).  Add all other ingredients except chocolate chips and blend again until cookie dough consistency.  Transfer to bowl and mix in chocolate chips.

Portion out onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press crosswise with a fork (or just smush down if you are lazy like me).  Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes, they will be DONE by 8 minutes, no more.  Let cool and eat with a big, cold glass of milk OR crumble over your ice cream!

That's it for today... time to go sweat, I mean enjoy the sunshine.

*These have all been R & E originals

Shrimp "Scampi" with Primal Spaghetti

I have never bothered to look up the meaning of "scampi"... but I can safely say that I love it.  With a few exceptions, every year my mother has made me her version of shrimp scampi for my birthday, and I have never tired of it.  That being said, my largest issue with this meal was always the pasta.  Don't get me wrong, I love pasta, especially if it happens to be filled with cheese or pesto.  However, when you have a triple layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting waiting for you, chances are you want to skip the pasta and head right for the dessert.  Enter the perfect solution, spaghetti squash (aka primal spaghetti).

The first time I tried to feed Eric spaghetti squash he was not impressed.  The yellow, skinny threads of flesh that have to be scraped from the rind and fluffed into a spaghetti-like state are admittedly none too attractive.  However, when pasta is not an option, either because you plan on consuming large volumes of cake or because you are living the primal lifestyle, this rotund squash fills out a dish quite nicely.

Now for the recipe... this one is quite simple.  With a base of spaghetti squash you combine shrimp, parsley, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and white wine for a simple yet delicious meal.  For those of you who are straight up primal, you can easily cut out the wine and cheese for the same scrumptious result.  If you are a more confident chef you might consider adding artichokes and scallops.  Additionally, if you choose to make this in the summer I recommend serving the shrimp over a bed of arugula tossed with plum tomatoes and a little balsamic (an idea stolen from a friend) for a fresh salad twist on this meal.  Not matter how many time you make this, or how many variations, it never gets old, I promise.

Shrimp "Scampi" with Primal Spaghetti
(These measurements serve two hungry adults.)

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 bunch of flat parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb wild, uncooked jumbo shrimp
• 4 cloves of garlic (or more), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 cup parmesan cheese
• anything else you might want to add

Prep the shrimp by running cold water over them until no longer frozen.  Combine shrimp, parsley, garlic, olive oil, and white wine (everything except the cheese and squash) in a large ziploc bag or tupperware container and let marinate in the fridge for between 20 minutes to 3 hours.

While this is marinating carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Place the halves open side down in a glass dish and fill with an inch of water.  Put in microwave for 20 - 30 minutes.  You know it is done when you squeeze the rind and it is soft to the touch.  Using a potholder, remove from the water and let them sit until you can touch them without burning yourself.

As soon as you take out the squash you should fire up your skillet.  Empty contents of bag into the pan and cook until shrimp are pink (about 5 minutes).  Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon when they look like the below picture.

Add parmesan cheese to the leftover liquid, turn heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

As the sauce is simmering and when you can safely touch the rind, scrape the inside of each squash with a fork.  The flesh should "peel" out in long strands.  Scrape each side into a large bowl and put aside.

Portion out spaghetti squash into bowls (Eric and I split this meal) and spoon the finished shrimp and sauce over the top.  Pour a nice glass of wine (or not) and enjoy!

(A special thank you to my friend Lindsay and my mother for inspiring this meal.)