Greek Shrimp with Orzo

This is one of my favorite go to recipes during the week. The Mediterranean flavors are so yummy, and it is super easy to make. Did I mention that it is also low in fat? Perfect! This is a must try in your kitchen! I found this recipe on  the Weight Watchers Website.

Serves 6

16 oz uncooked orzo

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic cloves, minced

28oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano (I used fresh)

1 lb shrimp ( I used 15 shrimp)

1/4 cup basil, fresh, chopped

2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

Cook orzo in salted water according to package directions without added fat; drain and set aside. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic; cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and oregano; bring to simmer. Add shrimp; cook until shrimp are bright pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Spoon cooked orzo into shrimp mixture; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Spoon about 1 1/4 cups of orzo-shrimp mixture into a bowl and top with 1 tsp of feta.

Weight Watchers Point Plus Value: 9 point plus per serving

Crispy Parmesan Shrimp with Spaghetti

This is another one of my "go to dishes", I make this about once a month. The Mr. loves it and it is super easy and fast to make. This recipe comes from a Pampered Chef cookbook called 29 minutes to dinner. The secret is in the Parmesan crisp, I will explain how to make that below.

Serves 4

3 oz Parmesan cheese

1 egg white

1 garlic clove, pressed (or finely chopped)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb frozen uncooked shrimp

2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

8 oz uncooked spaghetti (I used linguine because it is what I had in the house)

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup marinara sauce (I use My Favorite Marinara)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Start boiling the pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, for Parmesan topping, lightly spray nonstick 12 in skillet with vegetable oil; heat over medium heat 1-3 minutes or until hot. Grate cheese evenly over bottom of skillet using a fine grater or zester (I do this before hand in a bowl and them add to the pan evenly). Cook 4-5 minutes or until cheese is lacy and golden. Starting at edges, immediately loosen cheese with a rubber spatula; slide on cutting board and cool completely. Place cheese crisp into resealable plastic bag; coarsely crush crumbs using flat side of meat tenderizer (I just crush it up with my hands).

3. For shrimp, whisk together egg white, pressed garlic, salt and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Peel and devein shrimp; remove tails. Add shrimp to egg mixture and toss to coat. Arrange shrimp in a single layer casserole dish.

4. Snip or chopped parsley and toss with cheese crumbs. Sprinkle cheese mixture over shrimp. Bake 10-12 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. 

5. Add pasta to boiling water; cook 4 minutes. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets and add to boiling pasta; cook for another couple minutes until pasta is cooked until desired tenderness.

6. Meanwhile, place sauce into small sauce pan and heat up. To serve, divide pasta mixture among serving plates. Spoon sauce over pasta mixture; top with shrimp.

Weight Watchers Point Plus Value: 11 point plus

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 430

Total Fat 11g

Saturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 85g

Carbohydrate 49g

Protein 37g

Sodium 1250mg

Fiber 4g