Fish and Seafood Archives | Page 3 of 5

Shrimp and Asparagus with Coconut Sticky Rice

April 11, 2012

This shrimp and asparagus dish is something I made when I first learned how to cook with sticky rice after our a trip to Thailand.

Shrimp and Asparagus with Coconut Sticky Rice Recipe | FakeFoodFree.com

I didn’t know sticky rice existed until 2009. Even after I discovered it in Thailand, we got back to Kentucky and I couldn’t find it anywhere. When I did finally locate it, first in Chicago, then eventually in Lexington, I went a little overboard. Looking back I think I was making up for lost time since I spent the majority of my life without it.

There are two large bags of white sticky rice sitting in my pantry accompanied by a small bag of purple sticky rice. My new found access has taught me that it takes two people a long time to use up that much rice.

So my thought process in meal planning tends to be – what can I make that would go with sticky rice?

Coconut Sticky Rice topped with shrimp and asparagus | Recipe at FakeFoodFree.com

This time I threw together a little stir fry using up some asparagus from the garden, some cabbage and shrimp. I recently learned that you can freeze lemongrass so I was able to preserve my last purchase before it went bad. That went into the mix as well. I love coconut sticky rice, and it is easy to get the flavor by stirring in a small amount of coconut milk before serving.

This dinner could not be easier. Soak your rice the night before, and then let it steam while you chop everything and toss it in the wok. A bamboo steamer is ideal, but a metal vegetable steamer works fine, too.

Shrimp and Asparagus with Coconut Sticky Rice

2018-04-27 17:42:03

Serves 3

This recipe is something I came up with after learning how to cook sticky rice after a trip to Thailand.

Write a review

Save Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece lemongrass, minced
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
½ pound asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
10 to 15 shrimp, cleaned
2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 ½ cups sticky rice, steamed
3 tablespoons coconut milk
Dried, unsweetened coconut for garnish

Instructions

In a wok, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the sesame oil. Add the asparagus and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until the pieces begin to turn bright green. Add the shrimp and continue to cook.
When the shrimp are almost opaque add the cabbage and cook just until it wilts slightly. Add the soy sauce and toss to coat the vegetables and shrimp. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and chives. Set aside.
Gently stir the coconut milk in to the rice and divide into 3 servings. Sprinkle with the unsweetened coconut. Serve with the shrimp and vegetables on top of the rice or on the side.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free Productions, LLC and Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round-up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Coconut Fish with Kale

November 6, 2011

It’s difficult for a meal to be light, but at the same time comforting and filling. Somehow, though, this recipe seems to do it.

The idea of poaching fish in coconut milk was new to me when I came across a recipe for Coconut Poached Mahi Mahi in the September 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. I did some modifying by first using some heartier greens – kale. I then used up the very last of our Anaheim peppers from the garden and pulled out one Thai chili I had harvested earlier in the season and tucked away in the freezer.
You can serve this alone, with rice or have it like I did with a nutty serving of quinoa. I’m convinced that this is the one and only way to enjoy good fish! The coconut milk is sweet with a warming heat. Matched with the kale, it’s the perfect dish for a cold evening while the fish adds a light, refreshing note.

Coconut Fish with Kale
Modified from Coconut Poached Mahi Mahi Better Homes and Gardens Sept 2011

1-15 oz can coconut milk
4 Anaheim peppers, thinly sliced
1 Thai chili, thinly sliced
½ cup water
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
½ tbsp raw sugar
3 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
3-4, 4oz cod fillets

Using a medium to large pot (I used a 5 ½ qt Dutch oven), set the stove to medium-high and add the coconut milk, peppers, water and ginger. Stir and slowly bring to a simmer. Add the sugar and the kale.

Slowly turn the kale to coat it with the coconut milk until it begins to wilt, about 3 min.

Place the fish in the coconut milk. Partially cover the pot with a lid, slightly increase the heat to bring the milk to a simmer. Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the fish is white, cooked through and flakes when using a fork.

Place each piece of fish in a shallow bowl, add some kale and ladle coconut milk over the top. Serve with rice or quinoa if desired.

Woven Shrimp for Number 33

October 20, 2011

I turned 33 last week. And I emphasize the word week because the celebrations lasted roughly 7 days. Around here we believe that celebrating just one day simply isn’t enough.

In honor of the big day, there was one specific meal I wanted. Nothing else would do.

That meal was Woven Shrimp from Azur Restaurant and Patio in Lexington, KY.

If you find yourself in Lexington you should find yourself a seat at Azur, but don’t look for it downtown. Azur is actually located in a strip mall on the southwest side of the city. But don’t let the description of the location fool you. This modern establishment which serves lots of local products such as Kentucky beef and Kentucky seafood from our up and coming aquaculture farms, also boasts an inviting patio area.

So back to that Woven Shrimp. Actually let’s go back to the first course because those were equally exciting.

We opted for a Saturday lunch and settled in on the patio with jackets and the space heaters going (it was just too beautiful not to sit outside) and ordered a Kentucky Ale.

Next up for me, well, us, were Truffle Fries. These are one of life’s simple pleasures. No French Frie tastes the same after you’ve had one graced by the presence of truffle oil.

My husband ordered his favorite, Lobster Crepes. Crepes with a creamy lobster-based filling set on top of guava sauce and garnished with microgreens. Sweet, salty, rich – this is the crepe of all crepes.

We enjoyed our starters to their fullest extent and some a bit longer. We had to keep fries on the table and nibbled throughout our meal. You don’t just give Truffle Fries back to the waitress. You finish them even if you are full. I mean, it’s truffle oil!

Now on to the main course which for my husband was actually a starter. He was sold on the Fried Calamari which came topped with sautéed peppers, onions and Napa cabbage. This was a bowl of perfection. The calamari was light and tender. It almost melted in your mouth.

Now for this woven shrimp. To get you thinking in the right direction, consider coconut shrimp with three times the flavor and ten times the creativity.

Woven shrimp is jumbo shrimp covered with shredded filo and fried until crispy. Good, but it gets even better. It is set on top of risotto. Creamy coconut risotto with edamame and corn. Then it’s topped with a chili sauce.

It’s brilliant, classic and a bit breathtaking all at the same time. Hands down my favorite dish at a restaurant.

So remember, Azur, Lexington, Woven Shrimp.

Birthdays aren’t complete without dessert. My mom is a fabulous cake decorator and has owned a shop for years, so growing up I was never without a beautiful birthday cake. Now that I’m all grown up, I usually still get one, but it’s when we are able to get together near my birthday, not always on it.

So I usually have a substitute the day of and this year my husband went to Twisted Sifter, a nearby bakery whom I also mentioned in my post about Danville, Kentucky. On a side note, I might have mentioned rather strongly that I wanted a cake from there.

Inside this beautiful cake was the seasonal flavor, pumpkin pecan with a cream cheese filling covered in buttercream frosting. We kept saying we would freeze part of it, but then we made an excuse everyday as to why we needed another piece. Needless to say, we’ll just have to order another when we get a craving because none made it past my birthday week!

Thirty-two was a big year for me. We got a new pug, I published my first book, I ran my 2nd half marathon and we visited a few new places. All of that has me more than ready to face 33 and excited to find out what’s in store!

Shrimp Spring Rolls

October 2, 2011

I have absolutely nothing against cilantro. In fact, I love the stuff. But I fear I greatly offended the herb this week.

I have this very organized habit of getting all my ingredients laid out on the counter whenever I begin to cook. This leads to a bad habit of pushing things around to create space when I need it for doing things like, um, rolling up spring rolls.

How to Make Shrimp Spring Rolls | Fake Food Free

This was the first time I made spring rolls and I’m pretty darn happy with the result. I could use a bit more practice in rolling to get them tighter, but otherwise I claim success. Well, that is if you don’t talk to the cilantro.

As I proudly wrapped all the rolls and admired them sitting on the plate, I looked over and tucked away in the corner behind the coffee maker, was the cilantro! I had every intention of topping off my pile of filling with a sprig or two before rolling, but in my effort to create space I shoved one of my favorite herbs out of view!

So we’ll just have to enjoy it as a garnish in the photos. The good news is, if you don’t like cilantro, these spring rolls are great without it. If you do, they’ll be even better with it inside and not just sitting on the plate.

Shrimp Spring Rolls

2015-07-31 10:01:54

Makes: 6 to 7 rolls

Write a review

Save Recipe

Ingredients

~3 oz rice sticks
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 green onions, sliced
½ large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, julienned (or if you are like me, as close as you can get to it)
1 ½ cups bok choy, greens only, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
~ 25 cooked shrimp
Cilantro (optional)
6-7 rice paper wraps

Instructions

Place the rice sticks in a bowl and fill the bowl with hot water to cover the noodles. Allow to sit until tender, about 5 minutes. Cool, chop and set aside.
In a wok, heat the oil. Add the green onions, bell pepper, carrots, bok choy and garlic. Cook over high heat for only 1 to 2 minutes. If you want your veggies softer you can cook them longer. Add the soy sauce and the ginger.
For each roll, soften the rice paper wraps according to package directions. Lay the rice paper on a flat surface or plate. On one end pile up some noodles, veggies (cilantro) and 3 to 4 shrimp. Slowly roll up the spring roll, tucking in the filling and folding in the sides as you go.
Serve at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Serving Sauces: The sauces were quickly thrown together. Tasty, but nothing extravagant.
Spicy Mustard – Equal parts Dijon mustard and Sriracha
Peanut Chile – 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, 2 tablespoons imported Thai Chili sauce (I like to get imported because it is usually free of HFCS), 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon minimally refined cane sugar, 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Stir together the ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in water to reach the desired consistency.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Autumn Fish Chowder with Kamut

September 12, 2011

This warming fish chowder recipe combines the hearty, fall flavors of kamut and sweet potatoes with a tropical twist from coconut milk.

Autumn Fish Chowder with Kamut Recipe | Fake Food Free

I saw a fish chowder in a magazine recently and immediately started thinking of ways I could adapt it. I thought fall, tropics and whole grains all at once, but wasn’t quite sure what direction to go with it.

So I went with all three.

After seeing kamut in a cold grain salad when eating out recently, I bought some hoping to substitute it for wheat berries sometime. If you haven’t had it before, when cooked, kamut has the chewy texture like a wheat berry although the grain is slightly longer. So that took care of the whole grain part.

The tropical part comes from coconut milk. Actually I could say tropical-slash-Asian because the soup reminds me of some we had in SE Asia. I worked in a little autumn with some diced sweet potato.

I was incredibly pleased with the result. While it was cooking, I spent the whole time thinking what type of herb or spice I would use to flavor it. Turns out I added nothing, but salt and pepper. All the other ingredients had plenty of flavor on their own.

I used cod as the white fish, and believe it or not, canned salmon. Obviously canned isn’t my first choice, but I had some that had been around a while and no fresh on hand. The soup would also be great with shrimp, scallops or any kind of seafood.

Autumn Fish Chowder with Kamut
Inspired by Wild Rice & Fish Chowder, Midwest Living Recipes for All Seasons Vol. 2

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 large red potato, peeled and chopped
¾ cup kamut, cooked and drained
4 oz. white fish, cubed
4 oz. wild salmon, cubed (or canned salmon)
¾ cup coconut milk
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Prep:

In a 3-quart soup pot, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cook about 7 minutes and then add the garlic. Stir in the potatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in the kamut.

Add just enough water to barely cover the potatoes. Partially cover the pot with a lid, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook 7 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly tender. Add the fish and simmer 3 to 5 minutes more, until the fish is cooked or heated through.

Stir in the coconut milk, salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Lemon Feta Orzo with Shrimp

June 19, 2011

The problem with developing an interest in food is that little by little one becomes a food snob. You might swear it will never happen, but the transition is very slow, barely noticeable at first. You find you start to get a little pickier. Then you find yourself completely turning down things because they just aren’t up to your standards. That’s when you realize it.

I’m a food snob.

It may not be in the traditional sense. I don’t need fancy caviar and champagne, but I do want authentic Asian cuisine and microbrews.

I think it started with coffee. There was a day when I would drink that stuff that is produced affordably for the masses at conferences or in the typical office setting just so I could have my coffee. Now, no thanks. I’d rather go without than suffer through a mediocre cup.

Then it moved on to cheese. While it doesn’t have to be imported, I definitely would prefer a small scale creamery making authentic varieties. At the very least, I have to buy it by the block and shred it myself. That being said, I haven’t been to France yet, so I have a feeling things may only get worse.

The latest addition to my food snobbery list is pasta. Once I made homemade pasta I was sold that the time invested is completely worth the final result. I rarely have the desire to buy and boil up dried pasta. However, some of those fancy shapes and sizes are a bit too difficult for home production, for me anyway.

Orzo is the first one that comes to mind. I love orzo and I’m just not sure I would have the talent or patience to make all those little pieces!

So okay, maybe I’m not as snobby as I thought, but I am starting to get the impression that in certain situations my standards are a bit high. I guess that’s just more reason to travel for the best and make the rest!

Lemon Feta Orzo with Shrimp

1 lb orzo, cooked to al dente
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 spring onions, sliced (greens reserved)
20 to 25 shrimp, thawed if frozen
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 cup black olives, sliced
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
½ tsp black pepper

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep skillet (a wok works well) over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp, the juice of half the lemon and the zest of half the lemon. Cook until the shrimp just begin to turn opaque, or if already cooked, just until they start to heat through.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Stir in the olives, and feta. Continue to cook until the shrimp is cooked or heated through. Remove from heat. Add the remaining tbsp of oil, the juice and zest of the other half of lemon, the reserved onion greens (scallions), parsley and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients. Serves 4 to 5.

Lemon Tuna and Chickpea Salad

March 30, 2011

So this was the plan. A few days ago, when it actually felt like spring, I made a tasty, healthy and refreshing dish that I just couldn’t wait to share with you. I put it off for a bit so I could get some other posts up, then it happened.

Winter came back.

While we haven’t fared as badly as those getting snow, it is in the 30s and misty here. It might as well be blizzard conditions as far as I’m concerned.

It is as if my body was so excited for spring that the few days of 70s we had, it rapidly adapted. Now I have no tolerance. My husband and I even wimped out on our outdoor runs yesterday and waited until we could make it to the warm and toasty gym today.

I’m more than willing to attribute a good mood to sunshine, but I don’t like to blame a bad one on the cold, gloomy weather. I’ve been trying everything to maintain my positive spring attitude.

I did yoga yesterday for enlightenment. I slapped on some coconut lotion to remind me of the beach. We had salad last night for dinner.

Nothing.

Sadly, I’ll just curl up in a blanket and hope the kale, berries and herbs toughen up and hang in there.

So while this salad did nothing for helping me hold onto spring, maybe it will help you quicken its return.

Lemon Tuna and Chickpea Salad

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can albacore tuna, drained
2 green onions, sliced
½ cup mild banana pepper rings
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl and toss to coat everything with olive oil and lemon juice and break up the tuna. Garnish with more banana pepper rings or green onions if desired. Serves 2.

This post has been submitted to Souper Sundays at the Kahakai Kitchen.

Road Trip to South Carolina – Seafood and More

March 17, 2011

I briefly mentioned that my recent absence was due to some time spent in the south. More south than Kentucky, that is. Last week we took a family road trip to Hilton Head Island with my husband’s parents. Then, completely by coincidence, I went back to Charleston later in the week for a conference for work.

We left Kentucky on Friday afternoon and spent the night in Asheville, NC. I was as excited about this stop as the visit to HHI because I’d never been to Asheville. Using my work and blogging connections I got a great tip for dinner – Tupelo Honey Cafe. (Thanks, Melissa!)

There are two locations in Asheville, but since we had never seen downtown we took a cab and came upon this earthy, quaint, yet trendy joint.

The menu is full of local, naturally raised ingredients. The foods are made from scratch and they had a nice selection of local beers. While we were waiting for a table, I tried the organic Pisgah Porter while I checked out the restaurant’s cookbook.

Scratch-made biscuits with jam arrived at the table soon after we sat down. For a starter, we went with the Local Goat Cheese Plate for Two. Fantastic! A generous mound of light, tangy goat cheese topped with marinated sun-dried tomatoes and olives with greens, surrounded by grilled bread.

We shared entrees – one on the lighter side and one a bit heavy, but completely worth its weight. The grilled Tupelo Tomato Sandwich had fresh tomato, havarti cheese and mayo, served with a house salad. This was a great sandwich that reminded me that spring and summer are on the way.

While I didn’t order them often, I do miss a good fried chicken sandwich. It’s nearly impossible to find naturally raised chicken served like this, but not a Tupelo Honey. The Southern Fried Chicken BLT included fried free-range chicken and maple peppered bacon on an artisan bun. It was crispy and tender. They allow substitution of any side dish for the standard home fries so I had to go with sweet potato fries.

I could have stayed in Asheville a lot longer, but the next morning we were off to Hilton Head. This is the point where I introduce you to lots and lots of seafood. My husband and I were determined to overdose on the fresh stuff. It’s way too rare here in central KY.

Our first restaurant feast was Skull Creek Boathouse with a beautiful sunset view.

We first ordered the Triggerfish Ceviche special that was prepared with Asian flavors. It was beautiful and the fish tasty, but we all agreed we like traditional ceviche better with the tangy bite of citrus.

My husband and I split most of our meals so we could try more things and I’m pretty sure we got at least one fried platter each time. We love seafood of all kinds, but when by the water with beer, some type of fried seafood is always on our menu.

Here he ordered the oyster, shrimp and flounder combo. Everything was lightly fried and full of flavor.

I ordered the Big Kahuna Tuna Burger. This sandwich was outstanding! My second favorite meal of the trip. It included a tuna steak topped with Japanese slaw and sashimi aioli. Again, tasty sweet potato fries.

Now, on to the most cultural culinary part of the trip. I read about Dye’s Gullah Fixins’ on Trip Advisor and learned it is one of the top rated restaurants on the island (for the people who discover it). It is tucked away in an almost empty strip mall and the food that comes out of this small restaurant is nothing short of amazing.

Dye takes your reservations (they are required) and will greet you at the door. She prides herself on making recipes passed down from generations that are Lowcountry, Gullah cooking. She came to our table during our meal to explain that the basis of this type of cooking is to keep it simple. Very few spices, long, slow cooking times and using only what is readily available in the area. It was southern food at its finest with such a strong history.

Drink orders came around and my husband couldn’t pass up trying authentic sweet tea. I have to be honest, to me, sweet tea is sweet tea, but everyone in South Carolina promises theirs is the best. I would expect this one was as good as it gets.

We started with Sweet Potato Cornbread – light, tender and melted in the mouth. Dye’s had pieces of sweet potato in it. (I later had some in Charleston made with sweet potato flour, which I found interesting and need to learn more about.)

The syrup on top wasn’t maple, but made from cane sugar. It was intensely sweet and complex, and went well with the buttery cornbread.

Of course we couldn’t pass up Dye’s Fried Seafood Platter. This one had whiting, shrimp, oysters, a crab cake and hushpuppies. For my sides I went all out with mac and cheese, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try her collard greens.

Everything was very lightly breaded and not as heavy as one would expect. The greens were by far the best collards I’ve eaten.

My husband ordered the Lowcountry Boil. This platter was as incredible as it looks – shrimp, sausage, peppers and onions, potatoes, corn and a hardboiled egg. It was all lightly seasoned and the flavors of the fresh seafood made it so simple, yet so delicious.

If you’re in the area, I highly recommend all these stops! Locavore eating all around, the food on our trip fulfilled all we were wanting from our short time by the shore.

Pastured Sausage and Shrimp Rice

March 16, 2011

I’ve only had jambalaya a couple times in my life and I’m certain I’ve never had what could be considered the real thing. So I have no idea why I was craving it earlier this week. There was just something about shrimp, sausage and rice with a slight tomato-y flavor that sounded really good. Not to mention our temps dropped back to mild winter status so some warm comfort food was necessary.

Since my version follows no authentic recipe, I decided it really should be called by the official name. We’ll just say it is similar to some of the versions I’ve had before. Regardless of its authenticity, it did fulfill the comfort food craving.

I used local, pastured Italian sausage so that added a lot of the flavor to the dish. Except for the onion and garlic, all my veggies were thawed from frozen. I had a variety of frozen peppers from last summer so I used sweet banana and one red jalapeno for a kick. My tomatoes were Romas from last year’s garden as well. You can use raw or cooked shrimp. If you use cooked, just throw it in at the end and heat it through.

Pastured Sausage and Shrimp Rice

¾ lb pastured Italian sausage
20 – 25 shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped into pieces
5-6 small peppers (any variety), sliced
½ large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
4 cups cooked long grain rice

In a large, deep skillet brown the sausage over medium-high heat until fully cooked. If using raw shrimp, add and cook until just barely cooked through. Drain, rinse if needed, and remove from the skillet to set aside leaving a small amount of fat in the skillet for the veggies.

Add the onion, garlic and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until all vegetables are slightly browned and tender and the tomatoes begin to soften and break up.

Add the paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper and salt. Stir to coat all of the vegetables. Add the rice, stirring to incorporate it and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the sausage and shrimp and cook for another minute. Serves 6.

****************************************************************

I know I’m a bit behind schedule and I apologize for the delay, but I finally selected the winners of my new book – The Everything Guide to Food Remedies. I stole a fun idea from Deb at Kahakai Kitchen and copied everyone’s name taken from the comments. I put them all in my cute cupcake bowl, shook it, closed my eyes and drew.

So here you go.

The three people who will receive a copy of my book are Joanne at Eats Well with Others, Aoife of The Daily Spud and Pearl! Please email me your address at lori (at) fakefoodfree (dot) com and I will send you a copy.

I will email you if you provided me an address and will give everyone one a week to respond, so by next Wednesday. After that I will select another winner.

Thank you for all the congrats and the thoughtful comments! I really enjoyed reading your philosophies on health and food.

Shrimp and Grits with Kale Chips

January 17, 2011

Why in the world did it take me so long to try kale chips?!

I’ve seen them all over food blogs and kept thinking – oh, I need to try those at some point – but just never got around to it.

My husband did the grocery shopping last week and I had kale on the list. While I’d much rather buy local kale in the bunch this time of year, well, that just isn’t happening. The second choice, supermarket kale by the bunch, has looked awful lately. So he picked up one of those monster bags of chopped kale.

At first I thought, what in the world am I going to do with all this before it goes bad? I mean, I like kale, but that is A LOT of kale. Then I remembered kale chips. Perfect solution.

If you haven’t made them, it is so easy. Spread your chopped kale out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

There you go. Crispy, smoky little vegetable chips. Amazing that a veggie turns into such a great salty snack. We practically ate them all off the pan before dinner.

I picked up some locally ground grits from a festival a while back and I’ve had shrimp and grits on my mind. Once I had the kale chips I knew right away they would provide the perfect way to add a dark leafy green to this southern staple. The crispy green leaves add a crunchy texture and smoky flavor to the shrimp and creamy, cheesy grits.

Shrimp and Grits with Kale Chips

3 cups chopped kale leaves
1 cup dry grits
4 cups water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare kale as described above. Lay it out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the grits and stir often until it reaches a porridge-like consistency, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese until mixed well. Add salt and pepper to taste, if you desire.

While the grits are cooking, heat the olive oil over medium-high in a skillet. Add the garlic, cook one minute.
Add the shrimp and cook until they turn opaque, or a whitish, pink color. Sprinkle in the paprika, red pepper, salt and black pepper.

To serve, divide the grits into 4 bowls. Top with ¼ of the shrimp. Layer on kale chips to your taste. Serves 4.