Pan Fried Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and Green Beans

Here is a simple easy meal that adults and children should like.  This is a great way to introduce someone to brussels sprouts that doesn't usually eat them.  They are naturally bitter, but caramelize in the oven and adding the balsamic taste and a bit of salt magic happens!  I suggest breaking a few into leaves, they are crunchy and addictive.  This is a also a great recipe to have little children help snapping beans and pulling leaves off of sprouts.  Thinking warm spring thoughts on this snowy cold March day

Pan Fried Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients
1-2 pounds of shrimp thawed and deveined
1 lemon
chipotle chili powder to taste
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

1. Zest the lemon.  In a plastic bag or large bowl, combine lemon zest, juice from the lemon, chili powder, salt, pepper and shrimp.
2. Heat butter in large skillet over medium high heat.  Cook shrimp 3-4 minutes or until done, flipping after two minutes

Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
1-2 pounds brussels sprouts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves minced
sea salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Mix oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Note:  you can use less oil if you have less sprouts, just keep the ratio 1 to 1
3. Cut end off brussels sprouts then cut them in half.  Keep the loose leaves they are a family favorite roasted!  Put on baking sheet.  Pour oil mixture over them and toss to coat
4. Cook for 25 minutes stirring once

Simple Green Beans

Ingredients
1-2 pounds green bean ends snapped off
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup chicken broth (or veggie)
1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

1. Wash and snap ends off of green beans.
2. In large skillet over medium heat melt butter.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth.  Turn down heat to simmer.  Put a top on but vent it so moisture escapes.  Cook for 20 minutes.  You can remove the top the last five minutes.  All the broth does not need to be gone, you should cook until you get the beans as soft as you like them

Grilled Chicken and a Rainbow of Veggies with Lemon & Cilantro

Today was absolutely gorgeous and sunny.  It was however not very warm here in ohio.  So I decided to make a spring dish that is as flavorful as it is colorful.  I have pulled out the juicer we got for our wedding recently and absolutely love using it.  You get more juice and it's a small cheap unit easy to clean up.  The 30 second blanching step is definately worth it for the snap peas.  They become brighter and tastier after the step.  I often find myself prepping for dinner in the evenings or afternoons when I have more free time.  If you have have small children read this as after bedtime and during naptime.  This meal is great because you can prep almost everything ahead of time and it will only take you 10 minutes to prepare dinner later.  And because it's healthy you almost have to treat yourself to a little dessert too!

Recipe Modifications

• Marinated chicken for around 3 hours.  
• Pan fried the chicken instead of grilled.  There is oil in the marinade so you shouldn't need any in the pan
• Used more veggies than called for.  One whole yellow and red pepper.  One large zucchini

Ingredients
Chicken:
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
Salad:
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper strips
1/2 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 lemon wedges (optional)

Recipe

This recipe comes from my favorite source Cooking Light. Not diet food, but food that is conscious of health without losing any flavor. Food for life! 

Click Here for Recipe