Shrimp Scampi Alfredo with Mushrooms and Zoodles

NOTE: This recipe is for two.  You will need to adjust if you need more servings.  Also, every dairy product used in this recipe is low fat. 

Ingredients

¼ cup of butter, plus 1 tablespoon (I used low fat, low sodium)

¼ cup of cream cheese (low fat)

1 tsp of garlic powder

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup of half and half (low fat)

Pepper

3 tsb Parmesan Cheese

12oz of Spiraled Zucchini (can get prepackaged in freezer section, or spiral it yourself)

½ lb of shrimp (I use raw shrimp that I took the shell and tail off)

3 table spoons of lemon juice

3-4 Baby Bella mushrooms chopped

Olive oil

 

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet with 1 clove of garlic (minced).  Add shrimp, mushrooms, lemon juice, and pepper (to taste).  Cook until shrimp is pink, on medium heat.   Put the shrimp in a bowl for later.  Do not clean the skillet.

2. Alfredo Sauce: Using the same pan as the shrimp. Melt butter over medium high heat. Make sure to really move the butter around to get the goods from the shrimp. Once melted add in 1 clove of garlic (minced) and cream cheese.  Stir consistently until the cream cheese is melted. Add the half and half, garlic powder and pepper to taste, stir together well and bring to a boil.  Reduce head to medium low about 5-10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken, stirring occasionally.  Once it starts to thicken add the parmesan cheese, stir until it becomes as thick as you want it.  You can add more parmesan cheese if it is a bit too runny, until it thickens.

3. While the sauce is thickening, put the zoodles in a sauce pan with a tiny bit of water on medium high heat.  Put a lid on the pan to create a steam.  (If you have a vegetable steamer you can also use that).  Cook about 5-7 minutes or until the zucchini is soft.  Once it is done, drain any access water

4. Once the sauce and the zucchini is done, mix all together and serve!

Sugar Free/Gluten Free Brownies

The recipe is a work in progress.  I have only attempted it twice.  I made some adjustments the 2^nd time I made it and it turned out way better than the first time.  SO I will likely be adapting this recipe as I make it more to figure out what works and what doesn’t.  The recipe DOES NOT make cake like brownies, they are a bit denser because of the lack of sugar.  But they are still good.  But for now here are the basics.

2 tablespoons of butter

12 packets of stevia

1 egg

1/3 cup of egg whites (about 2 egg whites)

¼ cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (I use pure vanilla, but that’s just our preference)

1 cup of almond flour (I have been using Fine almond flour)

¼ cup of unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder (we prefer dark chocolate, you can use whatever kind of cocoa powder you prefer)

1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

¼ cup of chopped raw almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together the butter, egg,  egg whites,  almond milk, and vanilla.  In a separate bowl whisk together the almond flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and almonds.  Once mixed, slowly add into the other mixture and stir until all blended together.  Grease (I use an olive oil spray) an 8x8 cooking pan and add mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes. 

For mine I added a Sugar Free chocolate frosting that we bought from the store (any will do), and then added some more chopped almonds to garnish.  The next step is researching my own homemade sugar free chocolate frosting.  That is proving to be harder than thought, because I will use only Stevia.  I will not use anything that has aspartame or other artificial sweeteners.  Once I can get that figured out,  I will add that to this recipe!  If you adapt this recipe, let me know!  I am interested to see how it turns out!

White Green Chili Recipe

This 2^nd recipe is what I call a White Green Chili.  I made this recipe up after visiting the Chuck Water Chili Festival a few years back.  I love all of their white chilis.  We use this chili as the main sauce in our homemade chicken enchiladas, but it can be used for whatever.

½ pound of diced pork or chicken

2 tablespoons of flour

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

32 oz. of Chicken broth/stock

16 oz. of Water 

Half of a diced onion

1-2 cloves of roasted garlic (I only used roasted for this)

8 green chilies diced and seeds removed

½ bunch of cilantro chopped (probably about 1 cup)

Garlic salt to taste

Onion powder to taste

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

Again, the green chilies are what adds the spiciness to this recipe.  I use a combination of mild to medium green chilies.  If you want it less spicy, use mild only.  If you want it more spicy use medium to hot, depending on your preference.

This will all be cooked in the same pot.  Put the flour, salt and pepper in a baggies and then add the diced pork.  Mix all around until the pork is coated with the flour.  Heat the olive oil in the pot, once hot add the pork and brown it, you can also add the onions and garlic if you want them to have more of a cooked flavor.  (Stir pretty consistently so it doesn’t stick)  Add the broth, water, and chilies, (onion and garlic if you haven’t done so yet) garlic salt and onion powder. Add in the cilantro last.  Mix together and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a low heat. Cook 2-3 hours on low heat.  Mix the cornstarch with a little bit of water and add a cook about another 20 min to thicken it to the consistency you want.

Hatch Green Chili Recipe

I typically make two different types of Green Chili. This one is a traditional Hatch Green Chili recipe.  I usually use this one for whatever, burritos, just to eat as a stew, etc. The 2^nd one I make is a White Green Chili.  I use frozen hatch green chilies that we get roasted and freeze every year, so I apologize in advance for not having canned amounts.

½ pound of diced pork

2 tablespoons of flour

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of olive oil

32 oz of Chicken broth (either boxed, or homemade.  I used both)

10oz of water

1 can of stewed tomatoes

Half of an onion diced

1-2 cloves of roasted garlic (diced)

10-12 green chili peppers diced (I use roasted)

*The green chilies are what gives this the spiciness, I personally use a combo of mild and medium green chilies. I also rinse and pull the seeds out of mine, as the seeds can give it more hotness.  If you like super spicy use hot green chilies and leave the seeds, if you don’t use mild.  If I had to translate this to cans of green chili it would probably be 4 or 5 5oz cans.

Garlic salt to taste

Onion power to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons of corn starch

This will all be cooked in the same pot.  Put the flour, salt and pepper in a baggies and then add the diced pork.  Mix all around until the pork is coated with the flour.  Heat the olive oil in the pot, once hot add the pork and brown it, you can also add the onions and garlic if you want them to have more of a cooked flavor.  (Stir pretty consistently so it doesn’t stick)  Add the broth, water, stewed tomatoes, and chilies, (onion and garlic if you haven’t done so yet) garlic salt and onion powder.  Mix together and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a low heat. Cook 2-3 hours on low heat.  Mix the cornstarch with a little bit of water and add a cook about another 20 min to thicken it to the consistency you want.

Fudge Recipes!

As requested:  Fudge Recipes

These fudge recipes are very simple, and took me only about 15 minutes to make them.  I have been making fudge for years, but this year decided that I was comfortable enough with my fudge making abilities to branch out!  So these recipes I adapted to fit what I was trying to accomplish and they turned out great!

Peppermint Kahlua Fudge

¾ cup of butter

3 cups of sugar

1/3 cup of Peppermint Kahlua

2-3 drops of peppermint extract (OPTIONAL)

5 oz of evaporated milk

1 small jar of Marshmallow fluff

6 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips

6 oz of dark chocolate chocolate chips

1 tsp of vanilla

Melt butter. Once the butter is melted add sugar, Kahlua, and evaporated milk (also add 2-3 drops of peppermint extract if you want more of a peppermint flavor).  Stir consistently until the mixture reaches a soft ball consistency (a candy thermometer should help with this).  Remove from heat and add vanilla, chocolate chips, and marshmallow fluff.  Stir until well mixed.  Poor into a 9x13 pan and chill for about 4 hours.

Dark Chocolate Cashew Fudge

¾ cup of butter

3 cups of sugar

5 oz of evaporated milk

1 small jar of marshmallow fluff

12 oz of dark chocolate chocolate chips

½ cup of crushed cashews

Melt butter. Once the butter is melted add sugar and evaporated milk.  Stir consistently until the mixture reaches a soft ball consistency (a candy thermometer should help with this).  Remove from heat and add, chocolate chips, cashews, and marshmallow fluff.  Stir until well mixed.  Poor into a 9x13 pan and chill for about 4 hours.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy!