Shrimp and Orzo Bake

I made this in advance of a week of running. Last Sunday I ran my first ever 5K in DC’s The Color Run. Yesterday, I ran my my first ever 10K at the Marine Corps Marathon. The Color Run was a ton of fun – I ran with my roommate and some other friends and it is not lying when it bills itself as the happiest 5K in the world. Though the washing machine in my apartment complex wasn't quite as happy…

The 10K was more challenging, namely because Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the entire East Coast. Luckily there wasn't much wind and no rain during my run, but the hour and a half waiting for the race to start in my shorts and tee shirt in 50 degree weather wasn't too fun. However, I finished at my goal time and have stocked up on the necessities (Oreos. I had planned on doing a big cook on Sunday of three different soups, but with massive power outages expected in my area, I didn't want to take non-perishable food and make it perishable. So Oreos, pasta, and plans to eat all the frozen food I can in case of power outages. I'll let you know how it goes).

I wanted to have a dish I could eat throughout the week that would be filling, but not too heavy, would have protein, but wasn’t a cooked chicken breast, and if it could use most of the ingredients I already owned I would consider it a bonus. This one hit all those points – orzo to stick to your bones, shrimp and feta for some protein, onion and garlic because they are a basic necessity of any dish I cook, and white wine because it’s awesome.

I’ve mentioned previously that I tend to stock up when I see a great deal on dried goods, so I always tend to have pasta hanging around as well as canned tomatoes and frozen shrimp. So I only had to buy minimal ingredients to make a dish that will likely last me multiple  meals – so overall, cheap as well!

Is it any wonder I couldn’t wait to share?

Spicy Salmon Burgers

I don’t really like reheated fish. For some reason, that’s where the dreaded “fishy” smell hits me and suddenly what was delicious the night before is inedible. Which leads me to the point that I tend to only buy enough fish to for a single meal – pretty much the antithesis of the rest of my grocery strategy.

So I’m always on the lookout for seafood recipes that are a) single meal, b) not too complicated, and c) don’t require a ton of work or ingredients. I mean, why go to all that trouble if you’re only going to eat it once?

So I like this recipe because if I’m really hungry I can simply eat both burgers. And if I’m not, I can freeze the extra. Win, win!

Spicy Shrimp with Zucchini

Shrimp is a great protein to taste spices on. If I haven’t convinced you to try turmeric yet (though how you could pass up my Spicy Red Lentil and Rice Soup is beyond me), this might be a good one to start on. The relatively mild flavor of shrimp and what some have called flavorless character of zucchini allows the spice mix here to shine.

This dish packs a kick, but not in the “please give me all the milk in the world, dear god it burns” way. More like “ooooh, that’s good” way. There’s an important difference here.

And since zucchini is currently cheap and abundant, expect to see another zucchini recipe here in a few days. Might as well figure out how to use it while it’s here!

Lemon Caper Tilapia

I’m not a huge fan of red meat (or sausage) and chicken breasts can get boring if eaten enough times, so I’m always on the lookout for new fish and alternate protein recipes. If you have any favorites, please let me know!

This recipe got me from the get go – lemons, tomatoes, capers, and garlic, oh my! Is there anything better, especially in the last gasps of summer we’re now experiencing? Grab some fresh tomatoes while they’re available. Plus the fact that this is the seafood equivalent of slice and bake - slice veggies, bake fish in aluminum. Perfect gateway recipe for people who want to add seafood to their diet but haven't made it at home before. 

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’ve recently been experimenting with freezer cooking. One of the more useful resources I’ve found has been Once a Month Mom – a website with a large collection of recipes that have freezing instructions already spelled out for you (they also sell memberships to buy their monthly and mini meal plans). This was one of the first recipes from them that I made and I think you’ll enjoy it as well!