Linguine with Clams and Shrimp

Even though I am trying to live a healthy lifestyle, I still love a big bowl of pasta. Nothing is more satisfying and comforting than twirling long strands and biting down into perfectly cooked al dente noodles.  When making healthy pasta dishes I like to “rev” up the flavor with bright ingredients and different textures. I also recommend using fortified and whole-wheat pastas that have more fiber, protein, and more whole grains than “regular” pastas. This way you can have a smaller portion but still feel full. Feel free to add any extra vegetables to this dish and make it your own!

Linguine with Clams and Shrimp

Makes 2 Servings

1 Serving = 7 Points

• 3 oz whole-wheat linguine (Healthy Harvest)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small spring onion, bulb and greens separated and sliced (can substitute scallions if spring onions are not available)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 6 oz cockles or other small clams,  scrubbed and cleaned
• ½ cup champagne or other white wine
• 4 large shrimp (head on if possible), deveined
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water aggressively with salt so it tastes like the ocean. Add your linguine or pasta of your choice.

Spring Onion

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tsp of olive oil. Add the white bulb of your spring onion and cook until softened. Add your garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Then add your cockles and champagne and turn the heat to high and cover with a lid.

Cook the cockles for 3-4 minutes or until they open. In a separate small sauté pan add 1 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Season your shrimp with salt and pepper and sauté in the small skillet for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.

Drain the pasta when it’s “al dente” or slightly before “al dente” and keep 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Once the cockles open, add your cooked pasta and cook together for 2-3 minutes. Add some pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Finish the pasta with lemon juice and green tops of the spring onions. Portion the pasta between two plates and top with your sautéed shrimp. Twirl with pleasure.

Warm Millet Salad and Pan-Fried Fish

I told someone recently about this tasty salad I made of creamy mushrooms, brussel sprouts, and millet. They then proceeded to ask me if millet was a birdseed. I literally laughed out loud. Although, I’m sure millet is in included in birdseed it’s completely edible and  pretty delicious as well.

I’m not much of a “New Years Resolution” type of gal but this year I did decide to add some new whole grains into my diet. I eat the usual suspects…brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, even barley. But I decided to dive in and try one of the more “interesting” grains. I actually found the recipe on the Whole Foods website and decided to give it a try.

You cook millet the same way you would cook rice. I first toasted the millet in a dry skillet with some cooking spray before I added the water. This is a great way to add additional flavor without adding additional fat or calories. You will need to use a 2:1 ratio for your millet (2 parts liquid to 1 part millet). It will take about 25-30 minutes to cook. When the millet is cooked through, let it rest for 5 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork and place into a bowl

While the millet is cooking away, you can begin to sweat your aromatics. Sweat your onions and celery together and season with salt.

Another interesting aspect of this salad is the brussel sprouts. Instead of cutting your sprouts in half and then having to blanch them, shock them, etc, you can just slice them into thin strips and sauté them as is!

After your onion and celery soft, add the brussel sprouts and sauté until cooked through but still somewhat crisp. Add this mixture to a bowl with you millet.

Wipe out your sauté pan with a paper towel and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add your cremini mushrooms (you could also use white button, shiitake, oyster, etc) to the pan and sauté until golden brown. Add the white wine and let it reduce (takes about 1 minute). Then add the half-and-half and cook until slightly thickened. Lastly finish with fresh sage.

Add this mixture to the bowl with your millet and brussel sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then finish with fresh lemon juice.

I find this salad is best served warm or room temperature.

¾ cup                     millet

1.5 cup                    water

1/3 cup                   onion, diced

1/3 cup                   celery, diced

8 oz                         brussel sprouts, sliced

8 oz                         cremini mushrooms, sliced (one package)

1.5 fl oz                   white wine

¼ cup                     half-and-half

2 tbsp                      fresh sage, chopped

2 tbsp                      fresh lemon juice

Make 4 servings

1 serving = 1 cup = 6 Points Plus

Now I also paired this amazing salad with…pan-fried fish. I know what you’re thinking, how can you eat a breaded and pan-fried piece of fish and still lose weight?

It’s easy actually! It’s all about swapping out the unhealthy ingredients with better alternatives.

You’ll need…

3 oz                         fish (I used halibut)

½ tbsp                   wondra flour (you can also use all-purpose)

1                              egg white

1 tbsp                      Dijon mustard

½ oz                        parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup                     panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp                         herbs de Provence

Makes 1 serving.

1 serving = 7 Points Plus

First season with piece of fish with salt and pepper liberally. Then dust in Wondra flour. Wondra is great for breading and dusting food in because it’s very light and leaves a very thin layer on your food.

Instead of using whole eggs, I opted for egg whites and to add a zing a flavor I added dijon mustard, which also helps the breading stick to the fish. Mix together Dijon mustard and egg white. Dip your flour-dusted piece of fish into the egg white mixture, making sure to drain off excess.

Finally, mix together panko, parmesan, and herbs de Provence. Dip your fish into the breading and make sure the fish is completely coated. Press the breading into the fish.

Next, heat up a small sauté pan over medium heat. Spray thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray. Add ½ tsp of vegetable oil.

Add your fish. While one side is cooking spray the other side with cooking spray. After 3 minutes or so, flip your fish over. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.

Make sure you let the fish rest for 2 minutes before digging in!