Warm orzo salad

This is such a yummy recipe loaded with nutrients and flavor. It is easy to make and can be eaten as a solo vegetarian dish or as a side dish. I like this as a night before race meal or after a lunchtime run for an easy and tasty lunch that can be eaten hot or cold.....

Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta or I prefer Arborio Rice
4 cups broccoli florets, steamed
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c onion, chopped
1/2 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 C white wine
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

Method
Cook orzo or rice as directed. Add broccoli, tomatoes, green onions, olives, pine nuts, olive oil, wine, salt and pepper in the last few minutes and toss gently to combine. Top with feta cheese and serve.

New Orleans Style Shrimp

Shrimp is one of my FAVORITE seafoods but I hate peeling them raw....blech! I like this recipe because it is perfect for a busy family and I don't have to touch the slimy little boogers. Make the marinade the night before. When you get home from work, throw the shrimp into a bowl with the marinade and go get in a run. When you get back, pack them in foil and toss them in the oven while you make a quick salad, some broccoli, a baked potato, or even some black beans. A full meal that totally nutritious and even allowed for at least a 3 mile run. What's not to love?!?

New Orleans Style Shrimp

3 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T lemon juice
1 T butter, melted
2 t fresh rosemary, chopped
2 t fresh garlic, chopped
½ t dried thyme
½ t hot pepper sauce
¼ t ground pepper
¼ t ground red pepper
2 lb unpeeled large shrimp
2 lemons,sliced into ¼ in slices


Combine first 11 ingredients in large bowl; toss well. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425*.
Fold 4 sheets of aluminum foil in half crosswise. Open; remove shrimp mixture from bowl. Reserve marinade. Place shrimp on foil; drizzle marinade evenly over each packet. Fold foil over shrimp; seal tightly.

Place packets on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

4 servings

Granola Bars

Ok, here it is. You've begged and pleaded and I finally am doing it. I will type out the basic recipe first and then list all the different modifications. I make a batch of these every week and it literally take like 5 minutes to mix them up and maybe 15-18 minutes to bake them.

Ingredients:
4 C rolled oats
1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C wheat germ (optional) or crushed flax seed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C Sunflower seeds, pepitas, walnuts, slivered almonds, pecans, or other nut
1 C any combination of craisins, raisins, dried apricots, dried apples, dates, etc
2/3 C Peanut butter
1 T vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 C water
1/2 C honey, maple syrup, or sugar free syrup

Combine all these ingredients in a bowl with a mixer. It should have a consistency of oatmeal cookies. If not, add another Tbsp of water or so until proper consistency is reached. Press the mixture down into a 9x13 pan and bake at 325* for 15-20 minutes.

To decrease the calories: So if you are really trying to watch calories and these are a bit dense for your needs, then you can substitute half of the peanut butter with canned pumpkin or applesauce or really with any fruit puree you like. Also, use sugar free pancake syrup in place of honey.

Flavor Combinations: These are just some of the combos I like:
* sunflower seeds, pepitas, craisins, apricots
* walnuts, apples, cinnamon
* pumpkin, walnut, raisins