Tag Archives: rice

Shrimp, Peas and Rice

This dish brings back memories of my youth. I lightened my parent’s original recipe and the results were just as delicious. Serve this with a vegetable on the side like sauteed string beans. Whenever shrimp is on sale, buy a pound or two and ask them for the frozen shrimp since all shrimp sold has been previously and is thawed in the store, this way you can freeze it and use it only when you need it. Note, when weighing your shrimp, peel it first. The peel is almost 1/4lb so 1-1/4 lbs usually yields 1 pound.

Shrimp, Peas and Rice
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Size: 1/4th • Time: 30 minutes • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 322.8 • Fat: 7.9 g • Protein: 23.5 g • Carb: 36.1 g • Fiber: 2.8 g

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (weight after peeled)
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon light butter spread (I used Smart Balance light)
2 tsp plus 1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

In a medium size heavy pan melt butter spread. Add rice and saute about a minute. Add chicken broth and peas and bring to a boil. When all liquid is absorbed reduce heat to low and cover. Cook on low for about 15 minutes, until rice is cooked through.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to hot pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and add rice. Add grated cheese, shrimp, and parsley and saute another minute, mixing well.

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole, a dish your whole family will enjoy.

Italian rice balls, otherwise known as Arancini are one of my favorite appetizers, but I usually stay far away because they are deep fried and loaded with fat. If you’ve never tried them, they are balls of rice stuffed with chopped meat, peas and cheese, then breaded and fried, what’s not to love?

This lightened up casserole is the genius of my friend Julia from Julia’s Healthy Italian. I “skinnified” her recipe a bit to cut the points down, but she takes all the credit for the creativity of turning an otherwise very heavy meal and making it lighter. The servings are large and very satisfying. A simple green salad on the side is all you need to complete this.

This is probably a good weekend recipe to make since it requires some prepping, Julia usually makes double and freezes the second casserole to use later on. I halved her original, but it makes sense to make two for the same amount of work it takes to make one.

To make this quicker you can make the rice ahead of time as well as the sauce. I used my filetto di pomodoro recipe, but you can use your favorite sauce. I recommend either using the 93% lean turkey, I found the 99% lean turkey was too dry and the points remain the same.

Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole
Gina’s Skinny Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Old Points: 8 pts • Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 367.2 • Fat: 9.5 g • Carb: 46.8 g • Fiber: 2.0 g • Protein: 20.9 g

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked long grain rice
4 cups water
1 (2.5 oz) sweet Italian sausage link, casing removed
10 oz (.65 lbs) 93% lean ground turkey (1/2 package)
1/4 cup onion, minced
salt and fresh pepper
5 oz frozen peas
16 oz homemade tomato sauce
1/3 cup egg beaters or egg whites
1/2 cup pecorino romano
cooking spray
4 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs, divided
1 1/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

Directions:

Cook rice in water according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, sauté sausage meat; cook until brown breaking up into pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add turkey and onions and cook until browned, breaking up as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add peas and 8 oz tomato sauce and simmer on low, covered, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl combine rice, pecorino romano, eggs, and 3-4 oz tomato sauce and mix well. Rice should be a bit sticky.

Spray a 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray, making sure to spray sides too. Add 2 tbsp breadcrumbs to the dish and roll around to coat the bottom and sides.

Take half of the rice mixture (a little more if needed) and cover the bottom of the dish and up the sides; press to form the bottom layer.

Add the meat and peas.

Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Top with remaining rice and press until even. Top with remaining 4 oz of sauce, remaining 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, and remaining mozzarella.

Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes. Cut into 8 pieces.