Curried Orange Shrimp

When I was creating a vision for my blog, Nourish – a guide to eating green, I realized that the majority of recipes shared would be vegetarian but…occasionally fish or poultry would slip in J I could definitely live without most animal protein but I do enjoy fish. Here is a delicious creation that combines some of my favorite ingredients: sweet shrimp, flavors of citrus, spice, and curry!

Curry powder is a magical spice that is commonly associated with Thai and Indian food. While this is true, there are many other benefits of using curry powder in addition to its wonderful aroma and flavor! Curry powder is typically a blend of spices: turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cardamom. Its rich, bold, gold color comes from the primary ingredient – turmeric. Turmeric is used in India as an antiseptic and in Ayurvedic Medicine to heal skin cuts and burns.

Research has also showed that curry and curcumin (active ingredient in turmeric) improve neurological and brain health and may actually slow the spread of breast and skin cancer into other areas of the body. For more information on curry powder and its healing properties visit curryremedies.com.

After learning about the amazing healing properties of curry powder – I hope you’re ready to turn your hands yellow (from the turmeric) and enjoy these delicious shrimp!

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds of uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 navel oranges

1 tablespoon of EVOO

1 tablespoon of curry powder (I think I actually used a bit more)

1 teaspoon of red-pepper flakes

Sea salt

Black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a jellyroll pan (baking sheet with sides) with either tinfoil or parchment paper. While the oven is warming up, zest both navel oranges into a small bowl and set aside for later use. Next, use a sharp knife to remove the orange peel and white pith off of the fruit. Cut the orange into nice small segments and spread them across your prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt and roast in the over for 10-12 minutes.

While the oranges are roasting, toss the shrimp and remaining ingredients, including orange zest, in a large bowl. Transfer the shrimp to the baking sheet with the oranges and roast for an additional 5-6 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Serve the shrimp and oranges alongside some coconut brown rice and a veggie of your choice. Enjoy!

Green Juice - the right way to start your day!

My Saturday morning went a little something like this. I slept in much later than normal – 8:30! Some of you may think this is late and others may be laughing because this is the point when you look at the clock and think, “it’s only 8:30,” and then rollover and go back to sleep. While I felt wide-awake, I was still hesitant to climb out of bed because I just knew it was chilly outside of my covers. I finally went for it! I quickly jumped out and added layers. I slid my feet into my slippers and wandered out in the living room to look at the thermostat – 59 degrees in my house! For Southern California this is cold! I continued making my way into the kitchen, with my puppy biting at my legs, to make myself a hot, whole-grain breakfast. Don’t worry I’ll share this recipe later in the week – it is a favorite of mine!

After breakfast, a great friend of mine convinced me to warm up with some heated Vinyasa yoga at a local studio, Indie Yoga. I walked into the warm room and was immediately grateful for heated yoga. No stiff, cold muscles for me! Instead, my muscles started to melt into my mat and I could feel them (my muscles) become more flexible, malleable, and open with each asana. As much as I loved the flow, what I loved most about this class was the AMAZING Savasana adjustment that I received at the end of class. Thank you Carolina Moreira. For those of you who practice yoga, I’m sure you understand what I’m talking about - to receive this “special” adjustment at the end of class is always a treat! This Savasana adjustment was so awesome that it sent goose bumps up my arms. It was heavenly!

A great breakfast, wonderful yoga session…oh yes, the puppy needs exercise. Sage (my puppy) and I headed to the dog park for some socialization, running, and of course plenty of fetch. However, we didn’t stay as long as usual because after watching three dogs roll in a GIANT mud puddle, I decided to end our trip early while I still had a clean dog. On our way home I could hear my body asking for replenishment after the hot yoga class. So many options for great replenishment: water, coconut water, or green juice! Green juice was the winner today!

There are so many ways to make green juice but I typically try to make a “green juice” that is packed full of…you got it, “greens”! Be somewhat cautious of the green juices you will more commonly find at the market because they are loaded with fruit. While fruit is of course very good for us, it is also high in fructose (aka, fruit sugar). Some bottled green juices may contain up to 5 or 6 pieces of whole fruit. Holy fruitamoly! Today, we’ll try to keep our focus on the veggies and only add one piece of fruit (for taste purposes).

Ingredients:

1/3 bunch of kale, thick stem removed

1/2 head of romaine

2 handfuls of spinach

1/4 cup of broccoli sprouts

1 stalk of celery

1 cucumber

1 green apple

Directions:

Send all ingredients through your juicer, pour into a glass, and enjoy!

Sautéed Kale with Red Pepper and Zucchini Ribbons

Today was of those days that you open the fridge and see an abundance of fresh veggies that need to be used before they spoil. Eek! Yes, I know. How could I let wonderful veggies go to waste?! That’s the thing – I can’t! So…after rummaging the crisper drawer I came up with this quick, delicious, and oh so nutritious dish! I promise in ten minutes you’ll have fork in mouth!

Ingredients:

½ bunch of kale, stems removed and julienned

½ red bell pepper, diced

¼ zucchini (or more), peeled into long ribbons

¼ cup of vegetable stock

1 clove of garlic (pressed or minced)

1 tablespoon of EVOO

1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Nutritional yeast (your preference)

Directions:

Add the olive oil and garlic to a skillet or pan and cook until fragrant. Pour in chicken stock and add the red pepper flakes. Once the stock comes to a light boil toss in the kale and cook until greens begins to wilt.  Add the zucchini ribbons, red pepper, and sea salt. Continue to sauté the veggie mixture for approximately two-three minutes or until stock has evaporated. Use a spoon to transfer the veggies to your plate, sprinkle with nutritional yeast (to give it a cheesy, nutty texture flavor) and dive in!