Sashi Made A Recipe: Sheet Pan Creole Chicken & Shrimp

 I am definitely obsessed with sheet pan dinners right now.  Sheet pan fajitas and sheet pan fried rice are 2 that I make almost every week because they are so simple AND tasty!  So finding another recipe that is a hit for both my husband and I is a definite winner in my book.  Especially since chicken breast and vegetables are 0 points on WW Blue. AND this one incorporates shrimp which I loooooooove.

Sheet Pan Creole Chicken & Shrimp

adapted from EatingWell.com

• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 bell peppers, any color, deseeded and cut into 1" pieces
• 2 c. cherry tomatoes
• Cooking spray
• 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
• 10-12 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 c. corn kernels: fresh, frozen, or canned & drained

1. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Place it on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 425ºF.
2. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, paprika, thyme, black pepper, salt, and cayenne.  Reserve 2 tsp of the mixture in another small bowl.  
3. Add the remainder of the spice mix to a large bowl.  Whisk in 1 Tbsp of the olive oil until spices are smooth.  Add the peppers and tomatoes and stir coat well.
4. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and coat with cooking spray.  Spread the coated vegetable mixture on the baking sheet and return it to the oven.  Roast for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tsp of the spice mixture and 1 Tbsp olive oil to the same large bowl used for the vegetables.  Whisk until smooth.
6. Add the chicken pieces and whole shrimp to the large bowl and toss until all are well coated.
7. When the vegetables are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven.  Add the chicken/shrimp mixture and the corn to the pan; stir to combine then spread evenly across the pan.
8. Roast until the chicken and shrimp are cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes longer.
9. Serve as-is or over rice or riced cauliflower.

Makes 4 servings

On WW Blue 💙: 2 points per serving

Sashi Made A Recipe: Boom Boom Sauce

 

I was first introduced to Boom Boom Sauce at work in the cafeteria.*  It was on a shrimp po'boy and I was immediately hooked.  Once I knew they had this spicy ambrosia over at the hot sandwich station, which was also open for breakfast sandwiches, I started getting a small cup of it to put on my eggs as well as fries and pretty much anything else I could think of.

When I found a recipe for it on It Is A Keeper, I knew I had to make a slightly healthier version so, instead of mayo, I just used nonfat plain yogurt.  Easy peasy and just as tasty!  AND, on WW Blue, it's only 1 point for 2 Tbsp!

Boom Boom Sauce

• 1/4 c. plain nonfat yogurt OR plain nonfat Greek yogurt (either one works)
• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp sweet chile sauce (I use Maggi which is available in many major grocery stores)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp sriracha sauce, depending on your level of spice tolerance

Mix everything together in a small bowl until well mixed.  Refrigerate in a covered container until needed.  This is definitely better if you can make it ahead of time.

Makes 6 Tbsp

On WW Blue 💙, 1 point for 2 Tbsp

*Pre-pandemic, there were about 6,000 people that worked in our office buildings.  While this made parking a challenge for those who came in late, it meant that our company provided a lot of things to make it easier to stay in the building.  We had a Starbucks, CVS, Minute Clinic, drycleaners, and bank on site.  But our cafeteria was ah-ma-zing!  At breakfast, they had a short order grill, an omelet station, a breakfast sandwich station, a bagel/pastry station, and premade breakfast sandwiches as well as oatmeal, grits, cold cereal, etc.  At lunch, though, SO MANY options.  Short order grill, cold sandwiches made to order, hot sandwiches made to order, a self-serve salad bar, chopped salads made to order, pasta made to order, Mexican, Italian, Indian, Chinese, sushi, and spa cuisine (baked and steamed options).  I'm sure there is more that I am not remembering.  It was cheaper than going out to eat and, for the price, pretty darn good.  I read once that they served about 3,000 meals for breakfast and lunch.

The cafeteria is only opened partially right now since 95% of us are still working from home, but when the office opens up again, I hope the cafeteria will be back full capacity!

Sashi Made A Recipe: Spicy Korean Inspired Cauliflower Bites

 I have a mild-to-moderate obsession with cauliflower.  I really do. It and broccoli are my go-to for side dishes, but cauliflower is also the star in some main dishes as well. My grocery store was out of pre cut florets this week so Andy was sweet and cut this up for me. This ended up being really spicy but in a very good way! I made it as a side for Thai Lettuce Wraps and ended up using the lettuce leaves for this as well. I'm excited for the leftovers tomorrow!

Spicy Korean Inspired Cauliflower Bites

• 12-14 c cut cauliflower florets (~2 small heads, 1 lg head, or 24oz bag)
• Nonstick olive oil spray
• 2 Tbsp and 1/2 c gochujang paste, divided
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 1 Tbsp chile garlic paste
• Up to 2 Tbsp water, for thinning

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spritz lightly with oil spray. Set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower and 2 Tbsp gochujang together until the cauliflower is well coated. Spread the florets evenly on the baking sheet and spritz very lightly with the oil spray. Reserve the large bowl. No need to clean! Bake for 10 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining gochujang and the rest of the ingredients, adding in only enough water to make the sauce pourable but still on the thick side.
4. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and turn the temperature up to 500°F. (Yes, 500°. Trust me!) Put the florets back into the large bowl and pour the sauce over the cauliflower.  Using tongs, toss the florets until they are well coated with the sauce.
5. Spritz the pan with additional oil and, using the tongs, arrange the cauliflower back on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and has started to brown.
6. Serve with lettuce cups, optional

Makes 4 servings

On WW Blue 💙, each serving is 4 pts