Why do snacks have to have "guilt" associated with it???

So here's this article from USA Today about "Baby carrots take on junk food with hip marketing campaign." This article basically is saying that carrot growers are launching a marketing campaign to try to create "news" for baby carrots the same way junk food producers have been hyping their products. Sounds like a great idea, right? I think it's a great idea!..Why?:

• Your using the same approach with kids to make the baby carrots fun
• Your using fun packaging to get the kids thinking "fun + carrots = good"
• The carrot industry is learning to "if you can't beat them, join them" regarding the marketing campaign is concerned.

What troubles me, however, is the comment at the end of the article, which like anything else, is the last impression you have when reading this article:

Consultant Kate Newlin says she wants to like the idea. She loves the fact that carrots are the color of Cheetos and make the crunch of Doritos. But she says she is not quite buying the premise of carrots mimicking junk food. "The guilt is missing," says Newlin, author of Passion Brands. "I don't think Frito-Lay will be trembling."

An "expert on this subject" is saying, "you need to have "guilt" to market junk food." And the whole point of this article is that the baby carrot growers are "using the marketing strategy" of the junk food producers by making carrots fun and approachable for kids. And as parents, "whatever you have to do to get your kids to eat their vegetables" is what goes through the minds almost every day. And if it doesn't cost too much or make that much of a difference, parents are looking for any angle to get more fruits and vegetables into their children's diets. I know, my nephew refuses to eat carrots, but if you make it fun and exciting, he miraculously changes his stance and tries it. We need to make food fun for kids and I applaud the baby carrot producers for making this attempt.

Only time will tell if it works. But lets take the "spirit" of the baby carrot producers and "make food fun for kids" so they try the foods. Of course, the best quality foods are always best, but I guarantee you, organic carrots at a farmer's market taste a whole lot better than packaged "carrots" (no offense baby carrot producers!). The reason is because it's fresh and its grown to be a "carrot" instead of a mass-producing commodity. So here's what I suggest - take your children (yourself, while you're at it!), and go to the farmer's market and look for some carrots. Talk to the farmer and ask them to tell you about their carrots and taste them. You'll love the crunch; after a while, you'll love the sweetness; and then your body will thank you because the vitamins will make it strong and try to shed some fat for you from the fiber you're giving it. And that's just eating them raw!...Here are some ideas for getting more carrots into your diet and even having your kids try them too:

• Apple-Carrot Sauce (Stewed apples and shredded carrots, add a cinnamon stick, add lemon juice, agave, and some water; slowly stew the mixture until very soft, to bring out the natural sugars in both the apples and carrots; then put them in a blender and now you have apple-carrot sauce!)
• Roasted Carrots with balsamic vinegar (cut your carrots into bite size pieces, then boil some water and then place the carrot pieces in until they are fork tender; strain them and then allow the heat to steam themselves dry; place them in a bowl, 2 pinches each of salt & pepper, olive oil to coat, fresh rosemary or thyme or oregano, drizzle balsamic vinegar; roast in 400-degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes - the sugars in the carrots will get sweet, the balsamic vinegar will get sweet; the herbs will create an aroma that will make everything wonderful)
• Carrot and Zucchini salad (using a vegetable peeler, peel around the cores of 2 medium carrots and 1 medium zucchini - discard the cores, add a handful of arugula, some dried cranberries, blue or feta cheese (or pitted olives if you don't like cheese), juice of one lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Pinch of salt and pepper, toss with your hands, and voila!)
• And of course, Carrot cake - Jameson Style:

Citrus Olive Oil Carrot Cakes

Serves 6 to 8 @ 3 oz portions

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup spelt flour
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup light olive oil
• 1 cup light agave nectar
• zest and juice of 2 medium oranges
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Harvey's Sherry or Grand Marnier

1. Preheat your oven to 400-degrees. Spray your muffin mold / cupcake mold with non-stick spray.
2. Mix your dry ingredients and make sure to whisk any lumps. Mix spices thoroughly in flour mixture. Set Aside
3. In a small bowl, zest and juice the two oranges. Grate you carrots and put into orange juice/zest mixture. Set aside
4. In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil and with a whisk, mix the agave, vanilla extract and sherry.
5. Slowly add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the liquid and mix until just incorporated (do not over mix). Add 1/3 of the orange-carrot mixture and lightly mix. Repeat flour / orange-carrot mixture until everything is mixed together.
6. Spoon / Piping Bag / Pour batter into your molds and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the tops are golden and a crust is starting to form. Using a toothpick, poke the center - if it comes out clean, remove from the oven. If the toothpick comes out moist, turn off the oven and leave the cakes inside with the oven door closed for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the toothpick method comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool slightly before you take them out of the molds. You want the cakes to cool and set otherwise, you could break the cakes while removing them from the molds.
8. Allow the cakes to cool on a baking rack.
   

Aren't we forgetting something???...Learn how to cook!

So when i talk to people about their health and nutrition, almost everyone knows:

1. I need to be healthy
2. I need to eat healthier foods
3. I need to lose weight

But the real issue is the inevitable statement that comes next:

"...HOW do I become healthy, HOW do I eat healthier foods; HOW do I eat and have a meal plan to lose weight..."

And looking at this article, "30 Ways in 30 Days to Stretch your Fruit & Vegetable Budget", from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it's the "How" that is really missing... Lets take a look at the Top 5 of this list:

1. Calculate an appropriate Healthy Food Budget for your family...this step indicates "What" and fortunately, provides a website to show us "How"
2. Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers...How????
3. Create a meal plan for the week that uses similar fruits and vegetables prepared in different ways...How????
4. Buy fruits and vegetables in season at farmers markets...What fruits & vegetable are in season???
5. Grow your own vegetables. Invest a little in seeds to get a lot of vegetables in return...The CDC provides a link on "growing vegetables" but it doesn't provide "practical applications" of growing vegetables...How do I grow vegetables in an apartment???...Which vegetables are easy to grow???

What's my point???...We have almost every "healthy authority" telling us we need to be healthy; we need to eat healthy; we need to get fresh foods; we need to do better with our food. And they even provide recipes for those who do not know what to eat. But there are very few resources from these healthy authorities on "HOW" to eat healthy or in more plain terms "How to cook"...and that's the problem...almost everyone I talk looks at cooking as novelty, or a special skill, or a gift, when it really is about making an attempt to prepare foods we like and practicing those attempts until we get the flavor we want while providing the health and nutrition we already know we need...so in my opinion, the first rule to better stretch our budgets and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our lives:

"...Take a beginning cooking class, read beginner cookbooks, learn from people who do know how to cook, watch Food Network or the Cooking Channel..."

After you've made the initial effort to learn How to Cook, allow me to offer my help on "HOW" to be healthy with the CDC Guide to "30 Ways in 30 Days to Stretch your Fruit & Vegetable Budget":

1. 5 ways to develop a meal plan from the Iowa State University Extension (ISUE): http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsavings/mealplanning/thriftyweeklymenus.htm
2. If you're single, prepare meals for 2 servings...most recipes are made for 4 servings, so simply cut the recipe in half and reduce the times for cooking by 25% (i.e. instead of 10 minutes, cook for 7 1/2 minutes)
3. Here's a link/pdf for a 5-day meal planner from ISUE: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/A5F9EC88-4D97-4964-89F6-D9C0EF59D601/0/fivedayplanningworksheet.pdf
4. This is a great resource to learn about fruits and vegetable seasonality charts: http://www.cuesa.org/seasonality/
5. And here's one website for indoor gardening for possible rosemary, thyme, & tomatoes for indoor growing: http://www.ehow.com/way_5167248_tips-indoor-gardening.html
   

Make an investment in your health by learning how to cook...take a class, pick up a bargain cook book at your nearest bookstore (by the way, my best cook books were reduced priced / bargain priced), and grab some of your friends who also want to cook and make it into a party...whatever you do, start cooking, and then go and do the other things you need to do be healthy and have a GREAT life!

A simple way to create "balance to your meal plan"

Do you have a meal plan???...some of us have financial plans to help us make the money we want for our lives and lifestyle...some have educational plans to get smart and achieve success in life...but do you have a "meal plan" to keep your body strong and vibrant to have the strength and means to enjoy the financial and lifestyle successes we are all working so hard to achieve???

If you don't have a "meal plan" then lets get you a simple one:

1. More fiber, vitamins, and minerals through fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods (AKA, foods with lots of color and substance).
2. Have some protein through lean meats, dairy, nuts and beans...
3. Minimize your fats, sodium/salt intake, processed foods, sugars and sweets

So to give you an idea of what a meal looks like that implements this plan, here's my idea:

"Simple Quesadilla with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese with Basil Threads":

2 quesadillas = 1 serving
Prep Time = 5 minutes
Cook Time = 5 to 7 minutes

• 2 corn or flour "homestyle/handmade" tortilla
• 4 oz of shredded "low-fat" mozzarella cheese (one handful)
  
• 2 oz of grated parmesan cheese (one spoonful)
  
• 6 oz of sun-dried tomatoes (julienne/sliced thin)
• 4 oz basil leaves (sliced thin)(about 12 basil leaves)

1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Place both tortillas on the baking sheet and layer 2/3 of the mozzarella cheese & the parmesan cheese evenly between the two tortillas. Evenly distribute the sun-dried tomatoes with both tortillas and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the tomatoes.
3. Bake the tortillas for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the edges of the tortilla are slightly crispy.
4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the basil over the tortilla. Allow the cheese to cool slightly and enjoy.

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!

When an inconvenience becomes a serious health problem...

So allow me to set the stage: a neighbor of mine is in his garage and I just pull into my garage next to his...I ask him, "How have you been / how was your weekend / how are you?" and the response he gives me reminds me why we need be healthy and have better eating habits...

"I was in the hospital over the weekend / I had chest pains and pressure in my chest / I underwent an angiogram (medical procedure to using a colored dye in your blood to visually see blockage problems in your heart)..."

No one should have to respond to "how was your weekend" like that...the unfortunate reality is that many of us are currently putting ourselves in that position through our daily eating habits and food choices...it is our "human nature" to only deal with a problem when we can see it, feel it, hear it, when it truly becomes an inconvenience. And the consequences of our actions include hospital visits, medical procedures and the possibility of needing to take medications since we cannot win the fight to incorporate health into our lives...

So "How do I prevent this condition from worsening / reoccurring again???..."

"The doctors told me to eat healthy...."

And that's the blunt truth of it all...if you want to avoid the hospital, or unncessary doctor's visits, or avoid undue stress related to lingering diet related health problems, we need to eat healthy...BUT HOW????...

For this particular situation, without knowing the specifics, most doctors & nutritionists want us to lower the amount of bad cholesterol in our diet, eat more fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and eat smaller portions to lose weight and lower our risks for these diet related medical conditions...In terms of food ideas, here's my take on getting our bodies back on track through healthy & great tasting meals:

• Roasted Butter Nut Squash w/ Roasted Shrimp and Garlic
• Saute Eggplant, Peppers, and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Chicken Breast
• Herbed Chicken & Apple Burgers with Arugula, Grape Tomatoes and Whole Wheat Pita Sandwiches
• Zucchini, Cauliflower & Chicken Breast Stuffed Bell Peppers
  

Here's the recipe for the Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Serves 4 (1 serving = 1 stuffed pepper)

-4 medium red bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
-1 tsp olive oil
-salt & pepper to taste

-2 medium sized zucchini, finely diced - 1/4"
-1/4 head of cauliflower, finely chopped
-8 oz chicken breast (cut into 1/2" slices)
-5 basil leaves - chopped
-1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
-1 Tbsp Light Olive Oil

-1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
-1 tsp Light Olive Oil


Preheat oven to 375-degrees & line a baking sheet with rimmed edges with foil. Cut the tops off the red bell peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle the inside of the peppers with olive oil, and season lightly with salt & pepper. Set aside.

On low heat, heat your oil with the basil leaves - do not burn - we want to extract the oils from the basil to infuse the olive oil. Meanwhile, prep your veggies and chicken breast. Once the basil oil starts to "sizzle" (about 10 minutes on low heat), increase the temperature and saute the chicken breast slices. Light season with salt & pepper. After the chicken begins to brown, remove from the pan and begin to saute the veggies. Lightly season with salt & pepper. While veggies are cooking, finely dice the chicken, and add back into veggie mixture. Add Herbes de Provence and continue to cook until zucchini is just turning soft (5 to 7 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Remove the chicken veggie mixture from heat and spoon into the the bell peppers. Make sure to pack in as tight and as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the panko crumbs onto each stuffed pepper and drizzle the olive oil on the crumbs.

Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the peppers are soft but not burnt. Make sure to watch the panko crusts to keep from burning.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.

We need to make changes and it starts with Intention...

Alright, I've just come back (actually last week), from a trip to the White House (yeah THE White House), where I am supporting an effort to fight childhood obesity and promote a healthy eating lifestyle...lets take a strong look at the words "healthy" & "lifestyle"...what does that mean?...it means creating a "life" of healthy eating; where our daily habits are centered around healthy living; where we are happy and content with the peace of mind that our bodies are strong and vibrant; where both the mind, the body, and the soul are "balanced"...Unfortunately, as a nation, are eating habits are not balanced and we are at a tipping point as a society to make changes or face serious consequences in our immediate future.

So "why" is America's eating habits so imbalanced???...(click on quote to read entire article/ at least the first 2 pages!):

According to the U.S. Department of Health, nearly two out of three American adults are overweight or obese. It’s also estimated that millions of Americans suffer from anorexia or bulimia. One could call this an epidemic of “eating disorders,” but I prefer to think of the problem as an increasingly unbalanced relationship to food. One of the primary causes of this imbalance is a lack of an essential human nutrient: mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of paying full, nonjudgmental attention to our moment-to-moment experience. We can use mindfulness to free ourselves from unhealthy eating habits and improve our overall quality of life.

So the next logical question is "how did we get "imbalanced???"...as a country, Americans do NOT pay attention to what we're eating...how do I know???...just read what people from around the country from nationally syndicated news agencies and studies are saying (click on the headings to go to the actual article):

1. The Institute of Medicine—part of the federal National Academy of Sciences—issued a report in April that called on the Food & Drug Administration to require food packagers to gradually reduce the sodium content in food. "The patchwork of voluntary approaches that have been implemented over the years have not worked," the report concluded, noting that the average American consumes 50 percent more sodium each day than is recommended. (Businessweek)
   
2. Health experts say there is no shortage of reasons why poverty is a predictor for obesity. Overall, it comes down to food options: Poverty not only limits choices, but it also can discourage healthy decisions, they say. (Detroit Free Press)
3. UC Davis public health researchers have found that children, who are already saturated with television messages about unhealthy food choices, are the targets of a new medium used to sell high-fat, high-sugar foods: advergames. (ScienceDaily.com)
4. It makes one realize that despite everyone's best intentions, getting kids to eat right is more complicated than it seems. Nonetheless, after seeing how enthusiastic these children were, how open to new foods and tastes (they produced a cookbook and took the microphone, many of them fearlessly, to pronounce their favorite dishes) and how proud to receive their diplomas, it's hard to imagine that some of what they've learned here won't remain. (Wall Street Journal)
   
5. While cigarettes can be addictive, people don't need to smoke to live, and advertising and clean-air restrictions curb tobacco's presence. People must eat, however, and sugary drinks and fatty snacks are everywhere, Kelder and others said. (Associated Press)
6. If you let TV ads determine what you eat, you'll end up with huge amounts of fat and sugar but precious few vegetables and fruits in your diet. (US News)
7. Since processed foods account for most of the salt in the American diet, national health officials, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and Michelle Obama are urging food companies to greatly reduce their use of salt. Last month, the Institute of Medicine went further, urging the government to force companies to do so.(New York Times)
8. These days, the average American consumes a whopping 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, totaling about 350 calories. Thus, in the context of a national obesity problem, it's no surprise that food manufacturers have begun introducing sugar-free versions of otherwise-guilty pleasures, including cookies, cakes, pudding, sodas, gum, sorbet, chocolates, candies, pie crust and syrup. (Los Angeles Times)

So we have tons of reasons "why" we are so imbalanced and why we need to eat healthier...and remember, this is the United States; considered the country with the most resources and ability to do what we need to do "if" we make an effort to make the change...and that is the SECRET to "how" we can make the lifestyle changes we need to become balanced and healthier as a society...it's INTENTION...it's DESIRE...it's EFFORT...it's WILL-POWER...

And as Michelle Obama says, "It's a collaboration...[it's not going to be easy]"...

No one said it was going to be easy...but anything that is worthwhile in life, is never easy...most of the time, the road is long and challenging, but when we get to the destination, we always say, "it was worth it!"...so learn about food (ingredients, fruits, vegetables, meats, fats, starch, grains); learn about nutrition (antioxidants, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals); learn how to cook (make pasta, saute, roast, baking, how to peel/cut/slice everything); learn about flavorful cuisines (Mediterranean, Latin American, Southwestern, French Country-Cooking, Italian Country-Cooking, Indian, Korean, etc.)

Everything I have previously mentioned starts with INTENTION to change our lives to become healthier and allow ourselves to have a chance for a GREAT life...and INTENTION starts a trickle down affect for all of the things we have to do to make the changes...THINK about how a healthy-life will be; BELIEVE a healthy life can be ours; ACT to make a healthy life our reality; and EXPECT the rewards that a healthy-life will give all of us...

And I'll finish with this...(youtube video from Michelle Obama's speech at the Launch of LetsMove campaign)

Michelle Obama hits the nail on the head as to how food affects our lives and how food can improve our lives, and why we must improve our eating habits to improve our lives...

As a chef, I have the knowledge and skills to prepare foods for others to eat...but what is more remarkable, is that I have the "power", as Michelle Obama put it, to make other people's lives more fulfilling around the dinner table, and sustainable by providing nourishment for both the body and the soul...and as a chef, I have the responsibility to turn back the statistics that paint a grim picture of our current situation and share what I know with my community to help children, parents, and anyone else who wants to make their life better...and I'm going to do it, One Meal at a Time!


Be GREAT!
Jameson

Snacks???...Mascerated Berries to the rescue!!!!

So a "decided" friend of mine asked me, "James, I get hungry a little bit before lunch and right before dinner; what are some good snacks that I can have besides chocolate???" This is the question almost everyone in America and around the world is asking themselves wanting for more....more flavor, more taste, more energy, more than just the "snack machine" in the office lounge...

Lets make one thing clear...stay away from this "thing" you call a "snack machine"...it is NOT your friend...NEVER has been, because:

• it always takes your money
• it's just "available" and gives you "quick-energy" instead of "long-lasting energy"
  
• and you have to work harder, as in "go to the gym to work off the extra weight you are about to gain."

So if I should stay away from the snack machine, "How do we get a small meal/ a small morsel/ a small "something that will carry me through the in-between-meal times", without ruining my appetite for lunch or dinner????...Simple...eat "whole foods" (no, not "Whole Pay-Check")

"Whole Foods" are food stuffs that have not been chemically, genetically or on any other way, tampered with. They are natural, raw produce of nature. Whole foods carry out all the requirements of good diet - absorption, assimilation and elimination, and these are the basis of a healthy body system.

Whole foods provide you with long-lasting energy...and if prepared properly, can make you happy, because you're eating something that not only feeds the body, but the great flavors you'll be enjoying also nourishes the soul because it tastes GREAT!

So here's one of the snacks that I like, berries and citrus, because its Nutritious, Tasty, and most of all, simple!...But before I show you how to make it, lets understand why this snack is good for you...

Strawberries, Blueberries, Citrus
Lets get to know them from a "Good for my Body", point of view (NOTE, click the headings for more detailed information) :

• Health & Nutrition Information for Strawberries
  

  The Romans prized wild strawberries for their medicinal properties. Ounce for ounce, strawberries have more Vitamin C than citrus fruit. According to the American Cancer Society, foods rich in Vitamin C may lower the risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C.
  In fact, a serving contains about 14 mg or almost 25% of daily requirement for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for the formation of collagen and to maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes a healthy immune system

• Orange Juice Has Among The Highest Nutrient Content

  A new study shows citrus juices provide more nutrients per calorie than many other commonly consumed 100% fruit juices.¹ The USDA 2005 Dietary Guidelines encourages you and me to eat more nutrient-dense foods because they contribute to a healthy diet that offers important benefits such as reduced risk for a number of chronic diseases, support for normal growth and development of children, and health promotion for people of all ages

So lets recap, I need snacks that are 1) Good for my Body; 2) Tastes GREAT; 3) Simple....So now you're thinking, "Ok, I know they're good for me, but now what do I do???"...alright, lets make "Tasty Magic" happen:


Citrus Mascerated Berries w/ Mint
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 pint Fresh Strawberries, tops removed, quartered
1 pint Fresh Blueberries
16 oz of fresh squeezed citrus juice (use Oranges or Tangerines if you like)
Zest of the citrus fruit (4 oz.)
Handful of Mint, sliced

NOTE: if you need more sweetness, add 1 Tbsp agave nectar or 1 Tbsp Palm Sugar to the citrus juice and combine completely (these are Good Sugars, when used in moderation)

Wash all of your fruit. Remove the stems of the Strawberries and quarter them, place in a plastic or non-reactive, sealable container. Add your blueberries, mint, and citrus zest. Pour your Citrus Juice over the berries. Close the container and carefully mix the berries with the juice and the mint. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours to allow the flavors and oils to combine. Serve chilled.

BONUS: save the juice and add soda water to make a refreshing drink or your favorite clear spirit (white rum, vodka, etc.) to make an outstanding cocktail

What's the moral of the story??? Make this refreshing, healthy, and tasty, and sweet snack on a Sunday, bring it to work on Monday, and scoop a small bowl worth of this snack to last you the whole week!...And remember, a GREAT Snack needs to be: 1) Good for your Body; 2) Taste GREAT for your Soul; 3) Simple to make!...So "Just say NO " to the Snack machine, and take control of your life for healthy and flavorful eating!

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!
Jameson

Add some spice and flavor to your life with Coconut Oil and Florida Flavors

Alright, so here's another way to incorporate healthy coconut oil into a dish...oh, and by the way, incorporate a "great flavor", namely, Floridian flavors with pasta! This dish will help you lose weight, improve your immune system, healthier skin, and fight against heart disease (to name a few), great tasting (tropical flavors, spice, and bright flavors), and looks great....Sounds good?, Lets get to it!...

So you take your basic pasta recipe - pasta sauce, pasta, and maybe a protein or veggie to go with it...so for the people who don't like their veggies, I'm doing you a favor by making it into a sauce...and if you want something that makes you say, "hmmm?", we're taking what Floridian flavors of citrus, garlic, cumin, tropical fruit, and jalapenos (scotch bonnit peppers, actually, but I can't handle that kind of heat!)(it doesn't make me a bad person, hahaha!)...ok, focus!....

So take your pasta sauce recipe that you like, add the Floridian flavors, and you have something really good...BUT...to make it GREAT, lets add coconut oil and make this actually healthy for you without sacrificing flavor...treat the coconut oil like you would butter, and enjoy!

Floridian Inspired Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Rigatoni and Shrimp

Serves 4

Sauce:
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 cloves of garlic
4 oz light olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste

Salsa:
3 tbsp light olive oil + 1 crushed garlic clove
2 shallots - finely diced
1 to 2 jalapenos (1 = light spicy / 2 more spicy)
*authentically, you need a scotch bonnit pepper or even a habanero
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup pineapple, finely diced
2 oz lemon juice (use lime juice if you have it)
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 coriander
salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp coconut oil, unrefined/virgin

16 oz rigatoni pasta, reserve some pasta liquid, if needed

12 ea medium sized shrimp, peeled and devined (frozen or fresh)

2 tbsp, finely chopped Italian parsley

Make the sun-dried tomato sauce, in your food processor, add the garlic, olive oil, tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes, puree until smooth. Set aside.

Cook your pasta to al dente in salty boiling water - time your pasta accordingly - you want your pasta done when your salsa is done.

Make your salsa, add your olive oil and infuse the oil with the crushed garlic on medium heat, 5 minutes. Remove the crushed garlic and mince into the rest of the garlic. Add the shallot and saute on medium heat until translucent, 2 minutes. Add jalapeno, garlic and saute, 2 minutes. Add pineapples, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (watch your salt!) cook for 2 more minutes. Add coconut oil and stir until oil is melted into salsa, 2 minutes.

Combine your dish. Add sun-dried tomato to salsa and stir to combine, cook for 2 more minutes, you want to have a slight cumin flavor, so add more if you need it. Adjust seasoning again as needed (again, watch the salt). Add pasta and reserve some pasta liquid if you need it. Toss pasta and aerate the sauce with the pasta. Turn off heat, and add shrimp and continue to toss until shrimp just turns pink. Add parsley to garnish and enjoy!

If you have crusty bread, use it to pick up the sauce at the end of the dish!

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!!!
Jameson