Happy Monday to you!

Let’s call the past weekend a somewhat productive weekend around the house.  I was able to get the garage set up and cleaned.  It is looking better all the time and I even got to use the pressure washer on the floor which I love to do.  We finally inked the deal and got a second car.  That was exciting.  We bought a used Mazda Protege 5 and so far are loving it.  We were also successful in sourcing a Nintendo Wii and the Wii Fit plus.  My sides and arms are killing me as we speak from boxing just a little too much and perhaps a little to intensely.  But oh my it is FUN.

Let’s start this week off with a simple shrimp recipe that you can do all year round and really impress your taste buds.  Shrimp is really easy to cook, takes hardly anytime and are good for you.  I chose to flavor them today with really two simple flavors; coconut and lime.

Do note that I did eat a lot more shrimp than in the picture.  I was having problems getting a decent picture so I zoomed in on one lonely shrimp so you could see the grilling detail.  With the coconut milk they will get nice and charred if you are not careful.

The flavors compliment each other with the sweet of the coconut and the sharp burst flavor of the lime.  I paired these shrimp with just a simple green salad and fresh tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 20 shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh garlic
• 1 Lime
• Salt
• Pepper
• Coconut Milk

Method

1. Place shrimp in a large seal-able baggie. Add the garlic, coconut milk, lime juice, salt and pepper to the bag.
2. Toss to coat shrimp evenly with marinade ingredients. Place bag in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat grill to high heat 475°F – 500°F (245°C-260°C). Oil grill to prevent sticking.
4. Place shrimp directly on the grill and cook for 1 minute per side or until nicely charred and opaque.
5. Remove shrimp from the grill. Serve hot with a drizzle of fresh lime.
6. Serve over salad
7. ENJOY!
   

Zesty Tip: Be careful not to over cook the shrimp.  I have said this numerous times before but it really is the key to success.  Also for an extra kick you could use a little bit of jalapeno pepper to enhance the flavor and make it a bit spicy.

Zest’s To Do List

Today is a bit of a crazy day but I had a pretty good enough of sleep and are ready to go.  On top of normal everyday events that happen at the office I have a ton of blog stuff to get caught up on.

1. Meet with Open Sky about sourcing
2. Work on finishing up the makeover for Mardi at Eat Live  Travel Write.
3. Multiple Logo designs on the go for numerous foodies including FoodForLa, ANutritionisteats.com and BrainGutsHands just to name a few.
4. Complete the free Makeover for Adi at Oatonomy who was the lucky Giveaway winner.
5. Work on the face lift and relaunch of Caitlin’s Operation Beautiful

A Shot of the New Second Hand Car

So there you have it… pretty much a day in the life of zesty couple with a lot of eating, a lot of water and a whole lot of smiles.  I hope you have a great day and I will talk to you later.  The announcement I spoke about is official and I will be talking about it on Thursday.

Take care

zesty

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a great weekend.  Mine was filled family activities such as a family music lesson, shopping for furniture, a fun family dinner, lots of Sudoku and some relaxation.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  It is back to another week at the grind.

 How is your work going?  Mine seems very hectic but time is flying by and I am surviving.  I try not to complain about work because I love what I am doing and often times nobody listens when you complain.

I have been meaning to share this salad with you for a while and I keep forgetting.  It has made it to the top of my list  now and ready for display.  I was first introduced to this salad a few months ago by a Zesty -In-Law.  I really like the ingredient selection and the balance of flavors.  I am pretty sure you will have a hankering for this one when you see the details.

This was one of the features at our New Years Day potluck.

Ingredients

• 1 Pint each of red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Red Onion ( chopped)
• 1/2 Cup Kalamata or black olives
• 1/4 Cup Red wine vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 Cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 Tsp. Garlic powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Pepper
• 250g Whole wheat fusilli pasta
• 14 Cup raisins
• 1/4 Cup Toasted pine nuts

Method

1. Cut tomatoes in half, then place in a large bowl.
2. Chop onion and coarsely chop olives; add with tomatoes
3. Drizzle with vinegar and oil.
4. Add feta, dill and dried seasonings and mix well; Let stand at room temperature.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions.  Add raisins to the boiling pasta for the last minute of cooking.
6. Before draining pasta, remove 1/4 of pasta water.
7. Drain pasta and raisins then add to tomato mixture and stir.  If you find the pasta too dry, add a little bit of water.
8. Taste and add more cheese and dill if desired.
9. Spoon into bowls and top with toasted pine nuts



10. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For a slightly drier version of the salad you can omit the olive oil and just go with the red wine vinegar.  Zesty in law did just that and it was fabulous.

I was really impressed with the tomatoes in the salad.  I am not a fan of olives at all but I didn’t mind them in this salad for some reason.  I think my favorite part had to be the feta cheese and the fresh tomatoes.  This is a huge success in the summer when you can use your garden fresh grape tomatoes.

What is your all time favorite pasta salad? I am always on the look out for a great pasta salad that can be made on a Sunday and ready to eat through the week when you are in a pinch.  Tell me yours in the comments.

I hope you have an awesome day today.

Take care

zesty