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

Ever feel that you are running out of meal ideas with certain foods?  That happens to me sometimes so I try to step back and think about different ways to use that certain ingredient.  The last thing you want to have happen is that you get bored with a great food.  The food of choice today is “Tomato“.  I never used to like tomatoes but as I grew older I have found a new love for them.

I am not a huge fan of the tomato on just any given deli sandwich however but I do love tomatoes roasted, in sauces and on certain sandwiches with cheese.  I just compiled a simple list that I came up with on ways I like to use tomatoes.

Hopefully they will spark your interest to try them.

7 Ways to Use Tomatoes

1. No-Cook Pasta Sauce – In a large bowl combine several chopped tomatoes, a clove or two of minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to coat tomatoes. Add hot pasta and toss to coat pasta. Bits of fresh mozzarella can be added – they will get a bit melted  when tossed with the hot pasta. At the very end you can add red chili flakes, basil, and freshly shredded Parmesan are all tasty additions as well.
2. Grilled Tomatoes – Slice the tomatoes nice and thick, coat with a little olive oil – season with salt and pepper and grill for 4 mins on each side.  Yum!
3. Toasted Tomato and Pesto Sandwich – Spread two slices of your favorite sandwich bread with your favorite pesto (need a favorite? try this pesto), top one pesto-ed slice with several meaty slices of tomato, sprinkle with salt, sandwich, and enjoy!
4. Simple Salsa – Make your own fresh salsa by tossed chopped tomato with your choice of the following: minced red onion, minced garlic, finely chopped jalapeño or serrano chiles. Add salt to taste. A splash of red vinegar can be tasty, too.  Another addition can be some fresh avocado as well.



5. A Kicked Up BLT – This is a classic with a twist.  This takes a little bit of effort but is so worth it.  I like to take two slices of a thick homemade bread, toast it, top with a little butter and a nice piece of cheddar cheese. After that I add the fresh romaine lettuce, juicy red tomatoes and crisp bacon.  I top it with freshly ground pepper and enjoy!



6. In a Salad – Any salad of your choice – tomatoes are a great addition. Keep it simple and dress it just before serving.
7. Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice - This one is a great fun recipe on a cool day.  Scoop out the insides of the tomato.  To prepare the filling use cooked rice, oregano and ground beef ( or you can omit)  Top with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

So there you have it!  My top 7 ways to kick up the regular tomato.  Let me know if you have any other great ways to kick up the tomato in the comments section.  I will be back tomorrow - Have a great Wednesday.

Take care

zesty