JAZZ “N” JAMBALAYA
(Page 164, “Diabetes Meals by the Plate”)
4 servings (1 ¼ cups jambalaya with about 6 shrimp and 1/3 cup rice each)
1 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
2 cups chopped green sweet peppers
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup no-salt-added tomato paste
¼ teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/3 cups hot cooked brown rice
¼ cup sliced green onions
Salt-free Cajun seasoning (optional)
1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and de-vein shrimp, leaving tails intact if desired. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. In a very large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Toss shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning to coat. Cook shrimp in hot oil for 2 to 4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, stirring frequently. Remove shrimp from skillet; keep warm.
2. If needed, heat an additional 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Cook the sweet peppers, onion, celery and garlic in the hot oil for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, the remaining 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, the hot pepper sauce, and salt. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp and lemon juice, heat thoroughly.
3. Evenly divide rice among four shallow serving bowls. Evenly divide jambalaya among bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of the green onions. If desired, sprinkle with additional Cajun seasoning.
Meal total (per plate); 245 calories; 5 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 121 mg chol., 712 mg sodium, 32 g carb. (6 g fiber, 9 g sugars, 18 g pro.) Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 fat.
Our assessment: This jambalaya is delicious and easy to make. Aesthetically, I like to keep the tails on the shrimp, but if you want to avoid a messy dining experience, pop off the tails before you stir them into the vegetables. This recipe would be great to serve for Mardi Gras (Feb. 17).
From the book: "Diabetes Meals by the Plates" by the editors of Diabetic Living; 252 pages, $19.99. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.
What you get: This collection of 90 meals is designed to promote healthy eating. The color photographs of each meal show the portion sizes, with the dinner plate divided into ½ nonstarchy vegetables, ¼ protein and ¼ starch or grain. Each meal is 500 calories or less. We want to try Bistro Burgers with Homemade Kale Chips (31), Tried and True Meat Loaves (78), Peanutty Stir Fry & Quinoa Bowls (186).
In her own words: "We hope you'll find this book is both functional and fun. Not only will it help you get dinner on the table, but it can lead to better blood sugars, weight loss and better health." — Jessie Shafer, RD, food & nutrition editor
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