Eastern Pacific Rim Chowder

2 T olive oil
3 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cubed
2 onions, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 T  ground cumin
2 T  ground coriander
1 t black pepper
3 dashes of sea salt
2 oz minced garlic (this is a lot of garlic to mince by hand, I cheat and get the pre-minced jar at the market)
4 oz sweet chili sauce
2 cans light coconut milk
1 oz Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Cooked seafood medley of your choice – we love crab legs (just half a crab is fine), shrimp (maybe 10-15 or so broken in half), and tilapia (half a filet roughly chopped)
Chop carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery. Heat oil in a large stock pot, add veggies, and saute until slightly softened. Add cumin, coriander, salt, pepper,  garlic, and just enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are soft. Add sweet chili sauce, coconut milk,  and Worcestershire. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes to blend flavors. Add the cilantro and seafood right before you serve it up!

Annnnnd, enjoy :-)

  Lightened Up Shrimp and Grits

Parmesan Grits:

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Creamy Shrimp Sauce:

1 pound unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (4 1/50 count)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Srirachi sauce
2 cups firmly packed fresh baby spinach

Preparation:

1. Prepare Parmesan Grits: Bring 1/4 tsp. salt and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in cheese and pepper. Keep warm.

2. Prepare Creamy Shrimp Sauce: Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil; heat 30 seconds. Whisk in flour; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in broth and next 5 ingredients; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in shrimp and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach is slightly wilted. Serve immediately over grits. -

***Note: This is equally delicious with less shrimp than it calls for, and to cut down on prep time even more, you can use frozen pre-cooked shrimp - just thaw under cold running water, and throw it in with the spinach at the very end!