Meal # 11 ~ Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Veggies

I took a week break from blogging for a few reasons. 1. The meals I made were less than exciting (tuna noodle casserole, a sweet & sour chicken dish in the slow cooker that was sub par) and 2. Ryan did quite a bit of cooking last week as well. I was getting a little "burnt out" with cooking already!! Ha ha. But, I'm back on track with my resolution, at the moment, so here's another great meal that I got from my good friend, Liz!

Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Veggies (or chicken, in our case)

6 oz whole wheat spaghetti (I used a spiral pasta because it is easier for Connor to eat)
12 oz peeled and deveined raw shrimp, cut into 1 in pieces (we used chicken because we haven't given Connor shellfish yet)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 c fresh or frozen peas
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt per Liz's suggestion)
1/4 c fresh parsley (I used dried parsley. When you use dried vs. fresh herbs you halve the amount)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon EVOO
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 c toasted pine nuts - see note at end (we didn't add pine nuts, again because of Connor)

 
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 2 min less than package directions. Add veggies and cook until pasta is done. Drain well. ** If you are using shrimp, you add the shrimp with the veggies and cook until done.

2. If you are cooking with chicken, you can cook the chicken in a pan while the pasta & veggies are boiling. My sous chef, Ryan, did this for me (some days I can't keep him out of the kitchen!! I wonder if he misses it??). Anyhow, Ryan rubbed the chicken with flour, dipped it in egg and then coated it with a "special" breadcrumb mixture. He then cooked it in a pan until done. After that, I just cut it up into bite sized pieces and added it at the end.

3. Also, while the pasta and veggies are boiling, you can make the sauce. To do that, you first mash the garlic and salt together until it forms a paste.

4. Next, you add yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, oil and pepper. When mixed well, add this to your pasta mixture. Toss the chicken in as well. You can also top with toasted pine nuts, if you chose to use them (see note @ end).

**Note: To toast pine nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over med-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2-4 min. 

For dinner we had our garlic pasta with chicken & veggies and a salad! Yumm! For dessert, we made homemade peanut butter & oreo ice cream! Double yumm!!

The verdict: VERY good. Next time, I think we'll each add our own desired amount of yogurt sauce. I thought it was just right, but Ryan would have preferred a little less. Thanks Liz for a yummy & healthy recipe!

Link to Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Veggies