Ramblings, musings, and most everything in between

Many of you may have noticed that the common vein running through most of my recipes are that they are designed for people who want to eat well, with a large variety of foods, but don’t necessarily have the financial means of eating the stereotypical organic Whole Foodsy sort of dishes which have come to be associated with eating well today. For some people (a truly unfortunate and alarming percentage) this conundrum leads them down the path toward cheaper processed foods that provide maximum bang for the buck in quantity, while leaving that person woefully undernourished. Others, like yours truly, get really creative, because there simply comes a time when you can’t eat like a 19 year old guy anymore. My advice to all of you who seem to have trouble scraping the cash together to buy healthy ingredients, is to give them a second glance. Look at your grocery stores weekly fliers and stock up on what is on sale, my local store recently had a 10 for $10 on frozen vegetables, and routinely offers sales on a revolving door of fresh fruits, veggies, and meats. 

Today’s recipe is one which was born out of this need to be both thrifty and to eat well. It’s one I’ve tweaked since Jenny first introduced it to me way back in undergrad, and one I’m proud to say is the trifecta of taste, ease of assembly, and nutrition. Altogether the ingredients cost about $11, and made plenty of leftovers. It incorporates artificial crab, which is a cheap (and vastly different) substitute for the real thing, but can be made with actual crab meat. I honestly enjoy the slight sweetness the artificial crab gives the dish, particularly as it absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients exceptionally well. As a change up from the norm I also used multi colored rotini instead of my usual angel hair, which added some nice flavor and texture, while making the dish look more attractive overall.

Simple Seafood Pasta.  

Ingredients:

1 lb Pasta (any variety will work)

1 package artificial crab (I prefer the chunk style, but leg style also works)

1/2 pound frozen shrimp (not required, but adds a great taste)

1 large bell pepper (any color works, but I find that green holds its flavor better)

1 medium onion 

2 cloves garlic

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon pepper

1/2 tablespoon basil

1/2 tablespoon oregano 

Salt to taste

Directions:

Boil pasta in a large pot. Drain when finished

In a separate skillet over medium high heat saute garlic and onions in the olive oil until the onions just begin to brown. Add the green pepper, crab, lemon juice, and spices to the skillet. Cook them together for between 5 and 7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the green pepper to soften a bit. Reduce heat if necessary. 

Stir the drained pasta into the skillet and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 

Serve immediately and enjoy.