Cooking Bleary - Episode 1

What is Cooking Bleary About?

If you're like me you love cooking - but after a long day - you just have no energy.
Why don't I do meal planning? I don't always get the chance to do meal planning and I try to use my microwave less.

On Cooking Bleary we'll experiment and explore ways of cutting corners cooking whether it's turning canned and frozen foods in to tasty meals, utilizing a slow cooker or all together avoiding the stove and oven.

My diet consists of me trying to cut carbs and consume lesser calories. Though some meals featured will be epic failures to my diet.  When choosing foods I try to opt for lower sodium, organic, lesser carbs, fewer calories, high fiber, hearty and avoid food with ingredients I can't pronounce.

There probably won't be any measurements for recipes that I will post. I don't really measure anything. You'll pretty much need to wing it and I'll try to provide pictures so you can get an idea of measurements.

Bleary level will be used to provide an idea of how much time/work it will take to make a dish

Pesto Zucchini with Shrimp

In this Episode  am making two servings (May be three for some people my boyfriend eats a lot)

 

Ingredients

• Zucchini  - I used 4 small ones (Wanna save more time and do less work? Use Veggie Pasta)
• Parmesan Cheese (Shaved, Shredded, Grated - Your preference)
• Shrimp (Pre-Cooked and defrosted) 
• Butter 
• Garlic Powder
• Pre-Minced Garlic 
• Pesto Sauce (any kind - I prefere Classico brand) 
• Sun-dried Tomatoes (any kind in a bag)
• Seasoning - Black Pepper, Cilantro, Salt, whatever else you prefer

Tools

• Cutting Board
• Knives and Cooking Utensils
• Medium - Large Size pot for boiling zucchini noodles
• Wide, Large Pan
• Mandolin - I purchased mine on Amazon (It was intended to be a beginner mandolin for me, it's really sharp and I have had it for a while Check it Out! Slice It(TM), The Express Mandoline Slicer. New 2015 Model! 8 Function Slicer Set. 4 Interchangeable Blades Included. - or Vegetti (this increase time and work for me)

It took me approximately 22 minutes - Your time will vary based on how fast you are or options used.

Let's get started

If you decided to use Zucchini and not pre-made vegetable pasta follow these steps 1-3. For persons using vegetable pasta follow the instructions on the packaging then proceed from step 4..

1. Pour about 2 - 4  cups of water in a pot, (depends on how much zuchinni you plan to make - I tend to use a lot of water and pour the excess out) add a dash of salt and let it boil.
   
2. Wash the Zucchini, cut the stems off. For Mandolin Users: Select the Julienne slicing tool, cut the zucchini in half following the safety instructions on your mandolin begin slicing lengthwise. If you want them longer don't cut the zucchini in half. If you opt to use a Vegetti or other Vegetable Spiral tool follow the user manual. (This took me 5 minutes)
3. When you're done slicing the zucchini, The water should be boiling now; place the zucchini noodles in the boiling pot of water and cover it tightly with a lid and turn the heat off leave it like this for about 4-7 minutes - it cooks quickly, and can get soggy fast unless that's how you like it. 
4. During that time get a large sauce pan or skillet, melt some butter or use cooking oil of any kind and heat. 
   
5. Depending on how long that took you; check the zucchini and perhaps take it out of the hot water. 
6. Pour the shrimp into the pan, add seasoning (Garlic, lemon pepper, basil etc the pesto I used was flavorful - so avoided adding too much seasoning), add the zucchini noodles, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and stir. Put the pan on low heat and cover for about 5 minutes.
7. Scoop the preferred serving size onto a plate and top with Parmesan cheese. 

     
     

   

I am not a nutritionist, chef , dietitian or in any related field - Try these recipes at your own risk.