falafel-coated shrimp

falafel is one my favorite middle-eastern foods; a super flavorful ball of chopped-up chickpeas & spices. but, as i'm not into deep frying in my kitchen, falafels do not enter. but their flavor sure does with this awesome, easy recipe from everyday food. you'll need to buy a box of falafel mix, a dry powder mix (pictured) available at most grocery stores. and you can feel good about yourself with this one - it's healthy... and freaking yummy.

falafel-coated shrimp with yogurt dipping sauce
1 egg white
3/4 c. dry falafel mix
6 T. olive oil
1 lb. peeled/de-veined shrimp
(yogurt dipping sauce recipe below)



in bowl, whisk egg white. pour falafel mix onto large plate. heat 3 T. olive oil in pan over medium heat. dip shrimp into egg white, shake off any extra, & transfer to the falafel mix plate. coat with falafel mix and add shrimp to the pan. cook for 3-4 minutes, turning once. transfer to paper towel-lined plate. repeat with the remainder of the shrimp.


yogurt dipping sauce
stir together:
3/4 c. plain yogurt
1 T. lemon juice
1 crushed garlic clove
2 T. chopped parsley
s&p to taste

avocado basil pasta

i guess i've been on an avocado kick recently. probably because they've been on sale - that's how i roll. this is a fresh, yummy, light pasta dish that would be great as a side, but we usually eat as a main dish - it's just so good. when we had it at kristin's, she made it with regular bacon, but i always use turkey bacon and it turns out fantastic. enjoy!

avocado basil pasta
8 oz. dried bowtie or wagon wheel pasta
2 med. avocados, coarsely chopped
6 slices bacon, crisp cooked, drained & crumbled
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. finely shredded parmesan cheese
s&p

cook pasta according to package, drain and let cool. in bowl, combine all other ingredients, then add pasta. mix and serve room temperature. (need help cutting avocados? try my how-to)