Destinations Diva

I decided to make a special treat for my daughter's birthday.  She loves shrimp cooked with a little garlic but I decided to kick the recipe up a few notches.  New Orleans style "barbecue" shrimp has nothing to do with an outdoor grill (although you nothing is stopping you from putting your pan on the grill).  For this recipe, you want shrimp with the shells and even heads still on.  There is something the shells do to the sauce.  It seems to make the butter sauce emulsify and creates a great flavor.  I snipped some rosemary from my garden and added some Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  This sauce is also delicious for cooking any white fish like catfish or tilapia and it is also good with chicken. Easy New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks butter 1/4 cup olive oil 4 cloves garlic chopped 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce Juice of 2 lemons chopped parsley 2 springs of fresh rosem...

With the holidays approaching, it brings the temptation of holiday munching.  Here's a great little solution to keep the holiday munchies under control.  The best part is, a serving is only one Weight Watchers Smart Point! Crispy Cheesy Brussel Sprout Chips Serves 6 Weight Watchers Smart Points: 1 Ingredients: 1 pound Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and leaves separated 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese Salt and Pepper Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss sprout leaves with olive oil, lemon zest, parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are browned and crisp. Enjoy!

I'm still on my Weight Watcher's journey which was inspired by my desire to be healthy and keep up with my family during my travels.  Being at a healthy weight can open up a whole realm of possibilities for travel.   Food is such a passion of mine.  I love cooking and teaching. In my cooking classes, I always try to be innovative with my recipes.  My Cajun background inspires me to add a little "Joie de Vive" or zest of life into each dish.  I'm now also adding a healthy element to all of my dishes.  Cooking healthy recipes doesn't mean sacrificing flavor.  In fact, it adds a whole new dimension of flavor! In my cooking classes, I had a request to make Shepherd's Pie.  This is usually a quite heavy dish with beef, gravy and mashed potatoes.  My version is lightened up considerably.  I've added a great mix of veggies which add a new depth of flavor while also  lightening up the calorie load.   Healthier S...

Crawfish and Pork Boudin Stuffed Omelet I love stopping at The Best Stop or Billy's in Scott, Louisiana whenever I'm nearby to stock up on frozen pork boudin.  Scott is known as "The Boudin Capitol of the World" and even has a boudin festival each Spring. Check out my previous blog article by clicking  here. Yesterday, I took out a pound of boudin, but it turned out that we wouldn't be home so we didn't get to eat the wonderful stuff.  Since it would be a sin to let it go to waste, for breakfast I sautéed a three inch piece which I sliced open and served with a fried egg on top.  Now, what to do with the rest of it?  I decided that it would marry nicely with some packaged crawfish tails I had on hand.  Here's the result: I sautéed a little onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil, then added the crawfish tails.  I added a just a touch of creole seasoning.  Next I added the boudin, freed from its casing. Make...

Bang Bang Shrimp is a popular appetizer at a major restaurant chain.  The traditional version is fried and tossed with a mayonnaise based spicy and sweet sauce.  There is also a popular blog post and video converting this dish into a pasta dish.   Since I'm always looking for ways to lighten up recipes, I decided to trade the pasta for spaghetti squash.  Spiralized veggies such as zucchini or sweet potato could also be substituted for the spaghetti squash.  I modified the sauce ingredients so that it retains the punch of flavor but has the added health benefit of the added veggies and being GLUTEN FREE.  This version is low on points but high on satisfaction! Spaghetti Squash Bang Bang Shrimp Serves 6 Weight Watchers Smart Points:  4 (6 points for 4 servings) Ingredients: 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeds removed 1 1/2 lbs of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined  1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 3 clov...

Zucchini squash are a fantastic helper for anyone wishing to either remove gluten from their diet or just boost the veggies intake in their diet.  Here's a healthy appetizer or side dish to go along with chicken tacos (see link below).   Zucchini Nachos Serves 8 Weight Watchers Smart Points:  1 1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4" thick (you'll want about 24 slices) 4-5 tablespoons picante sauce or taco sauce 3-4 ounces shredded Monterrey Jack cheese or crumbled queso fresco cheese Salt Place the zucchini slices on paper towels and add a light sprinkle of salt and allow to sit for 10 minutes to release a little extra moisture.   Blot the slices with a paper towel.  Arrange slices on a microwave plate (they won't all fit on one plate). Top each zucchini slice with a tiny dollop of  picante sauce and a tiny sprinkle of cheese. Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until cheese melts.   Enjoy! Try delicio...

I'm on a journey with Weight Watchers but while on that journey, I want to eat delicious food!  Here's a fantastic and easy recipe which can be prepared in your crock pot for those busy days.   Taco Chicken is very versatile.  After viewing the recipe, scroll down for suggestions on how to use it.  This dish is low in points and very satisfying, even with the additions.  Happy Pointing! Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Serves 8 Weight Watchers Smart Points:  3 per serving Ingredients: 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (or more if using smaller ones.  Basically as many as will fit in your crock pot.  You'll be happy to have extra! 1 package Taco seasoning 1 can Rotel Tomatoes (diced tomatoes with green chilis) 1/2 cup chopped onion Method: Combine tomatoes, onion and Taco seasoning in a slow cooker and blend.  Add chicken breasts and swirl around to coat with sauce. Cover and turn on slow cooker.  Cook on high 3-4 ...

The newest trend on Youtube is Hotel Room Cooking, believe it or not!   With the economy crunching everyone's budget, it's no wonder people are looking for ways to save money on travel.  All you need to cook in your hotel room is aluminum foil and an iron. To read more about this trend and the do's and don't of hotel room cooking, click on thi s link. Just because space and equipment is limited, it doesn't mean you can't prepare delicious meals.  Here is my "gourmet" take on hotel room cooking kicked up a few notches!  I've included breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes and best of all, dessert! Be safe and have fun! Breakfast recipes: Make sure that your coffee maker is clean before trying this.  Run plain water through the coffee pot to make sure that that it is clean and to make sure that what you cook doesn't taste like coffee.  If it is not clean, call the hotel front desk and tell them you want your coffee maker replaced.   1...