Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

When it comes to the New Year, resolutions abound, including those that revolve around dieting… thousands (millions?) make the commitment to eat more healthily and finally make this “the” year to shed those extra pounds.  Growing up, my dad always said it was simple … eat less and move more, this coming from someone who can still fit into his college clothes.  It is definitely easier said than done, and with a lot of diet recipes and low-cal/low-fat/low-taste foods these days, it’s no wonder people fall off track before January is over.  But if you know where to look, it doesn’t have to be like that.

Ellie Krieger is the host of Healthy Appetite on the Food Network, and the author of The Food You Crave.  Over the past year or two, I’ve tried a number of her recipes, and although they are deemed the “healthy fare” that we are so quick to dismiss, they don’t lack flavor.  You won’t feel like you’re eating cardboard, I promise you.  Her recipes are packed with deliciousness, but are still good for you.  With that kind of weaponry underneath our belt, we can’t help but win over our New Year’s resolutions.

Her recipe for Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta appeared in the January 2009 issue of Fitness magazine.  The addition of feta to the dish ensures that you’re getting a big flavor pow, and shrimp is low in fat but high in protein and zinc (great for our immune system!).  She suggests serving the dish over rice or orzo, but we ended up having just on its own.  Ahem, of course bread would be awesome to mop up the wonderful sauce, but that just might defeat the purpose of a “healthier” meal.  Eh, all things in moderation.  The finished dish will be on your table in less than 30 minutes and will leave you satisfied and guilt-free.  What more could you want?

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh dill
• 1-1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat the oil in an oven proof skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices thicken.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, dill, and shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the feta over the top. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

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