Seafood Youvetsi and Summery Strawberry Mint Low-Fat "Ice Cream"

Last week I ate at Avra, a wonderful Greek restaurant in New York City, and had what they called Garides Youvetsi (shrimp with feta). Here's my own attempt at recreating their dish - I must say it turned out equally as tasty, and was probably much easier and quicker to make!

Seafood Youvetsi

1/2 - 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined.

6-8 sea scallops

12 mussels, cleaned and scrubbed (do not use any that are already opened)

12 little neck clams (optional, do not use any that are already opened)

1 can (28 oz.) San Marzano diced tomatoes (you can use whole tomatoes and crush them yourself)

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

1 cup uncooked orzo

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 - 1 tsp. salt or to taste

4 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped

3 tbs. fresh parsley (Italian parsley is best)

3/4 cup good quality feta cheese, crumbled

Fresh ground pepper to taste

3 tbs. olive oil (plus extra to drizzle on top)

In a small bowl, marinate cleaned shrimp in 1 tbs. olive oil, 2 tbs. of the fresh oregano, 1 chopped garlic clove, and a sprinkle of salt for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. In a large pot or deep-sided pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Season scallops on both sides with a little salt and pepper and saute them until lightly brown on both sides (they don't have to be cooked through yet, they will finish later). Add marinated shrimp and 2 cloves chopped garlic. Saute lightly for 2-3 minutes. Add orzo and stir to coat with oil. Cook for about 30 seconds to get it toasty. Add wine, tomatoes (with their juice), and half the fresh herbs. Stir to combine, then add mussels, clams, and feta. Cover and cook about 20 minutes on medium-low heat until the shellfish have opened up. If any fail to open during cooking, discard them. Stir in remaining fresh herbs and drizzle with a touch of olive oil before serving. The youvetsi should be brothy, so if it needs more liquid you can add a bit more wine, water, or even seafood stock if you have it on hand. Serve in bowls with a nice, crusty bread. 

Wine suggestion: Kono Wine of New Zealand 2009 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Inexpensive, citrusy, and delicious! 

Strawberry Mint "Ice Cream"

This is low fat, refreshing, and very quick to make.

1 quart fresh organic strawberries, washed and tops removed (frozen strawberries will work as well)

3/4 cup - 1 cup organic sugar (I am going to try a version with agave syrup tomorrow and I will report back on the freezing results)

1 container
2% Greek yogurt (fat free or full fat yogurt would work as well)

1 tsp. fresh grated lemon peel

2-3 tbs. fresh mint leaves

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbs. fresh lemon balm (if you have it - I happened to have a plant growing in my herb garden)

Put everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust sweetness to taste. Transfer to a freezer-safe container (it should fit into a 1 quart tupperware with a little left over) and freeze until solid.

If you don't want to freeze the mixture, you can drink it as a smoothie! 

Fun Foodie Fact: American's consumed 422 million servings of smoothies between April 2009 and March 2010, according to an article by the NASFT.