Stovetop and Microwave: Shrimp, Spinach & Cheese Quesadillas

Lately, I've been trying several recipes from Budget Bytes (https://www.budgetbytes.com/) or using Beth Moncel's recipes for inspiration.

 

I am always on the lookout for easy and GERD-Friendly recipes.

 

While I do not always adhere to the GERD Do Not Eat Foods List, but I do try to modify recipes and minimize the use of forbidden items.

 

 

Stovetop and Microwave: Shrimp, Spinach & Cheese Quesadillas

(Inspired by: https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-chicken-and-spinach-quesadillas/#wprm-recipe-container-41733)

 

Pre-Preparation:

A Dessert Bowl of Frozen Shrimp.

Squeeze some lime juice over shrimp.

Sprinkle Shrimp with a bit of Garlic Powder.

Sprinkle Shrimp with a bit of Ground Black Pepper.

Microwave on high 30 seconds to 2 minutes to cook shrimp.

Drain and reserve.

 

Spinach

Fill a dessert bowl with frozen chopped spinach.

Microwave on high for 1-3 minutes.

Drain and reserve.

Alternative cooking method: Add shrimp with a bit of oil to skillet. Season as desired. Cook on medium. Stir shrimp as they cook. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain. Add spinach to skillet with a bit of oil, cook on medium, stir as the spinach cooks. Cook until all the spinach has thawed and is warmed throughout. Remove and drain.

 

Ingredients:

 

Cooked Shrimp, dice, if necessary

Cooked Spinach

Mozzarella Cheese, grated

Vegetable Oil for frying Tortillas

1-2 Tortillas

 

 

Process:

 

Add oil to skillet.

Add tortilla.

Fry until bottom is light brown.

Flip.

Top tortilla with 1-2 spoonfuls of shrimp, spread in center.

Top shrimp with spinach.

Top spinach with cheese.

Season with additional Black Pepper, if desired.

 

 

Fold tortilla.

Cook for a short time to melt cheese.

 

Stovetop: Salmon Sliders

I was scrounging through my canned goods trying to figure out what I could make. I had a Costco can of salmon. Hmmm, let's look for a salmon recipe.

 

I quickly found a @BudgetBytes recipe for Salmon Burgers. As usual, I adapted the recipe, plus, I did not have all the ingredients. Where in the past, I would have been stymied, now, I am comfortable making adaptations and learning to use ingredients on hand.

 

Also, I reduced the "spicy" ingredients trying to make the sliders #GERD-friendly.

While I started the recipe in the afternoon of one day, I had to rush out to do an errand, so the mixture sat in the frig overnight which may have been a good idea.

I made sliders rather than cakes because I like small meals.

 

While I have made salmon sliders in the past, this recipe is different.

When I went to cook the sliders, I had a hard time "measuring" time to cook. But, I was patient this time and used my cell phone clock to measure 3-5 minutes. I washed some dishes as I waited. I determined one side was cooked by the brownness of the bottom before I flipped the slider over.

I wanted to use pumpernickel bread, so I cut two slices into small squares, spread mayo over them, added the slider then topped it with a DIY pickle relish.

 

I added a miniature side salad of diced cucumbers, apple and ribbons of carrot without dressing to this small meal.

In the end, I made six sliders.

This could be a more GERD-friendly meal, if you eliminate black pepper and hot sauce, and substitute the DIY pickle relish with greenery.

 

By the way, the pumpernickel bread was great. Any scrap bread went into the scrap bread bag in the freezer for future uses.

 

 

Stovetop: Salmon Sliders

(Adapted from: https://www.budgetbytes.com/wprm_print/41304)

 

Ingredients:

1 Small Can of salmon*, drained

1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs

1 Egg

1 TBspn Mayo

1/2 Tspn Yellow Mustard

2-3 Tsp’s Onion flakes

1/2 Tspn Paprika powder

1/4 Tspn Oregano Optional

1/4 Tspn Thyme

1/8 Tspn Garlic powder

1 Capful Hot sauce

1/8 Tspn Black pepper 

 

Vegetable oil
A bit of butter
Mayo
1-2 Slices Pumpernickel bread, cut into squares 

 

Topping:
DIY pickle relish or get creative and add your own topping.

 

 

Process: 

Add salmon to medium bowl.
Add breadcrumbs, egg, mayo, mustard, onion flakes and spices. 

Stir and mix ingredients thoroughly.
Refrigerate 30 minutes or more.
Shape mixture into patties.

 

 

Add oil and butter to skillet.

Heat skillet to medium-high.

Once oil and butter is hot, add patties.

Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Check bottom, is it brown and crisp?

 

Once cooked, remove and reserve on a plate.

Spread mayo over 2 cut bread squares.

Add one slider.

Top with DIY pickle relish.

*Different brands of salmon will change the amount of breadcrumbs you use because some brands are more watery than others. Plus, the amount of salmon may affect the number of sliders you can make.

Stovetop: Mixed Vegetables with Spices

Mixed Vegetables with Spices
(Adapted from: Coliflor con especias BollyFood by Marie-Laure Tombini p12)

I love India, Bollywood and Bollywood movies. So when I found this little cookbook, BollyFood, I was overjoyed. But, as with most recipes, I never have all the right ingredients. So, I tried my Use What You Have method. Also, I reduced the quantity from 4 persons to one.


Pre-Preparation:

Microwave a cup of frozen mixed vegetables on high for 2 minutes.


Ingredients:

1 Cup Frozen mixed vegetables, cooked
1-2 Dollops Vegetable oil
1/2 Tspn Onion flakes
1/2 Tspn Yellow Mustard
1/2 Tspn Curry powder
1/2 Tspn Ginger powder
1 Tspn Cilantro, dry
1/2 Tspn Cardamon
2 Dashes of Paprika
2-3 Tspns Canned salsa


Process:

In a skillet, add oil and the spices.
Stir well.
Simmer and mix well.
Add Salsa.
Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Stir often.
Add mixed vegetables (cooked).
Stir and mix vegetables with spice mixture.
Simmer for a few minutes to heat contents throughout.
Spoon skillet contents into a serving dish.

Note: this was a spicy dish, so it is not GERD-friendly.

Stovetop: Canned Mushrooms and Mixed Vegetable Soup

I love the Star Trek Cookbook by Ethan Phillips (Neelix from Star Trek Voyager) and William J. Birnes. I have bookmarked several recipes, this is one, Jeri Ryan's Wild Mushroom Soup. But, as you will see, my recipe does not resemble the original recipe.

 

Where I live, many powdered spices absorb moisture and harden. I decided to try and use up my hardened onion and garlic powders in this recipe. I used a bit too much. But, the end result was tasty, not a knock your socks off flavor, but tasty.

 

Most of the time, I never have all the ingredients recipes call for, so, I am usually in “Use What You Have” mode.

 

In this recipe, I did not have fresh mushrooms or potatoes, so I used canned mushrooms and canned mixed vegetables.

I did not add specific measurements, I just eye-balled it.

 

 

Canned Mushrooms and Mixed Vegetable Soup
(Inspired by: Star Trek Cookbook, Jeri Ryan’s Wild Mushroom Soup p30)

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Olive oil

Garlic powder

Onion powder

1-2 Drops Hot sauce

1 14oz Can of Sliced Mushrooms, drained & rinsed

Water

1 vegetable or chicken bouillon cube

1 14oz Can of mixed diced vegetables, drained & rinsed

Process:

 

Note: my skillet is small, a larger skillet would have been better or I could have cooked the mushrooms in the pot, first.

In a skillet, add olive oil, garlic and onion powders, and hot sauce.

Cook at medium heat, stir and cook until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and heated.

Add mushrooms.

Add oil as needed.

Stir and cook ingredients until thoroughly mixed and heated.

In a pot, add 2-6 cups of water.

Add bouillon cube.

Add vegetables.

Add mushroom mixture.

Stir well.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer 20 minutes.

Serve with crackers.

 

 

Stovetop: Salmon and Corn Chowder

I have a smile on my face. I made chowder.

For the last few weeks, my attempts at making several recipes from various sources failed.

I battled with making peanut butter ice cream. My first attempt had came out good but when I tried to make it again, it became peanut butter ice or a thick peanut butter cream.

My little white beans, while cooked, lacked flavor.

But, things began to change when I made a wonderful sesame sauce for cucumber slices. Ahhh.


Stovetop: Salmon and Corn Chowder
(Adapted from: Tin Can Cook - Salmon and Corn Chowder p110)

I have made adjustments to Jack's recipe based on ingredients I had available and also in an attempt to make the recipe GERD-friendly.

Also, while I converted the grams into ounces, the amounts are not exact to the quantity you will find in cans in your grocery store.


Ingredients:

1 430g (15.16 oz) Can of potatoes, sliced or cubed, drained, and rinsed in can
 
1 and 1/2 Chicken bouillon cubes

10 oz Water

1 285g (10.5oz) Can corn, drained, and rinsed in can

4 oz Salmon paste see fish paste recipe below

2-3 TBspns Milk (I used powdered milk mix)

S/P to taste

2-3 TBspns thawed frozen spinach (Optional)


Fish Paste
(Adapted from: https://jackiem.com.au/2015/05/19/how-to-make-fish-paste/)


Ingredients:

 1 140g (4.93oz) Can of salmon, drained
3+ TBspns of flour
and a bit of water
S/P to taste


Fish Paste Process:

Basically, in a bowl, add salmon and flour, mix ingredients thoroughly by hand until it is a smooth thick paste. Add water if needed. Store the fish paste in the frig until ready for use. This recipe makes about 8oz of fish paste.


Salmon and Corn Chowder Process:

Add potatoes to medium sauce pan.
Add bouillon cubes to 10 oz of water.
Boil water and cubes in microwave for two minutes.
When ready, stir to blend bouillon with the water.
Add bouillon stock to pan.
Stir.
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Add corn.
Add fish paste.
Stir until mixture is smooth.
Simmer until vegetables are soft.
Stir.
Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add milk.
Stir.
After a minute or two, add s/p to taste.
Add spinach (optional)
Simmer for a minute or two until chowder is hot.
Serve.

Note: I did not add spinach.

 

 Great with saltine crackers.

#GERD-friendly