Inspiration for Creating Healthy Home-Cooked Food Every Day

By RUTH LAURENT-KOCHER | Contributing Writer

If the thoughts of sweating over a stove to cook a hot dinner in these steamy summer months have you running for a take-out menu—stop, don’t do it. I have a fantastic alternative for a home-cooked meal with a “no-cook sauce” that is truly easy and quick to prepare, delightfully light to eat, and is full of healthy vitamins and omega 3s.

This is one of my family’s favorite recipes back in the UK, and each time I make it, I am always pleasantly surprised at how quickly it comes together—in about 30 minutes—and how delicious it is.

The “no-cook sauce” is made with high-quality protein, fresh baby bay shrimp and crab meat, with very finely chopped tomatoes, onion, green fresh parsley mixed with a zing of lime juice, and red chili.

The pasta is cooked and tossed in a bit of olive oil, then everything is combined with the vinaigrette and served together. It works great with an alternative gluten-free pasta, too.

Crabs can seem expensive for the amount you buy. Still, when used in this sauce, it easily feeds up to four people, so in comparison to the cost of other good-quality fresh fish or meat proteins for dinner, it is not too indulgent—it just feels like it is, especially paired with a cold glass of Sancerre.

Ingredients
Serves 4

• 8 oz pot white crab meat (the premium kind from the seafood counter)
• 8 oz baby bay shrimp, cooked and peeled
• Juice of half a lime
• ½ red chili pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped (or a shake of chili flakes)
• 1 green onion or shallot, very finely sliced and chopped
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped flat Italian parsley or cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp light olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1 box of dried Italian linguine (or use gluten-free pasta)
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Mix the first eight ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate (reserve some shrimp for on top of the pasta as dished out).
2. Put all vinaigrette ingredients (olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic clove, salt and pepper) into a jar or something similar, shake until creamy.
3. Cook linguini as usual (make sure to add 1 tsp kosher salt to the water) and drain well, then toss in a drizzle of olive oil. Add the crab and prawn mixture.
4. Stir and replace the lid to allow the mixture to warm through.
5. Add the vinaigrette over the mixture and mix well.
6. Portion out into bowls, with some of the reserved shrimp on top and a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese.
7. Serve with crusty garlic bread and a simple side salad of arugula and parmesan or steamed green vegetable of choice.

If you want more inspiration from Ruth’s healthy recipes and a “how-to guide” to planning healthy home-cooked dinners every day, her first book, “Step Up To Dinner,” is a must-buy. To purchase a copy, arrange a group workshop or book a private consultation, email ruth@uptotheplate.org or go to uptotheplate.org. You can follow Ruth on Instagram
@upto_theplate.