Quick Paella

Submitted by Kelsey - 5 Stars  (very tasty!)

Serves 4 to 6

For the Vinaigrette

3 tbsp each white wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice

½ tsp saffron threads (substitute for turmeric, but saffron is well worth the cost!)

¼ cup fat-free mayonnaise or plain yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt)

1 tsp each minced garlic and powdered sugar (or regular sugar)

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Pasta

½ lb kielbasa or chorizo, sliced

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 cups diced red bell pepper

8 oz dry whole wheat orzo pasta

1 cup frozen peas

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced

½ cup chopped scallions

Step 1 - Warm vinegar and lemon juice; add saffron and seep until everything else is made. 

Step 2 – Heat water and cook orzo al dente while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  If orzo is cooked before everything below, dump out water and coat heavily with olive oil so that it doesn’t continue to cook and stick together.  Remove from heat.

Step 3 – Sautee kielbasa in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until kielbasa begins to brown.  Remove kielbasa from pan and place on plate.  Add shrimp to pan and cook until opaque, then set on plate with kielbasa.  Add 1 tbsp garlic and white wine vinegar, sauté for 1 minute to deglaze pan.  Do not rinse pan!  Add peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add kielbasa, shrimp, frozen peas, and tomatoes into the pan and turn temperature to low. 

For vinaigrette, whisk mayonnaise (or yogurt) 1 tsp garlic, sugar, 1/3 cup olive oil, cayenne pepper and salt to taste into the saffron mixture.  Add vinaigrette and orzo to pan and mix well.  Dish up and sprinkle with chopped scallions.