back in the saddle

i fell off the wagon this weekend.well...i think the wagon pushed me.I read an article the other day about how eating out and take out affect our lives and it got me thinking:

"For better or worse, we live in an age of multitasking, and being so busy means that many of us take shortcuts when it comes to food. According to the National Restaurant Association, nearly a third of adults say that take-out food is essential to the way they live. Not just helpful — essential."  -Article By: Amanda Genge

So why do I say the wagon pushed me? My wagon is my day to day life I think...life here for me is full of commuting, quick decisions & distractions and just plain busy. We are always going from this meeting to work to this lunch to running to the grocery store, and finally home; exhausted, hungry, and unwilling to leave the couch+netflix/magazine/iphone/computer(whatever is my newest distraction at home).Is this a city-dwellers problem, or just a plain old human kind problem? I think a little of both.Ok so I got my fill of DELICIOUS food that I didn't make this weekend...but here is what I did make last night. And I want to tell you now, O_M_G the old bay season is the secret trick ingredient.

Skillet Shrimp with Orzo

Weight Watchers Points+ 6 servings: 3 points

adapted from Martha Stewart

A few months ago I was walking down Michigan Ave with my sister, and Giada De Laurentiis was doing a demo in front of the Wrigley Building and was passing out boxes and boxes of orzo. Ever since then I have been trying to find ways to use it, and I think I found the perfect place for this pasta to play a leading role.

1 tbs olive oil1 tbs chili infused olive oil (if you don't want to buy it or use it...just use another tbs of regular olive oil)12 oz medium cooked/frozen shrimp1 tsp mustard seeds1 cup shredded carrots2 leeks, sliced into half-moons4 cloves of garlic sliced1/4 tsp old bay seasoning1/4 tsp red pepper flakes1 cup orzo1 1/2  cup chicken broth

1. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Toss shrimp with salt and pepper. Saute, tossing, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove.2. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan; stir in mustard seeds. Cook until seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add leeks, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes.3. Add red pepper flakes and old bay.4. Boil the chicken stock5. Stir in orzo, peas, and the boiling chicken stock; season with salt and pepper.6. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.7. Add shrimp; stir gently.My lesson learned was two fold this week: I can make delicious food at home that is just as good as take out, but sometimes when I'm short on time...it's okay to cheat a little. To make eating out about soaking in time with friends or a breather to my busy day. For me to make take-out food helpful in my life... not essential.Also, check out my new and ever changing list of my favorite places to eat out in Chicago...refinedsugar.wordpress.com/chicago/