Stranger in Lousiana-Cajun 101 ~Blog Post #4~ Michael Lucarelli

Cajun Shrimp and Catfish

 Stranger in Louisiana-Cajun 101

~Blog post #4~

April 20, 2015

by Michael Lucarelli

Traditional cajun food is not healthy as many dishes are high in trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Luckily for the heart healthy person these traditional unhealthy dishes can be easily made into heart friendly foods. For example that dish of fried shrimp or crawfish can be boiled instead, or gumbo, etouffe, and sauces made with roux can be changed out for jambalaya. Other unhealthy dishes include fried seafood, red beans and rice with sausage, and dirty rice. All of these dishes can be made healthy with some quick fixes. One healthy dish is Cajun Shrimp and Catfish*, and it is the perfect meal for game day fans at home. It has 383 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4.4 grams saturated fat, 3.8 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.9 gramss polyunsaturated fat, 30.4 grams protein, 35.7 grams carbohydrates, 1.1 grams fiber, 139 milligrams cholesterol, 3.7 milligrams iron, 511 milligrams sodium, and 110 milligrams calcium. All of this is per one serving which is roughly 3/4 cup of shrimp mixture and 2/3 cup of rice. For more information on this dish see the bottom of this blog.
From what I can see the traditional Cajun dish is being changed because people are becoming more and more health oriented in that region, but I can also see why they where as "unhealthy" as they where. It makes sense for the foods to be high in carbohydrates and calories because the people eating the dish where hard working and didn't know when their next meal would be. A heavy food like gumbo would last the person from morning until night, and they where able to work off the calories by working the land.
Food and health are portrayed in the novel when Nacha feeds baby Tita, when Tita feeds baby Esperanza, and when Mama Elena takes the ipecac syrup. The two babies are fed gruels and tea which give life to the family while the syrup takes away life. Some may view Mama Elena dying as a good thing, but the family lost it's oldest memeber and lots of knowledge.

Works Cited

• "Cajun Shrimp and Catfish." Health.com. Health.com, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
• "Tips for Eating Cajun Food." Tips for Eating Cajun Food. American Health Association, Inc, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Cajun Shrimp and Catfish*
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk, 1 tablespoon low-salt blackening seasoning, 1 1/2 pounds catfish fillets cut into 1/2-inch strips, cooking spray, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup chopped green onions, 1 cup presliced mushrooms, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1/2 cup light Alfredo sauce (such as Contadina), 1 tablespoon fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese, 5 1/2 cups hot cooked long-grain rice, Parsley sprigs (optional)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place the buttermilk and blackening seasoning in a large bowl, stirring to blend. Add catfish; toss gently to coat.
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add catfish mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Place the catfish mixture in a 2 1/2-quart shallow casserole coated with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and chopped parsley; sauté 3 minutes. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes. Spoon shrimp mixture over catfish. Combine Alfredo sauce and broth, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over the shrimp mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake shrimp mixture at 350° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve shrimp mixture over rice. Garnish with the parsley sprigs, if desired

*From Health.com