Frozen bay scallops a sweet quarantine dinner

Keeping frozen bay scallops in my freezer has been a big help during these challenging times. They are always available for a quick dinner. They’re sweet-tasting and take only minutes to defrost in a bowl of cold water.

The side dish for this quick dinner also uses ingredients from my freezer, frozen peas and butter beans. “Butter beans” is a name given to small white or pale green lima beans. They’re sold dried, canned and frozen.

Using frozen vegetables, this meal can be ready in less than 15 minutes.

Helpful hints

■ Any type of breadcrumbs can be used.

■ Canned butter beans, rinsed and drained can be used instead of frozen.

■ Baby lima beans can be used instead of butter beans.

■ A quick way to chop chives is to snip them with a scissors.

Countdown

■ Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

■ Prepare and bake scallops.

■ While scallops bake, make Peas and Butter Bean Salad.

Shopping list

To buy: 1 package frozen bay or baby scallops, 1 container panko breadcrumbs, 1 package frozen peas, 1 package frozen butter beans, 1 bunch fresh chives,1 bottle olive oil spray, 1 bottle reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing.

Staples: butter, salt and black peppercorns.

BAKED BAY SCALLOPS

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer Olive oil spray

¾ pound bay or baby scallops

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a small baking dish (about 7 inches in diameter) with olive oil spray. Add the scallops and spread out over the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cut butter into small ¼- to ½-inch pieces and scatter over the scallops. Spoon breadcrumbs over the scallops completely covering them. Make sure the oven is at temperature and add the baking dish. Bake 10 minutes, checking to make sure the breadcrumbs do not burn. They should be golden.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 433 calories (25% from fat), 12.1 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 3.6 g monounsaturated), 70 mg cholesterol, 35.8 g protein, 43.4 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g fiber, 730 mg sodium.

PEAS AND BUTTER BEAN SALAD

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer 1 ½ cups frozen peas, defrosted

1 cup frozen butter beans, defrosted

2 tablespoons reducedfat oil and vinegar dressing

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped chives Place peas and butter beans in a medium-size bowl. Add the dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Sprinkle chives on top. Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 165 calories (9% from fat), 1.7 g fat (0.2 g saturated, 0.4 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 9.4 g protein, 29.2 g carbohydrates, 8.4 g fiber, 51 mg sodium. Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook,”“Delicious OnePot Dishes” and “Quick and Easy Chicken.” Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter @ lgassenheimer. Listen to Linda on www.WDNA. org and all major podcast sites. Email her at Linda@ DinnerInMinutes.com.