Healthy Eats: Try Yummy Recipes From CPK's Lightened Up Menu

California Pizza Kitchen is more than just pizza (I still say they have one of the best caesar salads around, and I'm a connisseur) and recently the chain introduced a lightened up menu featuring delish items like quinoa and arugula salad, white corn guacamole and shrimp scampi zucchini fettucine. How can such yummy sounding dishes be made light, you ask? Brian Sullivan, SVP of Culinary Development for CPK shares their secrets!

White Corn Guacamole (serves approx. 8)

2 Cups Fresh White Corn Kernels

1/2 Cup Rinsed, Drained Black Beans

1/2 Cup Jicama, Diced

1/4 Cup 3-Color Peppers, Diced2 Tbl Chopped Scallion Greens

2 Tbl Chopped Fresh Cilantro

2 Tbl Fresh Lime Juice

2 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tsp Serrana Peppers, Finely Minced

1 lb Avocado, 1/4" diced

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients together except the avocado. Mix thoroughly.

Quinoa and Arugula Salad

1 cup Quinoa, Pre-Cooked

1 quart Arugula

1/2 oz Red Onions

1 Tbl Marinated Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1/3 cup Blanced Asparagus, 1" angle cut

1 1/2 fl. oz. Champagne Vinaigrette

2 tsp Toasted Pine Nuts

Garnish

2 tbl Feta Cheese Crumbles

Toss all ingredients together in a mixing bowl, except the feta cheese, and mix thoroughly.

Pull out the majority of the arugula and place it in the center of the plate.

Arrange the remaining ingredients on top of the arugula. Make sure that some of the red onions, sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus are on top of the salad.

Shrimp Scampi Zucchini Fettucini

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 oz Shrimp, Tail-On, Butterflied

1 tbl Minced Raw Garlic

2 tbl White Wine

1 tbl Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tbl Butter

8 oz Thinly Sliced Zucchini Strips 1/8" x 1 1/2" x 4"

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

2 oz Fettucine, Cooked

2 tsp Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

2 tbl Parmesan, Grated

Garnish

1 tsp Additional Parmesan, Grated

Heat olive oil in a 10" non-stick pan over a medium high flame.

Add shrimp and garlic and saute for approximately 1 minute or until garlic is light brown.

Add wine and lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds.

Add butter, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes stirring approximately every 30 seconds.

Turn off flame.

Add cooked pasta.

Add parsley and parmesan, toss and mix thoroughly.