Ready for Dinner!

For those of you who are looking for quick dinner ideas, you came to the right spot! I’m a big advocate of meal prepping and taking food to work for lunches, however I make the effort each night to have a nice home cooked meal for dinner. Time can be a factor in deciding what to make for dinner, especially if you have little ones running around or get home from work late. This is where finding protein packed, quick meals, are essential to my daily routine.

I chose to whip up shrimp scampi with risotto, which took me a total of approximately 20 minutes for prep time. Shrimp are a great source of protein and a natural vitamin B-12 and iodine source. As a tip, if you plan ahead for the week at the grocery store, get frozen shrimp that you can place in hot water to thaw right when you walk in the door from work. This helps me tremendously time wise, being able to skip an added stop for fresh shrimp. Also, if you’re not a fan of risotto, you can serve this over sautéed noodles with fresh garlic, which will have just as much flavor.

In this recipe, I used coconut oil instead of butter, which I know sounds like a big shocker with a scampi dish, but turned out amazing. Coconut oil is my go-to ingredient for cooking and baking and this healthy fat compliments any protein or vegetable perfectly. To use coconut oil, simply replace it in a 1:1 ratio for butter or oil in any recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Sea salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Risotto, prepared per box directions

Directions

1. Peel and devein shrimp, wash, and set aside on a paper towel to dry. Transfer dry shrimp to a plate and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large pan on medium heat, adding coconut oil to the pan. Place seasoned shrimp into the pan and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes before stirring.
3. Next, stir shrimp around to ensure an even cook for each side.
4. Add in minced garlic and continue to stir, allowing for the shrimp to be coated by the garlic and coconut oil.
5. Scrape any brown bits from the pan and stir into shrimp.
6. Take cooked risotto and divide into bowls, then add finished shrimp over top.
7. Season with additional salt or pepper and enjoy!

For other delicious shrimp dishes, be sure to check out our Shrimp Alfredo and Healthy Shrimp Fried Rice!

-Kayla