(32) Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Vegetables

For a recipe billed as "a twist on shrimp scampi", I sure did expect a STRONG garlic flavor. This was anything but strong. It had nice mild flavors and was VERY filling. 2 lbs of asparagus is a LOT of asparagus! Holy cow!

I used a red and a yellow pepper because the reds looked pitiful. I think next time I'd add a little fresh cracked pepper right @ the end (or maybe even some red pepper flakes! YUM!). I served it over plain old couscous and it was just right! (oh and you've gotta love the nutritional info on this one! Filling and low cal! SCORE!)

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Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Vegetables

Here’s a healthy twist on shrimp scampi. We left out the butter and loaded the dish up with red peppers and asparagus for a refreshing spring meal. Serve with quinoa, whole-wheat couscous or linguine.

Source: Eating Well Magazine, March/April 2008
Yield: 4 (very generous) servings

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large red bell peppers, diced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.

2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth and add to the pan along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving:
226 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 174 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 4 g fiber; 514 mg sodium; 670 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (210% daily value), Vitamin A (80% dv), Folate (53% dv), Iron (25% dv).