Jumbo Pesto Shrimp with Superfood Pilaf

Jumbo Pesto Shrimp with Superfood Pilaf

April 21, 2019

Servings: 4

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 20 min

Total: 30 min

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Weeknight dinners don't get simpler than this! Easy roasted jumbo shrimp, tossed in pesto and served a top a superfood pilaf. This nutrient-dense meal packs a serious punch!

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• For the shrimp:
• 8-10 Large Colossal Shrimp
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 TBSP parmesan cheese
• 2 TBSP pesto (prepared, or make fresh -see below in step 2)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• For the pesto:
• 2 cups basil moderately packed
• juice of one small-medium lemon
• 1/2 c pine nuts
• 4 large garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• Trader Joe's Superfood Pilaf OR make your own:
• 1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt plus additional for seasoning
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup cubed sweet potato
• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 large kale leaf, torn into pieces
• 2 carrots, cut into coins
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside. Remove shells and devein the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper, then toss in a bowl with 2 TBSP pesto and 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese. Toss with red pepper flakes. Place shrimp on the parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, they cook quickly. You want them firm, but not overdone and rubbery.
• Step 2 To make your own pesto, combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped. Slowly add in the olive oil and pulse until smooth.
• Step 3 While the shrimp is roasting, prep your pilaf. Either defrost the Trader Joe’s frozen pilaf or make your own: Bring broth and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to boil in medium saucepan, then add quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Cover and reserve.
• Step 4 Meanwhile, bring 1 1/4 cups water to boil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes. Cover and cook until beets are tender, about 8 minutes. Uncover, cook until any water in skillet evaporates. Increase heat to medium-high. Add olive oil and garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add carrots, asparagus, and kale. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Sauté until just tender, about 8 minutes. Add cooked quinoa to vegetables in skillet, then toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
• Step 5 Serve pilaf immediately with roasted shrimp. Season with sea salt and pepper if desired.

Sometimes my weeknight dinner strategy literally just comes down to what’s on sale at the store. We are probably one of the few families left who haven’t signed on to grocery delivery service (really, what am I doing with my life?!) so unless I’m able to plan ahead, most nights of the week I’m stopping at the store on the way home and hoping inspiration will strike me in the moment. Not a full-proof strategy, I know, but some times it DOES work. Tonight for example, I went in to the store with pretty much no idea of what I was going to make, saw these colossal shrimp on sale and instantly started formulating a meal plan. The fishmonger recommended grilling the shrimp but the weather wasn’t cooperating so I opted to roast them instead.

Shrimp are a favorite seafood choice of mine because they are super simple to cook, high in protein content, and contain almost all essential bone building nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and vitamin D. Pretty impressive right? I almost went the shrimp scampi route tonight but changed course at the last minute and decided to serve it with Trader Joe’s Superfood Pilaf – a freezer shortcut that also made for a prettier picture. Using that as a base and store-bought pesto makes this recipe even simpler, but you can get a little creative and make your own pesto and pilaf (I included those steps in the recipe just in case). PS – my Mom has found the secret to awesome pesto: massive amounts of garlic! You can also toss some zoodles with the pesto and use that as your base. It’s pretty easy to modify this recipe to your family’s tastes and preferences.

Between holidays, birthdays and work being insanity lately, I’ve been lucky if I can get a true homecooked meal on the table one or two nights a week. That reality has been tough for me, so I’m trying to incorporate new work arounds and plan farther ahead than I’m used to. The working mom juggle is SO real and some nights it seems near impossible to get food on the table, but we all need to eat. And whatever I can do to make sure my family is still eating well is a victory in my book. As long as I cover the nutrient bases – protein, grains and vegetables – it’s a meal I can feel good about it. Extra credit if it looks good enough on the plate to post!