Somehow I blinked and the summer of 2018 has ended. What a great summer it has been with so many days of sun and fun. Now I need to prepare to return to a full work schedule and longer days. I work all summer, so there’s no worries about coming back from an eight week break. That long break, though I loved it, used to make it so hard for me to get back into a routine. During the summer, the pace is definitely much easier and there is far less stress on me. Mainly, I am planning for the upcoming year, organizing, learning and working normal hours. What will be missed the most by me is having more time to workout in the morning without rushing to be at work super early and getting home before dark. I’m also worried about keeping my nutrition clean once stress comes barreling my way again.
I’ve been testing out some easy, quick, nutritious recipes these past few weeks of summer to prepare for the return of my full schedule. If I am to keep my nutrition in line, I need to have an arsenal of healthy and quick meals that I can get on my table in 30 minutes or less. There are so many websites offering healthier versions of recipes and its been fun searching out new ones to try. We’ve had some winners and some losers in the recipe category and I’m so thankful for my Plant Paradox community for their networking and sharing of recipe makeovers.
This week’s winner was a quick, easy shrimp recipe. Shrimp is high in protein, about 20g for 3 ounces. It is also very low in fat and carbohydrates, making it a nice weekly choice for lean protein.
Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients:
- 15 pieces raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (I like a little more)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika and garlic to a bowl.
- Add shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat.
- Pour the shrimp into a skillet and sauté. (I like cast iron)
- Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn shrimp over. Sauté another 1-2 minutes, until pink.
- Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon (1tbsp) into skillet and stir to evenly coat. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Serve immediately over cauliflower rice.
I found a package of organic cauliflower rice that I steamed quickly and topped with a little garlic and oil. The meal was delicious and the paprika gave the shrimp a beautiful color and smoky flavor. If smoky is not your thing, just eliminate the paprika. It’s just as good without it. This meal from start to plate took about 15 minutes.
Good luck to all school personnel returning to work this week. With a little planning, we can and will maintain our healthy eating habits this year. If you have a plan for the year ahead that you’d like to share, please leave me a message below and I’ll contact you.
Reclaiming My Health 