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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Pasta & Shrimp Primavera


I was drawn to this recipe because of the abundance of vegetables. The veggies, in fact, ended up being my favorite thing about this recipe. I bulked it up with more vegetables than the original recipe and enjoyed the colorful variety paired with the shrimp. This meal wasn't difficult to throw together, just lots of chopping! My only complaint was that the lack of sauce made it a little bit bland. I enjoyed the flavor from the veggies, but it could've used a little extra oomph...something to work on for next time!

A funny note about the basil in this recipe...I had the hardest time getting basil for this recipe...out at our local Schnucks AND out at the local farmer's market (is everyone making pesto or something?!), but I finally found a bunch at the local asian grocery store. It looked and smelled like normal basil, but WOW did it pack a punch! I don't know if it was a special variety or what, but it had 10x the flavor of your typical basil. So, while I found this recipe a little bland, I'm not referring to any of the bites with basil :)

Pasta & Shrimp Primavera
adapted from Lynda's Recipe Box

Ingredients:
-16 oz. cooked pasta (I used half a box of whole wheat rotini)
-1 lb frozen shrimp, shelled and deveined
-2-4 tbsp olive oil
-5-6 garlic cloves, minced (I used jarred minced garlic)
-1 zucchini, diced
-1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
-1 medium onion, diced
-3 cups fresh spinach
-1 cup sliced mushrooms
-1 can diced tomatoes
-3-4 tbsp chopped, fresh basil
-salt & pepper to taste
-feta cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta and drain. While pasta is cooking, chop all vegetables.
2. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat and add shrimp, cooking for 2-3 minutes until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
3. Add another tbsp olive oil and add squash, onion, and asparagus to the skillet. Saute 4-5 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms and cook until spinach has wilted.
4. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add tomatoes and basil and heat through.
5. Mix in the shrimp and pasta. Toss until combined. Top with feta cheese before serving.