Sun-Dried Tomato Shrimp with Summer Squash and Green Peppers
Ingredients:
1.5 Lbs Wild Shrimp
2 medium Summer Squash, option to be Zucchini Squash
1 Green Pepper
1/2 Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes, preferably dried (can use in oil)
1/4 Cup Katamala Olives
3 Garlic Cloves
Pantry Needs: Coconut Oil, EVOO, salt, pepper, Cumin, Garlic, Fennel
How To:
1- Gather all your ingredients.
2- Soak sundried tomatoes in warm water for 5-10 minutes until soft.
3- Cut squash lengthwise twice into quarters, then slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop green pepper into 1/2 inches pieces, medium dice red onion, quarter olives, minces garlic.
4- Roughly chop sundried tomatoes.
5- Place sundried tomatoes in a medium bowl with cleaned/dried shrimp. Add 1/2 cup EVOO and 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar. Add 1 tea each of garlic powder, cumin and fennel. Mix to coat and let sit while you prepare the veggies.
6- Heat a large saute’ pan to medium-high-heat, melt 1.5 Tbsp coconut oil. Once oil is hot add the squash, peppers, onions and olives. Cook for 5 minutes until veggies soften.
7- Add the minced garlic, 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, cumin and fennel mix, salt & pepper. Cook for another minute.
8- Remove veggies from pan into Medium Bowl and set aside. Using the same pan, add shrimp. Spread out to have even pan coverage.
9- Flip Shrimp to evenly cook. Add salt & pepper and once shrimp are pink they are done.
10- Plate and you’re done!
Some Health Benefits and Fun Facts:
This is an easy meal that is quick (under 30 minutes) and uses only 1 pan so also easy clean up!!
I love using Shrimp as a weekly fish option as they are small, young and my kids love them. They are high in protein, low calorie and low fat. Of the fat contained it is rich in omega 3-FA’s EPA and DHA.
Those Sun-Dried Tomatoes with a glycemic index of 12 are great meal additive because they are packed with lycopenee and carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin which helps protect our eye-sight. Also a good source of dietary fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
Summer Squash ( the yellow zucchini) have so many health benefits including Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3 & B6, C, K, Folate, magnesium, fiber, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. It is also rich in carotenoids especially lutein and zeaxanthin also beta-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene. Most of these carotenoids are found in the skins so please don’t peel them. Another reason why you want to only consume organic! If you want the benefits without any added toxins, you need to choose organic. For more about this wonderful gourd http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=62
So I’ve listed some powerful Vitamins and Minerals but what do they do??
Cooper helps protect our immune system.
Manganese (an *essential dietary nutrient) assists in protein and amino acid digestion and utilization, as well as the metabolism of cholesterol and carbohydrates. Manganese is necessary for bone health, detoxification to reduce inflammation and protect against free radicals. This Vasodilator also helps the regulation of blood flow. Lastly Manganese is a cofactor for many other enzymes and is needed to have those enzymes work properly, and of note is its role in the production of Thyroxine and Proline. Thyroxine is a critical hormones produced in our thyroids that maintain appetite, metabolism and organ efficiency. And Proline is essential for collagen formation and wound healing.
What about those fats! Omega 3 Fatty Acids, These are powerhouses for your brain and body. Thee are 3 varieties of omega-3’s; ALA, EPA and DHA. The health benefits are numerous including; fighting inflammation, reducing autoimmune disease, reducing metabolic syndrome, reducing mental and behavioral disorders including depression, ADHA, mood swings, Alzheimers and more. It also helps bone and joint health, alleviates menstrual pain, as well as improving sleep. Basically it does ALOT and if your not consuming fish on the regular you could benefit from omega-3 supplementation. We personally take a krill oil supplement 1 a day.
essential meaning our bodies can produce it.