Spicy Shrimp with Creamy Polenta – Mediterranean Diet

About the author

FitMenCook

My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is truly a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and enjoying adequate exercise. By experimenting in the kitchen and openly sharing my meals, I learned that healthy eating is hardly boring and that by making a few adjustments, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my personal fitness goals. Our bodies are built in the kitchen and sculpted in the gym.

Calories 430

Protein 28g

Fat 17g

Carbs 39g

Total Time 30 minutes

Spicy Shrimp with Polenta Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients for 4 Shrimp with Polenta servings

Shrimp
- 1 1/4lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons The Fit Cook Cajun seasoning (OR 2 teaspoons smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
- pinch of sea salt & pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Roasted Veggies
- 1 cup mini mushrooms
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups eggplant, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 squash, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons The Fit Cook LAND seasoning (or your choice of dried herbs like oregano, thyme and rosemary)
Polenta
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup polenta (real corn grits)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 4 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- Garnish – fresh thyme or oregano

Steps

Set oven to 420F.
Add ingredients for Roasted Veggies to a baking tray and mix well with the oil and seasoning. Roast in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the veggies are crisp tender and the edges are browned. Set aside.
Add water and almond milk to a pot and bring to a gentle boil. Add the polenta and reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cover and cook for 7 – 10 minutes. Once the polenta gets thick and creamy, reduce the heat to low and stir in turmeric, paprika, yeast and oil. Stir and ensure it is creamy. Note: if it is a little dry, simply stir in tablespoons of almond milk until thick and creamy. You can add fresh herb garnish if you’d like. Remove from the heat and keep covered so it does not dry out.
Season shrimp with oil and cajun seasoning. Set a nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add olive oil and toss in the shrimp! Cook for 8 to 10 minutes in the skillet, until the shrimp is cooked through and the edges are seared and “crispy!”
Enjoy the polenta with roasted veggies AND shrimp, or just polenta and veggies for plant-strong meal!