Is it just me, or has March flown by?
I have been so busy with work, school, and traveling that I feel like I’ve barely had time to cook the fancy fabulous dinners that I’m known for. As March is national nutrition month, I know I should be putting my best fork forward, and one of the best ways to do that is to cook yourself a fresh and healthy dinner.
This dinner, although fancy and fabulous, is a one pot thirty minute masterpiece for those short on time, but wanting a balanced colorful nutrient-rich meal.
It’s ironic that I started developing this recipe when I was living in Italy over three years ago, as this recipe is very un-Italian. In fact, it pretty much breaks all of the unwritten Italian pasta rules:
- It has too many ingredients
- It’s half salad, half pasta
- It’s pretty much a one pot primo, secondo, and contorno (1st course, second course, and side dish)
- It adds cheese to seafood (blasphemy!)
That being said, it’s pretty damn delicious, and makes getting those greens a piece of cake (or in this case a piece of pasta).
Whole Grain Spaghetti with Shrimp and Arugula
Ingredients:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 tbs. olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 lb shrimp (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust depending on spice desire)
- 1 box (16 oz.) whole grain spaghetti (I prefer whole grain to whole wheat)
- 3 cups baby arugula
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Optional- parmigiano reggiano
Directions
Prepare shrimp.
Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat.
As you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. Peel and dice garlic. Half cherry tomatoes.
In a large pan, place olive oil, garlic, and salt over medium-low heat. Cook, gently stirring until sauce is fragrant (from the garlic about 2 minutes). Add in white wine, tomatoes, and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium heat until wine is reduced approximately 15-20 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook until shrimp is pink and no longer translucent (approximately 5 minutes).
When water boils, add salt and cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
Mix pasta with shrimp sauce and toss. Add Arugula and mix in with pasta and sauce. I like to add a bit more arugula for taste and color.
Top with chopped fresh parsley and fresh parmesan.
TYPE 1 TRAVELER 