Shrimp Penne with Mushrooms and Wilted Arugula

Posted by nutrition to kitchen on September 28, 2009 · 9 Comments 

A few weeks ago, our friends Phi and Michael came to Hawaii for their one-year wedding anniversary (yay!).  They came bearing gifts, of which included a bag of goodies from Trader Joe’s, my favorite store for gourmet treats.  In my stash included a bag of whole-wheat penne pasta and a bag of dried mushroom medley.  Thanks for the meal friends!

This meal is great to make if you’ve gotten home late and just want to throw something on the table real quick.  Just boil up some pasta, and everything else is prepared in the same pan.  Plus, you’ve got a little bit of everything to make this meal packed with nutrition.  Fiber from the whole wheat pasta will digest slower than if you had regular pasta which has no fiber, and will help you stay fuller longer.  I call it the “slimming” ingredient in this meal!

The pasta plus the shrimp add a hefty bit of protein to the dish, and mushrooms add minimal calories but meatiness to the meal.  They’re also a good source of selenium, an important nutrient involved in a number of antioxidant reactions.  You can substitute spinach for the arugula in this meal and it would work just as well.  The key is to introduce as much of a variety of colors to each meal as possible to maximize its nutritional benefits.  I’d say ending a hectic day with a quick and easy meal as this is not bad at all!

Shrimp Penne with Mushrooms and Wilted Arugula

serves about 4 – 6

30-36 shrimp, deveined, shelled (you can leave the tails on if you like)

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated

1 lb whole-wheat penne pasta, prepared according to package directions

0.88 oz package of dried mushroom medley (porcini, portabella, shiitake, oyster, wood ear, or other is fine), reconstituted in warm water for at least 10 minutes and drained (makes about 1 1/2 cups of reconstituted mushrooms; if you don’t have dried mushrooms, use 1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh mushrooms)

1/4 cup pesto

1 Tbsp fish sauce, or salt sprinkled to taste

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

4 cups arugula leaves (can substitute for spinach)

Freshly cracked black pepper

Sprinkle of pine nuts and parmesan cheese, optional, for garnish

1.  In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and saute, about 30 seconds.  Add the shrimp and sprinkle with a dash of salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Saute for a couple of minutes, until the shrimp is just opaque.  Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

2.  In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil, then the mushrooms and drained pasta.  Add the pesto, fish sauce, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.  Stir to combine, until the penne is coated with all ingredients.  Season to taste.  Add the shrimp back to the pasta as well as the arugula leaves.  Cook for another few minutes, until the arugula has wilted into the pasta.  Top with freshly cracked black pepper.

Filed under fish/seafood, grains, main entree · Tagged with pasta, quick, shrimp