At the end of the day, sometimes two of the hardest things you can have to do are decide what to have for dinner and then prepare it. Plus, you’re hungry! So you want to get dinner made fast. Solution: A recipe with minimal prep time and even shorter cook time that tastes delicious.
Fish Safety
I wrote before that certain types of seafood are safe to eat during pregnancy. Shrimp is one of them! When harvested and stored properly, shrimp is safe to consume and actually contains protein and a few other nutrients. Opt for shrimp that is sustainably farmed and of the freshwater variety. Fresh, or frozen shrimp, is best when bought with the peel on and the heads removed. It’s convenient if the vein along the back of the shrimp is already removed as long as the peel hasn’t been cracked or opened for an extended period of time.
Many experts recommend purchasing frozen shrimp and thawing the shrimp on your own immediately prior to use. Shrimp are deep frozen when they’re caught at sea and delivered to the retailer in that state. The retailer then thaws the shrimp and puts it on display, typically on ice. Since there is no way to tell how long the shrimp have been defrosted, it’s safer to buy the shrimp frozen in a bag and thaw out on your own.
Things to Avoid
There are things to avoid. Shrimp are highly perishable and can spoil quickly, so do not eat shrimp if they have a foul odor or an ammonia-like smell. Your shrimp should be firm and not limp, slimy, or breaking apart which would also indicate decay or spoilage.
With fresh shrimp, this dish gives a wonderful caramelized sauce that pairs wonderfully with any type of crispy green vegetable like green beans, broccoli, or even Brussels sprouts. Try this when you’re looking for a quick shrimp fix!
Honey Garlic Shrimp
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup honey (as always, I highly recommend using a good quality honey like the kind I use from the Tanis Apiary in Pompton Plains, New Jersey)
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 pound medium shrimp, uncooked, shelled and deveined
- 1 ½ cup green beans, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts
- Brown rice or soba noodles to serve
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, honey and soy sauce. Set aside.
- In a second medium bowl, place the shrimp. Pour 1/3 of the sauce of the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
- After the shrimp has been marinated, heat a non-stick medium (about 10 inches) skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the sauce into the skillet and heat until steaming or slightly sizzling.
- Toss in the green vegetable of choice and cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes depending on the vegetable used. Remove and set aside.
- Take shrimp out of the marinade sauce and in 2 batches (5 to 10 shrimp per batch). Cook 1 to 2 mins per side until the shrimp are browned and begin to curl. Do not overcook! Take the shrimp out onto a plate and set aside.
- When the shrimp are all cooked, return the vegetables to the skillet and heat through. Add the shrimp back into the skillet. Add any remaining sauce. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to coat the shrimp and the vegetables in the caramelized sauce.
- Serve over brown rice or soba noodles. Drizzle any remaining sauce from the skillet over the shrimp and vegetables.