Spicy shrimp are two words that were made for each other. This is a dish that won’t disappoint your spicy palate. I’m not going to bore you with a long story about this recipe, because there isn’t a story. My husband was experimenting in the kitchen and concocted this amazingly delicious dish! He calls it: Mark’s Spicy Shrimp… super creative name, right? This recipe is packed with nutrition and flavor!
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More about shrimp and spicy things
Did you know that one BILLION pounds of shrimp are eaten every year? That’s crazy. Shrimp not only live in the ocean, but they are found in estuaries, rivers, and even lakes. Another fun fact about shrimp is their lifespan, it’s from one to seven years. Move over hamster, I’m getting a shrimp! In case you’re wondering hamsters only live for about three years.
As for nutrition, shrimp are very low in calories. About 15 grams of shrimp is 18 calories, that’s close to three shrimp depending on its size. Shrimp are high in protein and low in carbs. It’s loaded with selenium, which is an antioxidant that can boost your immune system, protect your brain, and reduce your risk of certain cancers. (1) These bottom feeders are also a great source of iodine, which is super beneficial for your thyroid to work properly. And yes, shrimp do have omega fatty acids in them too! If you want to learn more about omega’s read my post about them.
Spicy!
There is good reason to enjoy something spicy now and then. If your tummy can take it on, add some spice to your dishes. I guess if you didn’t like spicy things you wouldn’t be reading this post. Spicy foods have multiple benefits. For one it speeds up your metabolism and puts the brakes on your appetite. This stuff is good for weight loss.
Some other benefits of spicy food are that it helps fight inflammation in your body, it lowers your mortality rate…yep, helps you live longer, and it can fight off bad bugs in the body…bacteria that is. (2)
Tools needed for this dish
The number one tool for Mark’s Spicy Shrimp is the trusty cast-iron pan. You’re going to want a medium-sized one. It gives the food an extra layer of flavor. Believe me, I’ve done a lot of research on what pan is the healthiest to cook with. One that won’t leach chemicals, aluminum, or Teflon into my food and the cast iron wins every time! It may be heavy, but it’s extremely low maintenance. In fact, if you’re anemic (iron deficient) it helps put a little iron in your system.
One more thing about the cast iron pan, it’s SUPER easy to clean, and no soap is required. Seriously, with no soap, you’ll wreck the ‘seasoning’ of the pan. I highly recommend getting a cast iron pan, even if it’s the small one. You can find them on Amazon.
Other ingredients and variations for spicy shrimp
As for other ingredients, I recommend gluten-free Ramen noodles. Our family likes Lotus Foods noodles. Gluten is super inflammatory on the body, why eat it when there is a gluten-free version? It may be a few cents more, but it beats going to the doctor for issues.
This recipe may only call for a little olive oil, but it’s worth getting the good stuff. My favorite, hands-down olive oil is California Ranch Olive Oil. It’s 100% olive oil. With that said, be sure you get an olive oil you trust is 100%. We don’t need no stinkin’ canola or vegetable oil fillers.
The secret ingredient that really makes this dish is the Hatch Valley Flame Roasted Green Chile. My husband eats this stuff by the spoon! Make sure to get the chopped-up version, not the whole. It’s kind of like a relish. Amazon has a two-pack for sale. Simple ingredients, gluten-free, and non-GMO. This is good stuff people!
Variations to the recipe. This is such a versatile recipe that any protein would work: brats, strips of steak, grilled chicken, breakfast sausage, or vegetarian with tofu or almonds.
On to the recipe!
Mark’s Spicy Shrimp
Equipment
- sauce pan
- Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients
- 5 shrimp Frozen Raw Shrimp, jumbo size
- 1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper Slice half a red bell pepper, this is close to a half cup.
- 1/2 cup Orange Bell Pepper Slice half a orange bell pepper, this too is close to a half cup.
- 3/4 cup Red Onion Slice red onion, slice as much as you like. Your preference to how much.
- 7 pepperoni Pepperoni Chop about 7 pepperonis into 4ths. Use your favorite pepperoni.
- 1/2 cup Frozen green beans
- 1 unit Ramen Noodles or Gluten Free Ramen
- 1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos You can use soy sauce instead, your preference.
- 1/4 cup Pickled ginger We prefer the pink color. Any pickled ginger will do. This is a garnish.
- 3 tbsp Hatch Valley Green Chile Use to your liking. If you want a milder dish, use only 1 tbsp.
- 2 tsp Sriracha Sauce Use to your liking. For a milder dish, use 1 tsp or less.
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Goat Cheese this is optional
Instructions
- Using a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- While water is warming up, chop the red onion, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, and pepperoni. Count 5 shrimp out and have them ready.
- Line up ingredients so you have the ready to use.
- After water has boiled, gently place shrimp in the boiling water. Watch them closely as they cook. During this time, turn on the heat on for the cast iron pan. When shrimp turn pink, turn heat off and set aside.
- Now that the cast iron pan is hot, put 1 tbsp of olive oil in the pan and place the red onion, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, along with the hatch chilis and aminos into the pan. Stirfry until you get an aroma.
- Remove shrimp from hot water, remove any shell and tail.Chop the shrimp up. Place shrimp into cast iron pan. Turn pan on low.
- Boil another 4 cups of water and place Ramen into boiling water. Let cook for 4 minutes.
- Drain 90% of the water from noodles and add noodles to the cast iron pan. Add green beans to the cast iron pan. Add ginger.Add pepperoni to the pan.Turn heat to medium heat.
- Add sriracha and goat cheese. Turn off heat and serve!
Notes
Be sure to check out my other simple and delicious recipes! All are gluten-free and dairy-free recipes.
Simple Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Leg Recipe
Simple Game Day Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
By CT Copyright © 2020 Simplify Firefly. All Rights Reserved.
