this simple shrimp and veggie stir-fry comes together in just about 20 minutes and is packed with whole grains, veggies, protein and FLAVOR! a perfect meal for busy weeknights.
Somehow back to school is not far away (don’t ask me how!) and while I’m not counting summer out yet (officially, there’s still about a month left!) I do know people are already starting to prepare.
Whether you’re going back to school yourself or sending your kids on their way, I know that for me, easy dinners were key to surviving the busy back to school season.
Well, look no further because this shrimp stir-fry is exactly that! It’s done in about 20 minutes, it’s packed with whole grains, veggies, protein and flavor – making it an easy to throw together meal that will also nourish everyone you’re serving! Plus, it uses ingredients that you likely already have on-hand.
I love stir-frys because they’re such an easy one-stop shop meal. You can throw some whole grains in there, veggies (I like to buy the frozen mixes for ease of completion but you can also buy and prep fresh veggies if you prefer) and protein and then add whatever flavoring you want. If you REALLY need to move things along quickly, you can even buy a sauce packet in the grocery store. Then you’ve got your whole meal with literally 4 ingredients!
If you’ve got a little more time on your hands though, you can whip up the sauce I’ve created below which really doesn’t take much more time than throwing a pre-made sauce packet into the mix (so long as you have the ingredients on hand). It’s got a hint of sweetness that’s offset well by the ginger and pairs perfectly with the nutty brown rice and just-tender veggies.
And don’t worry, if you’re not a shrimp fan, you can literally sub any protein you prefer. This could work with beef, chicken, tofu, even just edamame! Regardless of how you mix it up, it’s a great easy meal for busy weeknights that is definitely worthy of a spot in the dinner rotation!
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, tailed and deveined
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked
- 1 12 oz. bag of frozen stir-fry veggies (a fresh mix would work too!)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil
- 2 scallions, sliced, bottom roots discarded
Instructions
- Cook brown rice according to package instructions
- Meanwhile, combine honey, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper together in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve 1/3 cup of the sauce, place in an airtight container and refrigerate. Add shrimp to the remaining mixture in the bowl, toss to fully coat then allow to marinate for at least 10-12 minutes (you can also marinate over night if you so desire).
- While the shrimp marinates, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the veggie mix. Cook, stirring frequently for about 4-5 minutes. Lower heat to low and cover the pan allowing veggies to steam cook for another 4 minutes. Once veggies are tender, remove and set aside, then wipe out the pan.
- In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop shrimp out of the marinade and add in an even layer to the pan. Cook about 1 minute each side, or until shrimp are pink. Discard the sauce the shrimp were marinating in.
- Add the sauce you mixed earlier to the pan and cook another minute or until shrimp is fully glazed. Add veggies to the pan with the shrimp at the very end of cooking and toss well.
- In a bowl layer cooked brown rice, veggies and shrimp then top with sliced scallion.
Notes
If you buy "steam-in-a-bag" veggies, you can cook them that way too, they just may be a little softer than usual for a stir-fry.
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