East Coast Shrimp and Lentil Bowls

Name: East Coast Shrimp and Lentil Bowls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1-3/4 cups water; 2 tablespoons garlic powder, divided; 1 pound uncooked shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined; 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning; 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 3 cups fresh baby spinach; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion; Lemon wedges

If you have frozen shrimp, a few seasoning ingredients, bagged spinach and lentils on hand in your pantry, you can make this dish in no time. It’s healthy, but it’s so delicious, nobody needs to know! —Mary kay LaBrie, Clermont, Florida

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons garlic powder, divided
1 pound uncooked shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
Lemon wedges

Directions

Place first four ingredients and 1 tablespoon garlic powder in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 17-20 minutes.
Toss shrimp with seafood seasoning. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add pepper flakes and remaining garlic powder; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp turns pink, 3-4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice; remove from pan and keep warm.
Add spinach and nutmeg to pan; cook and stir over medium-high heat until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.
To serve, divide lentils among four bowls. Top with shrimp, spinach and onion. Serve with lemon wedges.

Test Kitchen tips

We tested our recipe with Old Bay seafood seasoning.

Serving with a squeeze of lemon adds a brighter flavor to the final dish.

Shrimp that are 26-30 per pound are sometimes labeled as large shrimp.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 289 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 153mg cholesterol, 645mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 4g fiber), 26g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat.

Originally published as Shrimp with Spinach and Lentils in Simple & Delicious February/March 2018