Grilled Paprika Shrimp with Polenta

Grilled Paprika Shrimp with Polenta:

Serving Size: 2 Skewers of Shrimp, 2 Slices of Polenta, and as many Veggies as you want
Servings per Recipe: 4

1lb Large Raw Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined (you can use frozen or fresh depending on budget)

1 Tube Pre-Cooked Polenta (I get mine from Trader Joe's)

1 Bag Green Beans (or I think Asparagus would go well also)

2-3tsp Crushed Garlic (also sold at Trader Joe's)

1-2tsp Spanish Style Paprika

1-2tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Can of Spray Olive Oil (such as PAM)

Wooden Skewers (soaked in water prior to use)

1. If using frozen shrimp, just put in colander and run cool water over shrimp for 5 minutes or until no longer frozen in the middle. Let stand in sink for a few minutes while preparing other ingredients.
   
2. Pre-heat broiler. Spray broiler pan with spray olive oil. Slice polenta into 8 even pieces and place on broiler. Spray top of polenta slices with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper if desired. Place in oven just below broiler. Cook for 10 minutes on each side.
   
3. While polenta is cooking, pre-heat grill (grill pan or outdoor grill will work). Next, make the garlic paprika paste. Add the 2-3tsp of crushed garlic into a small bowl, add the 1-2tsp of paprika and stir to combine. Add enough liquid olive oil to slightly thin but make sure it is a consistency slightly thicker than pancake batter (about 1tsp).
   
4. If the bowl is big enough, you can place all of the shrimp into the bowl and toss with your hands making sure every piece is covered equally. You can also use a brush or a the back of a spoon to individually coat each shrimp.
   
5. Place 4-5 shrimp on each skewer (depending on how many came in the pound). Grill the skewers until the shrimp turn pink and have the desired amount of caramelization (~5min per side).
   
6. While shrimp is cooking, cook the bag of green beans according to the directions (usually poke a hole in the bag and place in microwave for 3-4 minutes).
   
7. Once everything is cooked, plate how ever you like and ENJOY!

My Comments:

This dish is Spanish inspired so I used a lot of paprika. Depending on your preferences, you can use as much or as little as you like. You may also want to add a little ground cayenne pepper for some heat! The polenta complements the spices in this recipe and is a filling, yet not too carb heavy, starch. (Also looks pretty in my opinion).

I don't have an exact number of but this dish should be around 325-350 calories per serving as long as you control the amount of olive oil you use.

ENJOY!