Looking for a delicious, healthy and fast dinner?  With social distancing and a stay at home order in effect I have been giving myself time to slow down and actually cook instead of tossing everything together fast and not enjoying the process.  For me cooking is a stress reliever so after helping my kids with their schooling it is a welcome task.

I understand you may have to plan ahead for this meal as not everyone keeps shrimp in their freezer for quick meals like I do, but trust me it is worth it!

 

The sausage I prefer is the grassfed beef Kiolbasa, they have it at Costco.  (I think Kiolbasa is the name of the company).  It has a really nice snap to the casing and is rather garlicky, in the good way.

The shrimp is 16-20 count, Jumbo Shrimp that has been deveined but not peeled.  I prefer the frozen shrimp they sell at Aldi, Fremont Fish Market.  They are wild caught and are not pumped with anything so they have a great texture and the price is pretty awesome too!  Currently the jumbo shrimp is $6.49 for a 12oz package which is a super sweet deal!

I use avocado oil in my higher heat cooking as it has a high smoke point while also being super healthy for you.  Virgin coconut oil would be great too, but you will notice a hint of coconut flavor…hey this may not be a bad thing…

I only had mini sweet peppers on hand so I just cut the top off to remove the stem and seeds then sliced them in half.  Alternately a yellow and a red bell pepper seeded, stemmed and sliced would be perfect.

So on to the process…as I mentioned I didn’t have to devein my shrimp (remove the vein that runs down the back) as they came that way.  I cook them with the shell on as it lends a lot of flavor, but if you prefer peeled or that’s what you have on hand, no worries!

Asparagus is in season right now, and it’s super easy to work with.  Just be sure to cut the tough ends off as they are impossible to chew.

Preparing everything is super fast as all that’s left is slicing a red onion, slicing the sausage into 1/2″ rounds, crushing about 5 garlic cloves, cutting the asparagus in half and slicing a red and a yellow bell pepper.  I keep a jar of the spice blend already mixed up in my cupboard for everyday use, please see recipe for that below.

Heat a large sauté pan (11″ minimum) over medium high heat.  When your pan is hot drizzle in about 2 tablespoons avocado oil.  Swirl to coat the bottom of your pan.  Brown the sausage slices along with the peppers and onions in the pan for about 5 minutes then add the garlic.  The sausage are fully cooked so you just want to add a bit more flavor by adding a little caramelization (not sure if that’s a word…).  Be sure to stir everything up to keep the garlic from burning, and cook for about 2 minutes.

Now add the shrimp and asparagus along with a tablespoon of fajita seasoning, continuing to sauté for about a minute being sure to coat everything in the deliciousness that is in the pan.  Grab a pan lid and a couple tablespoons of water.  Add the water to the pan, cover and let the shrimp and asparagus steam for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink.

Serve on tortillas or coconut wraps (paleo/keto option) along with some fresh sliced jalapeños and fresh cilantro (optional)  Enjoy!!

Fajita seasoning recipe:

• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Zest
• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (optional, but awesome)
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• Small pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper (adjust for your tastes)
• 1 pinch cayenne (optional)

Helpful hints:

If you don’t have a large sauté pan brown the sausage first, remove it, sauté the onions and peppers next adding the garlic and spice blend a minute or so before they are done.  Don’t crowd the pan as you will end up steaming everything instead of cooking it in oil.

If you are interested in a new pan, I love the new NUCU line that is being produced by Vollrath Company.  They are based in Wisconsin.  The stainless pans are beautiful and rival (in my opinion conquer) some of the well known brands out there.  If you live near me, you can buy them at Relish Kitchen Store.