Garlic Skewered Shrimp

If you're looking for a delicious and healthy meal on a budget, then you're in the right place. These shrimp skewers were not only good, but they're only 127 calories per serving. They were quick and easy to make, only 4 ingredients in the marinade and 10 minutes of cooking time. Best of all, I figured that the whole meal, broccoli and pasta sides included, cost about $1.55 per person. That's shrimp from Aldi for $4 + farmer's market broccoli $1 + 3 green onions $.20 + a pasta packet $1 = $6.20/ 4 people in my family = $1.55. Show your work, class. This sort of problem is about the extent of my mad skillz in the math department. I didn't account for the small amount of soy sauce, oil, and garlic that I used in the marinade, I already had those items in my pantry. I want to thank Carole from "Hey Mom, What's for Dinner Tonight" for the heads up on affordable shrimp at Aldi. I had never been in an Aldi before my quest for shrimp led me there. I found some good deals!

As I prepared dinner, this story came on the evening news. Coincidentally, early in the week I read a study stating that when the economy is down that obesity is actually on the rise. According to this study (I can't remember where I read it, sorry!)families turn to high starch, low nutrient foods to cut their grocery bills. It does make sense. Mac n' cheese and hot dogs are less expensive than chicken breast and fresh vegetables. So while I was patting myself on the back for tonight's low-cost healthy meal (ok, so a pasta packet isn't exactly healthy, but it was a sure thing if either of the kids vetoed the shrimp)I looked up a couple of articles with suggestions for healthy eating during tough economic times. Here they are: 10 Tips from the Cleveland Clinic and Eating Healthy on a Budget

Alright, lesson over. Now on to the recipe! I began by peeling a pound of medium raw shrimp. Large would have been great here too, but I only found the medium on sale. They were super easy to peel, The vein on these had already been removed and the back was split where the vein came out. Sorry if any of you out there are squeamish on the details.



Next, I combined 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of oil, 3 cloves of minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for the marinade.



Add the marinade to the shrimp and set aside for 10-15 minutes.



Assembly time! All you need are the shrimp, 3 green onions chopped into 1-inch pieces, and some soaked wooden skewers.



Place the shrimp skewers on a broiling pan. I broiled mine on low, 5 minutes per side.



And that's dinner. Enjoy!



Garlic Skewered Shrimp from the Light Cooking Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 pound raw large (or medium) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Preparation:

1. Prepare grill or preheat broiler. Soak 10 (12-inch) wooden skewers in hot water 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place shrimp in large plastic resealable food storage bag. Combine soy sauce, oil, garlic and red pepper, if desired, in cup; mix well. Pour over shrimp. Seal bag; turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature 15 minutes.

2. Drain shrimp; reserve marinade. Alternately thread shrimp and onions onto skewers. Place skewers on grid or rack of broiler pan. Brush with reserved marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Grill, covered, over medium-hot coals or broil 5 to 6 inches from heat 5 minutes on each side or until shrimp are pink and opaque. Serve on lettuce-lined plate, if desired.

Serving Suggestion: For a more attractive presentation, leave the tails on the shrimp.

Nutritional Information:Serving Size: 1 Skewer
Sodium 464 mg
Protein 20 g
Fiber <1 g
Carbohydrate 2 g
Cholesterol 173 mg
Saturated Fat 1 g
Total Fat 4 g
Calories from Fat 32 %
Calories 127
Dietary Exchange: Meat 2-1/2

Weight Watcher Points: 3 per skewer