Citrusy Shrimp & Spinach Spaghetti

Being pregnant for a second time has me thinking a lot about the different stages I've gone through with my son. The first weeks and months were so difficult that I actually didn't think I could do it. He cried from 3pm to 3am every day for a month. His naps didn't last any more than 15 minutes at a time and happened once or twice during the day. I honestly felt like there was nothing I would ever be able to do to make him happy. Some call it colic, some say it's indigestion, and I still don't know exactly why that phase was so hard. In hindsight, I know there were things I needed to do to take care of myself. Eating enough was number one. Yes, the baby was crying and I wanted to crawl in a hole just to get some sound sleep, but taking 20 minutes to make a decent meal for myself was not going to change any of that. What those 20 precious minutes would do is help me have muster the strength to make it, with at least an ounce of grace, through a very trying time.

Yes, that was a hard time. But we have a healthy little boy who makes those first months totally worth it each and every day. He sleeps like a dream (worth more than gold if you ask me), gives the best hugs and kisses, loves bugs and "creatures" he finds in the backyard, and talks without stopping during every waking moment, leaving me with memories at the end of the day of the hilarious, and sometimes quite insightful things, I was blessed to have him share with me.

Because I know what we could be facing with another little one on the way, the good and the difficult, I have been working on an arsenal of meals that are largely hands off and come together quickly. This citrusy shrimp & spinach spaghetti is the perfect 20 minute meal that is comforting, healthy, and so easy to toss together. In addition to all of that, it is versatile. Substitute spinach with chard or kale. Use whole wheat or brown rice spaghetti. Add shredded rotisserie chicken instead of shrimp. The possibilities are endless!

And a bonus at our house: this one is picky-toddler approved!

We are now at the half-way point of this pregnancy and I'm starting to feel all of the feels there are to feel about having a new baby. With how much we love Riley, it's hard to imagine how it will feel to have two littles to love. Heart explosions will for sure be happening on the regular around here!

HELP: In my quest for easy meals, I'd love to hear what your favorites are! Links are welcome in the comments below!

Citrusy Shrimp & Spinach Spaghetti

Serves 4

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
• 4 cups baby spinach
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, combine the orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine.
4. Put the shrimp in a large bowl and toss with half the olive oil mixture. Spread the shrimp on a baking sheet lined with foil and roast for 6 minutes or until pink and just cooked through.
5. In a large bowl, toss the spaghetti with the shrimp and the remaining citrus oil. Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper.
6. Scoop into serving bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

Chipotle Shrimp over Creamy Polenta

There is chocolate all over the inter-webs. All. Over. Chocolate, heart-shaped stuffs are here there and everywhere and I've decided to detour. I love chocolate just as much as the next gal but I wanted to contribute something a little different and off the beaten path. Chipotle shrimp with creamy polenta is simple to make (gentlemen, I'm talking to you!) and it has spice (a known aphrodisiac) and luxurious polenta that has been combined with tangy sour cream.

As I made this dish the other day, I was reminded of the first Valentine's Day Brad and I spent together. I wanted to impress him with something delicious, exotic, and like nothing he'd ever eaten before. I settled on red curry coconut soup with shrimp. It was beautiful. I somehow found huge, lovely shrimp in the middle of the Iowa corn fields (I don't care to think about how that was made possible) and the little kitchen in his on-campus house smelled divine. We sat down with a couple glasses of wine, dim lights, and bowls full of what I was sure would be a triumphant success of a meal.

Bless his heart, Brad took two bites before he said what we both were thinking. It was blazing hot and our mouths were almost certainly on fire. We ditched the wine and opted instead for splitting a gallon of milk to rid our tongues of the miserable sting of too much red curry.

On the one hand, I was heart-broken that I had ruined our first Valentine's Day meal. On the other hand, I was comforted that Brad cared enough so early in our relationship to endure a few bites of something completely inedible just to spare my feelings.

That humiliating experience has not gone far from my thoughts each and every time this holiday rolls around. This year, I think I've done it right. This dish is a perfect combination of slight heat balanced by the creamy sour cream spiked polenta.

And go ahead...follow it up with one of the many chocolate desserts. I know I will!

Chipotle Shrimp over Creamy Polenta

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the polenta:

For the shrimp:

• 1 cup stone ground (not instant) polenta
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh baby spinach or other greens for garnish
• 8-10 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Instructions

1. Move an oven rack to the top position.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
4. Whisk the polenta into the water. Continue whisking until the polenta has thickened slightly and there are no lumps.
5. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the polenta is tender.
6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm while you make the shrimp.
7. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the olive oil, chipotle powder, salt and pepper and transfer it to a large, rimmed sheet pan. Make sure the shrimp are in a single layer with a little space between them.
8. Place the shrimp under the broil and cook until they are pink and just firm, about 3 minutes.
9. Ladle some of the polenta into 2 serving bowls. Top with handful of baby spinach and divide the shrimp evenly and arrange on top the spinach.
10. Serve immediately.