Penne Rosa with Shrimp

Let's be honest - I love carbs, so I enjoy making a good pasta dish every once in a while. I love this penne rosa with shrimp recipe because 1) I love shrimp 2) I love pasta and 3) It's super easy to make and doesn't take too much time.

One of the best things about cooking your own meals is you can leave out things you don't like, substitute ingredients, or add in more that the original recipe didn't call for. That being said, I added in the broccoli to give the dish even more substance and nutrients and left out mushrooms because my boyfriend isn't a big fan, but I'm thinking that artichoke hearts or asparagus would be a good substitute as well.

I try to make clean eating/healthier replacements when possible, so I use whole wheat or whole grain pasta instead of regular or white, but again, it's easy to substitute if you prefer the latter. As far as the sauce goes, I just grabbed a jar of pre made vodka sauce this time, but you can opt for a healthier option by combining 1/2 cup marinara sauce (homemade or jar) and 1/3 plain greek yogurt.

Ingredients

1 box whole wheat or whole grain penne
4 cups of fresh spinach
1 head or case of pre-cut broccoli
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled
1 jar vodka sauce (or see healthier replacement above)
1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 pinches red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

- Cook penne pasta as directed on box. Once cooked, drain and add into a large serving bowl
- Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes or until you reach your desired softness, adding to the serving bowl once completed
- In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil over medium heat
- Once heated, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, moving around constantly to ensure you don't burn the garlic
- Turn heat up a little bit and add in peeled shrimp with the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and cooked all the way through. Salt and pepper to your preference
- Remove shrimp from skillet and place in a large serving bowl. Take skillet off of heat, add in the spinach and cover, letting it wilt for about 2-4 minutes
- Add the spinach to the serving bowl along with the vodka sauce
- Stir thoroughly until incorporated throughout, serve and enjoy!