Meatless Recipes

Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls

June 9, 2020
ewardrd
7 comments
meatlessrecipe, polentabowl, seafood, shrimp, shrimpbowl, vegetarian, weeknightmeals

Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls are an easy way to include seafood in your eating plan.

I love quick, delicious dinners, don’t you? These creamy polenta, shrimp, and vegetable bowls are easy enough to make on busy weeknights, and elegant enough for guests. That’s my kind of meal!

I first wrote this post in 2016. I recently changed the recipe and I wanted to make you aware of the improvements. I’ve also added tips for customizing these bowls depending on what ingredients you have on hand. I love polenta and shrimp, but if you want to use chicken or another type of seafood, that works, too!

Eat Seafood Twice a Week

Experts recommend eating at least two seafood meals weekly, and as many as three meals ( a total of 8-12 ounces) in a week’s time if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Seafood is rich in protein, healthy omega-3 fats that support heart and brain health, and other nutrients, including choline, which is often in short supply in the American diet.

Shrimp is one of Americans’ favorite types of seafood: we eat an average of nearly 4.5 pounds a year per person. (I’m pretty sure I am a top consumer!) Most of the shrimp we eat is imported, but shrimp is also harvested and sold in the U.S. As fish go, shrimp is considered one of the safest.

Frozen shrimp and other frozen seafood are useful to have on hand to make meal prep easier, but you can also use the fresh variety, too. You can even make these creamy polenta, shrimp, and vegetable bowls with frozen shrimp and you don’t have to thaw it before cooking!

How to Make Whole Grain Creamy Polenta

Creamy polenta is a mixture of cornmeal, water, butter, and cheese. (I add some milk to mine to make it creamier.) I prefer whole grain cornmeal for its taste and health benefits.

For this dish, you may want to use a medium or coarse-ground cornmeal; packages of cornmeal labeled as polenta are usually coarser grinds. You can substitute grits for cornmeal but you won’t get the same results or the same nutrition profile.

Customize your Creamy Polenta, Shrimp and Vegetable Bowl

I am not into fussy, precise recipes. In fact, I love recipes that people can change around to suit their needs and what’s in their pantry at the moment. Here are some tips for making do in the kitchen:

No spinach? Kale works well in this recipe, too. I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure the bowls would be delicious with other greens, such as collard and beet, and with broccoli.
Canned, drained diced tomatoes can be swapped for the red bell pepper.
If you don’t have cornmeal in the house, or you don’t want to use it, swap pasta, farro, or rice. Farro is a whole grain, and whole wheat pasta and brown rice are, too. Any of the three will help you meet the suggested daily intake of at least three servings of whole grains a day.
Cooked chicken can take the place of shrimp. Polenta pairs well with chicken, meat, and seafood.

I‘m a big believer in using what you have on hand. Read this for how to make ingredient swaps that work.

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Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls

A simple, delicious meal in a bowl!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: highprotein, polentabowl, shrimpbowl

Servings: 4

Calories: 378kcal

Ingredients

3 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large red bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic
5 cups baby spinach, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup whole grain cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup 1% low fat milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
16 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
fresh chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place water in medium saucepan over high heat. Cover.
Add oil to large skillet. Heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add the spinach and saute for another 3 minutes or until the spinach has just wilted. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir well. Remove from the heat.
When the water has boiled, slowly add the cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt. Turn the heat to low and simmer the cornmeal, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the milk, cheese, and butter and stir until the butter is melted and the polenta is creamy. Cover and set aside.
Return the skillet to the medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is pink on both sides, about 5 minutes.
To serve, divide the polenta evenly between four bowls and top with the shrimp-vegetable mixture. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.

Notes

Per serving: 378 calories, 16 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 210 milligrams cholesterol, 618 milligrams sodium, 30 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, 653 milligrams potassium, 208 milligrams calcium

Easy No-Yeast Pizza Dough Recipe (white and whole wheat)

Pizza is one of my family’s favorite foods. Americans purchase 350 slices every second, so it’s safe to assume that you love pizza, too! These days, you’re probably preparing more pizza at home than you’re buying, and you may be having trouble finding yeast to make the crust. No problem. This easy no-yeast pizza dough recipe (which can be made with white or whole wheat flour) is ready in less than 10 minutes.

Have a warm pizza on the table in well under a half hour with this easy, no-rise crust!

How To Make Easy No-Yeast Pizza Dough

In traditional pizza dough recipes, yeast plays a big role in helping the dough to rise. In this recipe, baking powder and Greek yogurt stand in for yeast.

Baking powder helps the dough to rise but it needs the acid from the Greek yogurt to do its job. Greek yogurt also helps to tenderize the pizza dough.

You must use Greek yogurt in this recipe because regular yogurt is too thin to form the dough. Use any type of plain Greek yogurt you like, such as fat-free or whole milk.

How to Make Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with No Yeast

You can make this pizza dough recipe with 100% whole wheat flour instead of white flour, or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat. I prefer whole wheat flour to all-purpose for a few reasons, although I just use what I have on hand.

Because the dough has Greek yogurt in it, it’s got more moisture than traditional pizza dough. When I use an whole wheat flour, I find the dough is not as sticky and easier to work with.

I also prefer whole wheat flour for the nutrition it offers. Whole wheat flour has more fiber than all-purpose, and it contains higher levels of certain nutrients, such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamin E. If you struggle to eat at least three servings of whole grains every day, whole wheat pizza dough is an easy, delicious way to include more.

However, it’s perfectly healthy to prepare this recipe with all-purpose flour, which is enriched with B vitamins and iron. Refined grains, such as all-purpose flour, are part of a balanced, healthy diet.

Tips for Making Pizza Dough Without Yeast

Clear mixing bowl with flour, salt, and baking powder on a white surface and a cup measure full of yogurt.

This four-ingredient pizza dough without yeast is simple, fast, and foolproof.

If you have kids, this is a perfect time to get them into the kitchen to help, and to learn basic cooking skills, too.

The dough is wetter than traditional pizza dough, so be sure to generously flour your work surface and rolling pin.

Preparation tips:

• The crust will be thin, so be careful when you transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. It if rips, just pinch it to fix the tear. You can divide up the dough and make personal pizzas, which is fun for kids to do.

• Crimp the edges of the dough because it may spread a bit in the oven and you don’t want to lose any of your toppings.

• Top the dough with pizza or marinara sauce (or not!) and whatever cheese and other toppings that you have on hand. Low-moisture cheese works best with this dough, as it already has a fair amount of moisture in it.

Your pizza can be ready in minutes using this easy no yeast pizza dough recipe, prepared sauce, and grated cheese!

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