Shocking – I like meals you can cook in one pan and eat in a bowl.
This recipe was adapted from a blog I came across, Paleo Newbie, while looking for healthier dinner options. I love this recipe because it’s WW-friendly, as long as you keep the amount of sausage in-check. One Italian sausage is 10 points and the rest of the recipe is 0, so depending on what you need that day, scale up or down as you see fit.
Or if you’re not counting WW points, ENJOY AND DON’T LOOK BACK.
This is called “Rainbow” Cajun Shrimp and Sausage because the veggie combination is so vibrant. One of the best healthy eating tips I’ve heard is “eat the rainbow.” I don’t do it all the time, but yolo, it’s a cool thing to try and live by.
Rainbow Cajun Shrimp and Sausage | Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb. frozen shrimp, deveined and cooked
5-6 mild Italian sausage links, cut into chunks
1 red onion
1 zucchini
2 bell peppers, red and yellow
1-2 jalapeños
1-2 tbsp. Cajun spice mix (see Bon Appétit recipe)
Instructions
Prep
Defrost the shrimp and sausage ahead of time. (Or, whoops, throw the shrimp under cold water and defrost the sausage in the microwave. NBD.)
Cut sausage into equal pieces (this is mostly helpful for counting WW points)
Dice jalapeño(s), removing seeds
Cut onion and bell peppers into slices, removing pepper seeds
Chop zucchini into small wedges
Extra step if you’re extra like me: I hate shrimp tails in a dish like this, so I usually pluck off the shrimp tails. (I know, I know.)
Cook
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until golden brown, then remove
Add veggies to the pan. After a minute or two, season and stir to distribute evenly.
Continue cooking until veggies are soft.
Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remember, if you’re using cooked shrimp, you’re really just added it to the pan to mix in and warm up.
Add sausage back to the skillet and give final few stirs to make sure seasoning is distributed.
Notes
The grease from the sausage makes this meal extra indulgent and mixes the seasoning onto the veggies and shrimp nicely. If you’re planning to remove sausage for dietary reasons, that’s ok, but keep an eye on things and add oil if needed.
You don’t have to use the exact veggies listed, I just found this color combo to be aesthetically enjoyable as I cooked.
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