Shrimp with broccoli

I've been craving Chinese for a while but also have been looking for a recipe that did not require soy sauce or a bunch of other oriental ingredients to make it healthier. After a couple weeks of searching I finally found one and it was really good. I will definitely be making it again and I'll be making it again soon. The original shrimp with broccoli recipe as well as its nutritional information can be found on the Eating Well website here.

Review: Let me just say this recipe was to die for. It was really flavorful, extremely healthy and quick to make. We didn't have any leftover and I'm sad about that because I actually wanted seconds. This recipe was nice too because I actually had all the supplemental, "flavoring" ingredients so I just had to buy the shrimp and the broccoli. It is a little spicy because of the crushed red pepper so if you don't like spicy food you can leave that ingredient out. If you do then I'd say use the 1/2 teaspoon amount (it's what I used) and then after you eat it if you want it hotter you can add more the next time you make it. The only thing I changed with the recipe is instead of florets I used broccoli spears but the type of broccoli you use is up to you. I also added an extra teaspoon of cornstarch at the end to help thicken the sauce. The amount the recipe calls for did not thicken it so I added another teaspoon and that did the trick. It also says to use 2 tablespoons of basil or parsley but I actually used 1 tablespoon of basil and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Also, I used the chicken broth instead of the clam juice and on the website it shows it being served with rice but we didn't serve it with anything; however, it would work really well with rice or some type of pasta noodle such as spaghetti or even penne. Finally, even though the recipe calls for shrimp I think it would taste wonderful with beef or chicken especially if you use the chicken broth with the chicken or beef broth with the beef. Honestly this is a fantastic substitute for "fast food" Chinese food and with it taking roughly 30 minutes to make is one that could be whipped up in an instant.

Recipe:

• 2/3 cup bottled clam juice or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (I actually used 2 teaspoons, divided)
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound raw shrimp, (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined (get however much shrimp you want)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 cups broccoli florets (use however much and whatever type of broccoli you want)
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• lemon wedges (I didn't use these because it's just to garnish)

Combine the clam juice (or broth), cornstarch (1 teaspoon if you do double the amount) and half the garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth then set aside. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and crushed red pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned for about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Saute until the shrimp are pink for about 3 minutes then transfer to a bowl (use a different one than the juice/broth mixture). Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add the broccoli and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the water, cover and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender for about 3 minutes (I just cooked them until they were thawed and soft). Transfer to the bowl with the shrimp. Add the reserved clam juice/broth mixture to the pan and cook, stirring over medium high heat, until thickened for about 3 to 4 minutes (this is where I added the additional 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to help with the thickening process). Stir in the basil (or parsley or both) and season with lemon juice and pepper. Add the shrimp and broccoli. Heat through and serve immediately with lemon wedges (again, it can be served with rice, pasta or on its own).