Kickin’ Shrimp Gumbo over Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Ready to Serve

Guys. This is the year! I refuse to be apart of the ‘February drop off’ and am feeling pretty optimistic about it. However…. I have a feeling I probably feel this way every year, so just really really hoping that this optimism will stick…. =D

I’ve been BIG into soups, stews, anything hot and jam packed with flavor this winter and am going to continue on with this trend until the first sign of spring. And with Mr. Jack Frost being a little late in attendance this winter, he sure is trying make up for his tardiness. In the worst way. I was 90 percent positive David was going to try and barrel roll out the car door the other day, car seat and all. I didn't start it before we got in and it was like we were sitting in an ice box for ten minutes. Awful. He told me his fingers didn’t like me anymore.

And naturally, I told him I didn’t like his fingers anyways. Because I’m an adult here.

So any who. The moral of this story? None, because there is zero chance of me running down to my car and starting it before getting off to work. Late enough as is. Ain’t no body have time for that.

But what I do have time for? Because I barely need any? Is Minute® Ready to Serve Brown Rice. It’s like they made this product specifically for humans like me. It’s a perfect solution for on the go grubbing, any time of the day. In less than a minute, wham. You’ve been served.

Another thing I love about Minute Ready to Serve is that it is packaged as single servings, which helps people like me, who lack all self control when it comes to eating.

I decided to make one of my all time favorite meals, gumbo! I was able to actually make the gumbo ahead of time in the morning. And when guests came over I was easily able to throw it on the stove, no mess and have the Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice waiting for each person that wanted to fill their bowl up! SO easy.

Also, did I mention that this rice is 100 percent whole grain & gluten free? It also has no preservatives and 57 grams of whole grain per serving.

Yep. A win-win. Every cook’s dream.

Recipe Notes:

I chose to use peeled & deveined shrimp as I wanted to lighten up this usually heavier dish, yet still no flavor was sacrificed! You may easily add a pound of sliced andouille sausage if you want more traditional gumbo. I also chose to leave the tails on my shrimp for aesthetic purposes HOWEVER you may remove them if you’d like (paul was totally weirded out by the tails, can’t hang).

They say you need onions, green peppers AND celery to really call this a gumbo. I say, that sounds great and all but i don’t want celery in mine. So i didn’t add it. I sometimes don’t care for the way celery makes some soups or stews taste, and I felt like it wouldn’t enhance any flavor or texture in this dish, so I left it out.

No okra? No problem. Hello baby zucchini. Not into the gooey gunk that comes with okra? Me neither! Sometimes I can handle it and other days I just want none of that. Today was one of those days. Instead I used little baby zucchini and they worked perfectly! However if baby zucchini isn’t available you may use regular zucchini, just cut it down to 1/2″ cubes.

This dish is SPICY. Let me repeat, there is spice in this dish. SO if you have small children, or a guest whose palette is that of a child’s, leave the cayenne out and possibly the red peppers too. You may offer those after serving as a little DIY garnishing. Everyone wins then and no complaints will be made (though I STRONGLY suggest to leave the spice in. It’s not like your tongue is going to fall of kind of spice. It just has a kick. A good strong kick).

Want to make this dish ahead of time? NO PROBLEM! Make the gumbo as instructed and then an hour before you are ready to serve, place over low heat until pot is heated through. MINUTES before you are ready (yes, as in right when you’re ready to serve) pop your Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice in the microwave and then empty each rice package into individual bowls. Spoon gumbo over rice and you are ready to go! Since the Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice is already packaged into individual serving portions (and the cup and film are BPA free), this makes less of a mess, and each person gets a package (so less waste).

5.0 from 1 reviews

Kickin' Shrimp Gumbo over Minute Brown Rice

 

Author: Julia Calleo

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 6

• Serving size: Between 6
• Calories: 485

• Fat: 9.8g
• Carbohydrates: 68
• Fiber: 4.4g
• Protein: 32.6g

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Creole

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  35 mins

Total time:  45 mins

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Spicy shrimp gumbo served over minute to serve brown rice makes for a deliciously easy meal with a lot of flavor! Ready in new time and perfect for the whole family.

Ingredients

• 1 lb peeled & deveined shrimp 16/20 count
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 2 tbsp ghee (or unsalted butter)
• 1 green pepper, chopped (stem and seeds removed)
• 1 peeled onion, chopped
• 1 red chili pepper, sliced into small rings (stem removed)
• 1 zucchini (top removed), chopped into ½" cubes (or 1.5 cups chopped baby zucchini)
• 3 roma tomatoes (stem removed) chopped into ¼" cubes (or about 2 cups)
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 packages minute ready to serve brown rice (1 package per person)
• 1 bunch Green Onions, chopped for Garnish

Seasoning:

• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Take your seasoning mix in a small bowl and mix all of your spices together.
2. In a large bowl add your shrimp and then add half of the spice mixture. Toss and place shrimp in fridge until ready to use. Set spice seasoning aside.
3. in a large saucepan (or large pot) over medium heat add your 2 tbsp ghee/butter.
4. Add your almond meal and mix. Continue to stir every minute or so until the almond roux darkens a couple of shades (give it about 10 minutes).
5. Next add the onion, green pepper, zucchini and chili pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the onions begin to look translucent.
6. Add your tomatoes, stir.
7. Add your chicken stock, mix.
8. Add your bay leaves and remaining spice mixture.
9. Bring pot to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
10. Once pot has simmered (flavors have come together) add your shrimp.
11. Continue to simmer until shrimp have cooked through about 8 minutes.
12. When ready to eat, heat up minute brown rice, place into bowl, spoon gumbo over rice and garnish with chopped green onions for serving.

3.5.3226

*I will ONLY work with brands I stand behind. So thank you to Minute® Ready to Serve for sponsoring this post! This is what helps keep this blog filled with content and yummy recipes because of partnerships like these