Pesto Shrimp and Broccoli with Olive Tapenade

We have gymnastics this afternoon and curriculum night at school, so I need a super-fast meal. This one fits the bill, especially if you have pesto in the freezer, like I do! If you don't, try to find a fresh-made pesto at the supermarket without parmesan and other non-paleo additives or try this easy pesto recipe. The olive tapenade can be made in a hurry and adds great flavor to this simple but yummy meal. If you have it on hand, you can substitute store-bought olive muffalata. I added cabbage to this meal to bulk it up, and because I wanted to use it up. Feel free to add any veggies you have on hand. Enjoy!

Serves 4.

Ingredients
1 pound raw wild-caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large head broccoli, trimmed and cut or torn into small pieces
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced (optional)
1 cup pitted olives (I used a mix of kalamata and colossal green olives from the supermarket olive bar.)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp capers
1-2 cloves garlic
dash dried thyme

Preparation

1. Make tapenade by pulsing olives, capers, thyme, and garlic in a food processor until just chopped. Add olive oil and pulse 2-3 times to combine. This will make a somewhat chunky tapenade; continue to process if you want yours smoother.
2. In a large pan, warm 2 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil. Add cabbage "noodles" and broccoli and stir fry for about 5 minutes or until cabbage wilts. Add 1/2 cup water, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and water boils down.
3. In the meantime, in a large skillet, add 1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil and stir fry shrimp for about 3 minutes or until cooked through. Add shrimp and pesto to broccoli mixture, stirring well to combine.
4. To serve, divide pesto shrimp evenly among 3-4 shallow bowls. Top with tapenade.

Slow-Roasted Pesto Tomatoes

This recipe was easy, delicious, and a great use for an abundance of fresh tomatoes. You can really use any type of tomato here, they don't have to be perfect. Just allow yourself enough time. The flavor really comes out when the tomatoes are well-roasted.  I topped mine with pesto I had in the freezer, but you can purchase fresh pesto at many supermarkets, just make sure the ingredient list is clean. It is also very easy to whip up your own basil walnut pesto. If you are using frozen pesto, warm it up and add a little olive oil until it gets to the consistency you like. Scale this recipe up or down. I made extra to have with my eggs in the morning. Very tasty!

Adapted from foodandwine.com.


Serves 6.

Ingredients
6 large plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/3 inch thick
2 Tbsp fresh pesto
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Arrange tomato slices on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spoon a small amount of pesto in the center of each slice.
4. Bake for 90 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender. Serve hot or warm.

Basil Walnut Pesto

The best way I know to use up a huge batch of basil is to make a huge batch of pesto! I really like the flavor of walnut pesto versus the traditional pesto with pine nuts, but you can substitute them  in this recipe, if you'd like. This pesto has a nice flavor--you won't even miss the parmesan that's included in traditional pestos. This recipe is easy to scale if you just want to make a small batch. I ended up freezing my extras in a silicone ice cube tray and then storing the frozen cubes in a resealable plastic bag for future use.

Ingredients
8 cups packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
2 cups toasted walnuts
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Preparation

1. Place basil, walnuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped and well combined. Add lemon juice and pulse once.
2. With the processor running, add oil in a very slow stream.
3. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Turkey Pesto Burgers

This week, I put my huge yield of basil to use and made a big batch of walnut pesto. It is great for so many uses and can be easily frozen for the future. This recipe uses just 4 Tbsp of pesto, so if you make a big batch, use it as a salad dressing, mix it in with shrimp, marinade chicken, or toss it with your eggs in the morning. It is SO versatile! This burger incorporates pesto in both the turkey and the spinach tomato topping. It has a great flavor and, once the pesto is done, comes together quickly. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Burger
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb turkey Italian sausage
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and drained
1/2 sweet red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp walnut pesto
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Toppings
1 large Vidalia onion
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large bunch spinach, about 6 cups
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Other
1 bunch large lettuce leaves, such as romaine

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey and turkey sausage, with your hands or a large spoon, until well combined.
2. Combine sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper, and shallot in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add to turkey mixture.
3. Add pesto to turkey and mix al ingredients well with your hands to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Form into 6 patties and refrigerate until ready to grill.
5. Preheat grill to medium.
6. Cut the onion into 1/2-inch slices. Drizzle with olive oil. Grill for approximately 6 minutes on each side.
7. Grill burgers for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
8. While food cooks, add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet. Add tomatoes and saute for 3 minutes. Add spinach, in batches, until wilted but still bright green. Add pesto and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
9. To serve, place several lettuce leaves on a plate. Top with one burger, onion slice, and spinach mixture. Repeat for all burgers. Serve immediately.