Peppery Shrimp-Arugula Pasta

I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I forgot to take a picture of this delectable meal.. and the one that will be featured in the next post. Oops... Sorry about that! But I can promise you that not only did it taste delicious, but it looked delicious, and if I had remembered to take a picture it would be proudly featured here right now. So please don't hold it against me!

This easy pasta comes together extremely quickly and provides light, summery flavor with a bite of spicy flavor at the end. Make this when you're running around and do not have a lot of time but want to ensure that you are able to serve a healthy yet tasty meal to yourself (or your family.) We cut down on processed food by using whole wheat pasta, add vegetables through arugula, and then get some protein in there with shrimp which makes a smaller portion more filling. So what are you waiting for?

I served the pasta with my bruschetta which has been featured before. Feel free to add your own side or, like me, go with the classic pasta and bread pairing which is always just so perfect together.

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Peppery Shrimp-Arugula Pasta
Ready? Not only is this meal very quick to make but it's also light on the pocket book!

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp green pepper
8 oz arugula (1.5 packages)
1 package uncooked whole wheat linguine
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
3 tbsp minced shallots
1 1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1.5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup freshly shaved Romano cheese

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Once you put the water on to boil, combine two of the minced garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 3/4 tsp green pepper, and the arugula in a large bowl and toss well. When the pasta is done cooking, immediately drain and then add the still hot pasta to the arugula bowl. Mix well. The arugula should wilt as the hot pasta mixes with it - keep tossing until the arugula is wilted.

Next, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Remove the tails from the shimp (optional) and add the shrimp to the pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the pepper (1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp green pepper) and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add your last minced clove of garlic and the shallots. Stir frequently and cook for another 2 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked (curled up tightly and pink.)

Put the shrimp to the side. Put the chicken broth and lemon juice into the pan. Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the pan and put back on the heat. Cook for 5 minutes, letting the liquid reduce. Then, add the shrimp back to the pan and immediately remove it from the heat. Stir the butter in until it melts.

Add the shrimp mixture and the cheese to the pasta and toss well. Serve immediately.