Anything's Possible Primavera

Short on time? Need to try to expand picky eater’s horizons? Want a great meal without breaking the bank?

Anything’s Possible Primavera is the answer to all these issues. In around 25 minutes, you can have a filling one-pot meal which is pleasing to the whole family, and can be adjusted to use any protein you might have at home. Using the recipe here, six people can eat hearty portions at around $1.40 each.

The shrimp in the recipe can be changed out with chicken breast cut into one-inch squares, or beef thinly sliced. If meat isn’t your thing, this meal would be equally good with mushrooms. The pasta in the recipe could be replaced with gluten-free, and there isn’t dairy in the dish, unless you choose to top it with Parmesan cheese once it’s plated.

As long as you have a big pan to cook in, it’s the only pan you need. We used a wok to cook our dish, but as long as your pan is large, it’s all you need.

Hardware:

(1) large pan (we used a wok)
(1) colander
(1) bowl (to hold defrosted shrimp)
(1) tablespoon
(1) cutting mat
(1) knife
(1) large spoon

Ingredients

(1) 12 ounce package angel hair pasta
(4) tablespoons cooking oil (olive oil is preferable)
(2) tablespoons minced garlic
(1/2) medium white onion, diced
(2) tablespoons dried basil
kosher salt (to taste)
cracked pepper (to taste)
garlic powder (optional)
(1) 12 ounce package small, frozen shrimp – cooked, peeled, deveined, tail off
(1/2) 16 ounce bag of fresh spinach
(2) Roma tomatoes, quartered and cut into quarter-inch slices

With your burner set at a high temperature, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in order to cook pasta. You may add salt and oil at this stage if desired. While water is heating, place frozen shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them. Run water over shrimp until they are mostly defrosted. Place defrosted shrimp to the side in a clean bowl.

Once water is boiling, break pasta in half and place it in the water. Cook the pasta to your desired liking. We chose to cook the pasta firm, which took roughly five minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked, put it in the colander to drain.

Reduce your burner to a medium temperature. Carefully place cooking oil, garlic, onion, and dried basil in pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, as well as garlic powder if you really like garlic. Stir ingredients around in oil repeatedly until onions are opaque and tender. Do not overcook to prevent burning.

Once onion mixture is cooked, add shrimp into pan. Stir shrimp until they are warmed through and their color has brightened.

When the shrimp are fully warmed, add pasta back into pan. Fold ingredients in order to get all mixed together well.

Once shrimp and pasta are mixed evenly, fold in spinach and cook until spinach is wilted (but not overcooked). Stir constantly so the pasta does not stick to the pan.

Lastly, add tomatoes into pan, again folding them into other ingredients to incorporate them evenly.

Serve pasta garnished with Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked pepper (if desired).