Sweet Pepper Shrimp Kabobs

Anyone else feel like the month of February is always over in the blink of an eye?

Not only because its the shortest month of the year, but it also starts the countdown to competition season! That amazing, hectic, memorable time when all your dancers hard work and dedication pays off!

So many emotions fly through us all in February and I’m not just talking about Valentines Day 🙂

Were excited to compete once again, a little nervous to perform our routines for the first time and confident that whatever the day brings we tried our best!

With all that commotion hovering overhead, it’s nice to have a quick and healthy recipe in your back pocket that’s easy to assemble and satisfying on long competition days.

These Sweet Pepper Shrimp Kabobs can be made the night before, travel well and go perfect with our Soy Ginger sauce! You can serve it on the side or baste the Kabobs before baking for an extra kick of flavor.

Studies show that shrimp have a high protein count, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants known to support heart and brain health. All this combine with the sweet pepper and pineapples that are rich in vitamins, such as vitamin C that helps prevent infection and vitamin K known to increase overall bone health, make for a well rounded meal!

When I make these for my family we pair them with a wild brown rice, baby carrots or fresh fruit. You can also double up and have two carbohydrates on the side, since the Kabobs have both fruit and veggies. On competition days especially, it’s necessary to have a good source of carbs to help young dancers sustain and replenish their energy to perform to their best ability!

Recipe Below:

Ingredients:

• One 12 oz bag of frozen shrimp or 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail off
• 1 large Red Sweet Pepper
• 1 8 oz can Pineapple Tidbits
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• One 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder, Garlic powder, Salt and Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Pineapple Juice
• 1 teaspoon Soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh Ginger
• 6-8 Small Skewers, soaked in water BEFORE baking.

Instructions:

Start by soaking the skewers in a water bath for the length of baking time, about 15 minutes.

If using frozen shrimp, thaw according to package instructions. Once finished with these first two steps, prepare your assembly station.

Next, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to create the seasoning for the Kabobs and set aside.

Dice the sweet pepper into 1 inch bite sized pieces. You want the pepper to remain on the skewer after cooking, so be careful not to cut too small. Open the canned pineapple, drain a teaspoon of juice and set aside for soy ginger sauce.

Begin assembling skewers by alternating sweet pepper, shrimp and pineapple. I usually have no more than 3-4 of each ingredient per skewer, depending on the length. Place on a baking sheet and season with the dry rub.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

While Kabobs are cooking, assemble the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, fresh ginger and pineapple juice in a small sauce pot. Warm over low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes to blend all the flavors. Remove and allow 5 minutes to cool before storing for travel or serving with Kabobs.

NOTE! If you want an extra boost of flavor, you can make the sauce first and bast the kabobs before baking.

Remove kabobs from the oven and allow 5 minutes to cool before handling. Pack in your dancers favorite lunchbox and serve with sauce on the side or drizzled over the top.

Hope you Enjoy!