This Shrimp Creole recipe uses brown rice and is low in sodium!

It’s Monday once again, and summer is quickly coming to an end! Quite frankly I am looking forward to autumn because it’s been so freaking hot and humid the past couple of months. Autumn is actually my favorite season for two reasons; the weather and the fashion. The weather during the autumn season maintains a steady 20 to 25 degrees which makes it convenient to lightly layer up or show some skin. And then the fashion is just wonderful! I get excited to play dress up everyday during this season and I form a special bond with my closet. Anyways, let’s talk about this recipe.

Shrimp Creole is of Louisiana Creole origin which blends French, Spanish, West African, Amerindian, German, Italian and Irish influences (I confess I got this from Wikipedia). Shrimp Creole is also similar to Jambalaya and Gumbo. Basically, it’s a bowl of delicious magic.

The most distinguishing factor in a Shrimp Creole recipe is the seasoning. The seasoning consists of 8 different seasonings which are:

Paprika
Salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Oregano or Basil and
Thyme

Now depending on what you have available in your pantry, you can make substitutes for some of the seasonings mentioned above without drastically changing the recipe. But hey, the goal is to end up with a delicious dish, so however you choose to achieve that is up to you!

I am clearly a fan of Southern food, as you can tell from my New Orleans Inspired Cajun Shrimp Pizza recipe. I love spicy ad flavorful dishes due to my West African background. So for all you spicy lovers out there, this Shrimp Creole recipe is right up your alley!

INGREDIENTS: Yields 4 servings

1 cup short grain brown rice (cooked)
2 tbsp. virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped red onions
1 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
2 tsp. chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 can ground tomato paste (or 2 cups)
1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp. homemade creole seasoning (see above)
1 tbsp. Sriracha hot sauce
1 pound raw peeled shrimp
1/4 tsp sea salt,
Pinch of cayenne pepper
green onions, for garnish

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and Heat the olive oil. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic and basil leaves and saute for about a minute. Add 1/4 cup broth to the sauté.

3. Add the tomato paste, 1 cup stock, creole seasoning and Sriracha sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer with the top covered until a thick consistency forms for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the sauce doesn’t get clumpy.

4. Now this part may be tricky. Turn up the heat to medium high after 25 minutes of the cooking time and add the shrimp. Simmer until cooked for 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook or the shrimp will get too chewy.

5. When ready, remove from heat and season with salt cayenne to taste. Serve over rice top with the green onions.

6. Enjoy!