Spinach and Shrimp Pasta

This is a variation of my Celebration Pasta - which is a great way to get greens with our pasta. We were looking for a lighter dish and one with a bit less greens. While the more greens - the better from a health standpoint - we had less than we wanted when we started cooking. I love cooking with spinach and made a few tweaks when I only have half as much fresh spinach in the house. So this variation was born. It made five-six portions and reheated wonderfully at work for lunches. I also used a high protein penne - which made the dish a bit better.  This is a great new recipe and hits the spot when we want a pasta dish.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

1 box Pasta (14 oz) - I like penne or rigatoni

2 tbsp Olive oil, divided
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or 3 cloves)

1 small Onion, cut into thin strips
3/4 lbs Shrimp, medium (25-40 count)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper

1/4 tsp Oregano (dried)

8 oz. Mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut in half

12 Kalamata olives

4-6 pieces Sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips

3/4 cup Vegetable or Chicken broth

4-5 oz Baby spinach
1 bunch Basil, fresh - cut into strips
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Cook pasta as directed.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a big pan.  Add the onion and garlic, saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add shrimp, Kosher salt, black pepper and oregano and saute for 4-5 minutes (until they are pink).  Remove from pan and leave covered under foil to keep warm.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes.  Saute for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add broth and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add spinach and basil. Mix the greens into the heat for 2 minutes until they wilt.
7. Add the shrimp mixture back into the pan.  Add Parmesan cheese and mix for around 1 minute.

Enjoy!