Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Kale + Cauliflower Rice

This Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Kale + Cauliflower Rice recipe is the perfect meal for any day! Completely packed with bold, spicy cajun flavor, this recipe includes a tender “rice-like” cauliflower base and comes topped with colossal well-seasoned shrimp that will leave you having more than a few bites! One pot meal, completely easy, ready in 30 short minutes.

Hey, hey! It’s been awhile since our last recipe encounter. I know. It’s been super busy on my end and this past weekend was spent doing TONS of recipes!

I’ve been adulting with a lot of extra work, a toddler, this blog, and other things tucked in between.

But I’m so excited to not only share this recipe with you, BUT I’m also excited about getting things back in full gear with Orchids + Sweet Tea. I have so many ideas floating around in my head and I just need to bring life to them.

So, of course, making this shrimp dish was one of my favorite things that I did more recently. I don’t know about you, but seafood is a great favorite in my house. We love our Shrimp, Salmon, Fish, and Lobster! Haha.

But more importantly, we’ve been on a real mission to eating healthy since the New Year and I can admit that this meant giving up a lot of familiar things and trying new ones.

Luckily, the experimentations have been pretty amazing thus far and I’m loving our newest healthy food switch up!

Speaking of seafood, these Baked Salmon Sliders with BBQ Jerk Sauce are a must try. They are perfectly small to act as a great appetizer for guests, a nice bite to eat for lunch, or perhaps a few good bites for dinner. Either way, these salmon sliders are loaded with flavor and spice, specifically from the BBQ Jerk sauce.

Then there’s this Carrot and Zucchini Noodles Stir Fry with Shrimp recipe which was so easy to make but bursting with asian flavors. Not only is it bursting with color from the various veggies that are included, but it also has a nice hint of heat (mostly from the ginger + sprinkles of red pepper flakes) and the optional pieces of cashews give it a nice crunch.

Trust me–this stir fry is BOMB and you wouldn’t even believe that the spiraled carrots and zucchini weren’t noodles!

Lastly, this Brown Butter Lobster, Shrimp, Crispy Kale + Wild Rice Bowl recipe is most certainly one that the family will love! Packed with great flavors, a bit of spiciness, and different textures, this recipe comes as a healthy alternative for all the seafood lovers. Topped over the healthiest rice to ever exist—wild rice, this bowl wins for the best in flavor for sure!

Let’s Talk Cauliflower Rice!

When it comes to cauliflower, it’s definitely a very healthy vegetable that offers a lot of nutrients, which include fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium, Magnesium, etc.

Cauliflower also has a great source of antioxidants, which protects your body’s cells from harmful toxins and inflammations.

In addition, cauliflower may aide in weight loss. How? Whelp, they are absolutely low in calories and works as a great substitute for rice and flour.

Other benefits:

• High in Choline (which maintains integrity of cell membranes, synthesizing DNA, and supports metabolism)
• Rich in Sulforaphane (a special type of antioxidant)
• Easy to add to diet
• Contains many other nutrients

OK, so as you can see, cauliflower has some pretty awesome benefits, so why not use it as a substitute for rice in this recipe, right? My sentiments exactly.

The great thing is that making Cauliflower is SUPER easy! Granted, if you’re low on time and energy, you can always purchase cauliflower rice via your Amazon or other stores that sell great healthy options.

However, if you’re into making it from scratch like I did, then look no further. This recipe includes a handful of easy steps that will ensure that your rice comes out perfectly by simply using a food processor.

• Start off by breaking up the cauliflower into florets and rinsing and then patting dry.
• Next—add the florets to a food processor, pulsing a few times until fully broken up and minced into a “rice-like” consistency.
• Lastly, you add the cauliflower to a skillet along with your seasoning and a few ingredients and wallah!

Let’s Talk Marinated Shrimp — Yay or Nay?

When it comes to any meat, I love to marinate overnight or at least a few hours prior to cooking it. Personally, I am a love of FLAVOR, therefore, marinating gives my taste buds the ultimate satisfaction of tasting bold flavors in every bite.

This recipe calls for the same process. I definitely recommend marinating your shrimp prior to making this recipe to ensure that the spicy cajun flavor is full absorbed and soaked into each bite.

If marinating overnight—simply prep your shrimp by rinsing them off with vinegar and/or lemon/lime and adding seasonings.

Cover everything in a bowl and refrigerate overnight or for at least a few hours and let all the juices do it’s “magic”.

Let’s dig right into this recipe, shall we?

To Make Cauliflower Rice:

Once you’ve broken cauliflower head into florets and rinsed and patted dry, add florets to a food processor. Pulse a few times until cauliflower is broken down/minced into a “rice-like” consistency. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add butter until fully warmed and melted. Add shrimp and cook on both sides (about 2-3 minutes), until pink and cook through. Remove from skillet and set shrimp aside on a plate or in a bowl.

In the same skillet (with juices from shrimp + all), add garlic and sauté for 1 minute or so, until fragrant. Add riced cauliflower and mix everything together. Next, add seasonings, lemon juice, and hot sauce and stir again. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cauliflower rice has fully soaked in everything is becomes tender.

In the meantime, Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove from heat and add kale, tucking them in between cauliflower rice, then top with shrimp, ensuring that they are spread out evenly. Drizzle everything lightly with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and place skillet directly in oven to bake for 8-10 minutes, until kale has wilted.

Remove from oven and serve immediately. Garnish with dried parsley and extra hot sauce, if desired.

Bon Appetit!

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If you choose to make these delicious Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Kale + Cauliflower Rice dish or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!

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Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Kale + Cauliflower Rice

This Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Kale + Cauliflower Rice recipe is the perfect meal for any day! Completely packed with bold, spicy cajun flavor, this recipe includes a tender “rice-like” cauliflower base and comes topped with colossal well-seasoned shrimp that will leave you having more than a few bites! One pot meal, completely easy, ready in 30 short minutes.

Course: Main Course

Keyword cajun, cauliflower, dinner, food, healthy, seafood, spicy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Creator Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

Must-Haves:

Cauliflower Rice:

• 1 medium cauliflower head
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth (See Notes)
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 2-3 Tbsps cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (See Notes)
• 1 Tbsp juice of lemon

Shrimp + Kale:

• 2 lbs. Colossal shrimp (Marinated overnight)
• 1-2 Tbsps cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (See Notes)
• 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 2 cups kale, de-stemmed + rinsed + chopped

Instructions:

To Make Cauliflower Rice:

1. Once you’ve broken cauliflower head into florets and rinsed and patted dry, add florets to a food processor. Pulse a few times until cauliflower is broken down/minced into a “rice-like” consistency. Set aside.

2. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add butter until fully warmed and melted. Add shrimp and cook on both sides (about 2-3 minutes), until pink and cook through. Remove from skillet and set shrimp aside on a plate or in a bowl.

3. In the same skillet (with juices from shrimp + all), add garlic and sauté for 1 minute or so, until fragrant. Add riced cauliflower and mix everything together. Next, add seasonings, lemon juice, and hot sauce and stir again. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cauliflower rice has fully soaked in everything is becomes tender. 

4. In the meantime, Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Remove from heat and add kale, tucking them in between cauliflower rice, then top with shrimp, ensuring that they are spread out evenly. Drizzle everything lightly with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and place skillet directly in oven to bake for 8-10 minutes, until kale has wilted.

6. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Garnish with dried parsley and extra hot sauce, if desired.

7. Bon Appetite!

Tips | Notes:

Homemade Cajun Seasoning: Mix together 2 Tbsps garlic powder, 2 Tbsps Italian seasoning, 2 Tbsps smoked paprika, 1 Tbsp sea salt, 1 Tbsp black pepper, 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper, 1 Tbsp dried thyme, and 1 Tbsp onion powder.

 

Substitute Chicken Broth: Instead of using chicken broth, you can also use shrimp’s “marinated juices”.

 

Spicy Cajun Shrimp, Kale + Cauliflower Rice.