Well, it’s a fine Friday in Spring during Lent. And this main dish meal works for both of those events. Asparagus is a vegetable we eat year round as Eric really likes it, but it is the veggie that reminds me the most of Spring. It’s one of the first veggies ready for harvesting after the cold & snowy winter. It’s a perennial, so it comes up each Spring without much effort on my part.

The first of this growing season’s asparagus is abundant right now and it is tender and delicious. Here, it is roasted along with baby potatoes, broccoli, and some red onion. But wait, there’s more! The roasted veggies are transformed from a side dish to the main attraction with the addition of shrimp to the sheet pan. The shrimp makes this a great Lenten dish on a Friday night. The chipotle-lime-butter combination that is drizzled over the veggies and shrimp during baking add spice and a whole lot of flavor to the meal. When you put together something easy, delicious, nutritious, and ready in under an hour, you’ve got a perfect dinner!

Chipotle-Lime Shrimp Bake

Chipotle-Lime Shrimp Bake (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 55 minutes, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Bake Time: 45 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds baby red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 3 medium limes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1/2 pound broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Prep the onion, broccoli & asparagus.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle them with the olive oil. Sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt, and toss them to combine. Transfer the potatoes to a large baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray and bake them for 20 minutes.

Add the oil & sea salt to the potatoes.

Remove sheet pan from oven and stir the onion wedges into the seasoned potatoes. Bake them together for 10 minutes.

Add the red onion wedges to the potatoes.

Meanwhile, squeeze 1/3 cup juice from the limes, reserving the fruit.

Juice the limes.

Combine the lime juice, melted butter, chipotle, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

Mix up the butter, lime juice & chipotle pepper seasoning.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and stir the onion wedges & potatoes. Arrange the asparagus, broccoli, shrimp and reserved limes on top of the potato & onion mixture. Pour the lime juice mixture over the vegetables and shrimp.

Add the asparagus, broccoli, shrimp & lime halves to the sheet pan.

Bake the meal until the shrimp turn pink and the vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Continue to roast the meal for 10-15 minutes.

Sprinkle everything with some cilantro and serve.

Spring & Lent in this meal!

Lots of veggies, some spice, & shrimp make a complete Spring meal!  ~Linda

Chipotle-Lime Shrimp Bake (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 55 minutes, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Bake Time: 45 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds baby red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 3 medium limes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1/2 pound broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle them with the olive oil. Sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt, and toss them to combine. Transfer the potatoes to a large baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray and bake them for 20 minutes. Remove sheet pan from the oven and stir the onion wedges into the seasoned potatoes. Bake them together for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze 1/3 cup juice from limes, reserving the fruit. Combine the lime juice, melted butter, chipotle, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and stir the onion wedges & potatoes. Arrange the asparagus, broccoli, shrimp, and reserved limes on top of the potato & onion mixture. Pour the lime juice mixture over the vegetables and shrimp.

Bake the meal until the shrimp turn pink and the vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle everything with some cilantro and serve.