Grilling season is ending; celebrate the final warm days with this tasty recipe, full of lean protein from shrimp and chicken sausage and high-in-fiber okra.
“But isn’t shrimp a high cholesterol food?” you may ask. Yes, it is; however, current research shows that dietary intake of cholesterol is not an indication of high cholesterol in our blood. The foods that are concerning to our cholesterol levels are those that are high in saturated and trans fats. These are the fats that are solid at room temperatures, such as butter, lard, cheeses, and the fats in dairy and meat.
Saturated fats are also added to many processed and packaged foods, so don’t forget to look at nutrition labels when shopping! This recipe also swaps the traditional pork-based andouille sausage, high in saturated fat, for a chicken-based alternative. A diet high in fiber also helps improve our cholesterol levels, so although the recipe only calls for okra, add as many veggies as you want to these skewers!
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. large peeled & deveined raw shrimp with tails
- 8 oz. of chicken andouille sausage, sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 6 oz. of okra pods, halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F); or heat a grill pan over high, and lightly grease.
Combine shrimp, sausage, okra, olive oil, Cajun seasoning and black pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat. Thread mixture onto eight 8-inch skewers, with sausage rounds inside shrimp and alternating with okra slices. Place kebabs on lightly greased grill grate or in grill pan. Grill, uncovered, until okra is charred, and shrimp is cooked through, about 1 1⁄2 minutes per side. Serve skewers with lemon wedges squeeze over top. Serves four.
Serving suggestion: Serve with brown rice. Try adding some cayenne pepper powder and couple crushed cloves of garlic when cooking for extra flavor
Recipe adapted from Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs Recipe | Southern Living
Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 2 skewers
Calories: 233
Total fat: 14g
Sodium: 778mg (Warning – high sodium)
Total Carb: 5.4g
Fiber: 1.4g
Sugar: 1.6g
Protein: 23g
