Shrimp and Butternut Squash in Coconut Milk

This month the Cooking Light Virtual Supper club decided to share Soups & Stews. The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club consists of 5 bloggers who love to cook and eat healthy and they all love Cooking Light! To read more about the bloggers, click HERE. I wanted to do something I had never done before – meaning I didn’t want to make chili and I didn’t want to do a beef/venison stew. I was browsing through one of my Cooking Light catalogs when I came across this recipe for Shrimp and Butternut Squash in Coconut Milk Broth. They were magic words to me. I love shrimp, I love Butternut Squash and I love coconut! It was settled that I was making this dish!

This was a very delicious meal…..for me. Grumpy ate it, but didn’t care for it so unless I’m feeding someone else besides Grumpy, I won’t be making it again. What on earth can I do to change this man’s palate?! I have to say at least he eats what I make even if it isn’t his favorite. However, he will tend to get “grumpy” if I do this to him all the time! 😉

I loved the creaminess of the dish the sweetness of the squash and coconut milk and the heat from the red pepper flakes. Some fresh cilantro mixed in and then sprinkled on to garnish only made even more appetizing to me!

What did the other Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club bring to the table? Check out their links below to find out!

Val of More than Burnt Toast: Spicy Chicken Stew
Helene of La Cuisine de Helene: Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup
Aggie of Aggie’s Kitchen: Orange-Saffron Shrimp and Snapper Stew
Jamie of Mom’s Cooking Club: Spicy Sausage Chili
Shelby of The Life & Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch: Shrimp and Butternut Squash in Coconut Milk Broth

Shrimp and Butternut Squash in Coconut Milk

3/4 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 (14 ounce) cans light coconut milk
2 cups butternut squash, 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup red bell peppers, julienned
1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved lengthwise
2 cups hot cooked basmati rice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Combine chicken broth, brown sugar, salt, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, black pepper and coconut milk in a large saucepan and stir with a whisk. Stir in squash and bell peppers.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in shrimp.

Bring to a boil and cook for about 1-2 minutes or until shrimp are done; stirring occasionally.  Stir in rice, lime juice, and cilantro. Heat for 2 minutes.

Serve!