Mike and I are getting ready to leave for Vermont for my best girlfriends wedding. Super excited to head on a mini vacation, plus get to share in the joy of two people joining their lives. It will be gorgeous! (And it was – drafted this before the trip and didn’t get a chance to post!)

Anytime I know I’m heading away for a few days, I try to plan my grocery shopping and meals accordingly…I hate to waste food! So, there’s been a few meals this week where I’ve been extra creative due to not wanting to go to the store and especially not wanting anything to go to waste.

Tonight’s dinner was planned after quickly surveying what I had lying around before we headed east…a bunch of hot peppers, a head of cauliflower and fresh arugula from our neighbors garden. Done and done!

Thai Basil ingredients

1 cauliflower head – finely chopped

3 garlic cloves

olive oil

Chili peppers, chopped (I used 1 chili, 1 jalepeno, 1 sweet orange)

A small handful Of fresh basil, chopped

6-10 Fresh or thawed frozen shrimp, de-veined

Spicy Peanut sauce

3 tablespoons chunky, natural peanut butter (I use the kind at Sprouts, with flaxseed added)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1-3 tablespoons siracha (depending on how hot you like it)

1-2 tablespoons Amino Acid

1-2 tablespoons warm/hot water

Heat oil in a pan – add chopped garlic, heat for 1-2 minutes, add peppers.

After about 3-4 minutes sauteing peppers and garlic, add the cauliflower.

While the cauliflower browns, mix all ingredients for the peanut sauce together – I did this right in the peanut butter jar, as it was the end of the jar anyway. Who needs to dirty another dish!

After about 10-20 minutes of browning the cauliflower (you want it to be a bit soft, but brown), add the shrimp. Stir until shrimp is pink, then add the sauce to the pan. Stir to let the cauliflower mixture get saturated. Add the basil – let stand for a minute.

Serve immediately!

Happy Dinner!