Blackened Shrimp

I like to use shrimp as a quick protein, and cooked like this it can go with a side of rice and vegetables, go in a salad, or be a finger food by itself. They are especially good when cooked crispy, and it is ridiculously easy. 

Start with peeled, cleaned, raw shrimp, thawed and mix with a generous amount of Cajun blackened seasoning (You can find it in the bulk section at Harvest Coop).  I didn't have much of the Cajun seasoning, so I filled it out with Mexican chili powder and a Trader Joe's "Smokey Blend" (paprika, basil, sea salt).  The Trader Joe's mix comes in a grinder and is pretty useful for adding a little kick to things.

Heat up a nonstick pan add a bit of oil, and get it nice and hot.

                  

If you're using high heat, you can burn/crisp the outside a little bit without burning the shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side - and you're done!  Give it a squirt of lemon juice if you want. The Cajun seasoning is made to blacken up nicely, but you can use any powdery spice blend - garam masala, jerk seasoning, etc.