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Being that I'm just about at the end of my maternity leave, I figure it's time to start doing things to get me pre-pregnancy (read: pre-Alice) body back. Now I'm not naive enough to believe that I'll ever look the way I did before I carried one of my sweet girls. I also know that it's not exactly a good or healthy idea to go on a full-blown diet while I'm nursing. So in terms of my eating habits, I've decided to just focus on making better eating decisions. Enter: Shrimp and Quinoa Bowls.
Now I'll be honest with you, I'm generally not a huge fan of quinoa. I'll eat it, it's just not at the top of my healthy-grains list. But I want to like it. So I'm trying to prepare it more often and in a variety of different ways. So I decided to add a bunch of my favorite things to the quinoa to make it more enjoyable for lunch one day.
The flavors in this dish are a huge win! You've got the citrus-y brightness from the lemon juice, the kick from the crushed red pepper (though it's not overwhelmingly hot) and the savory flavor from the shallots and garlic. The leafy greens, mushrooms and tomatoes add some delicious texture. This dish really has all the components to not only make it satisfying but also really healthy.
The great thing is, you can sub out any of the ingredients to make it whatever you want it to be. I bet this would be awesome with farro or brown rice. Or if Kale is what's available, that would be great. Or even Spinach. I love it with the shrimp, but chicken is a great lean protein option as well. Either way, get to the kitchen and make this- it's a gorgeous lunch or dinner! And using a garlic press to press the garlic into the pan at the beginning instead of spending the time mincing it is such a time saver!!
Some other healthy recipes that I love include:
Shrimp Quinoa Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed well
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon Taco seasoning
- Cooking spray
- 1 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined and thawed
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons Tajin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup roasted corn salsa
- 1 cup avocado crema
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- ⅓ cup pickled red onions
- ⅓ cup queso fresca
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Place quinoa, broth and taco seasoning in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes and then remove from heat and let stand still covered for 10 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, preheat the broiler to a high temperature and pat your shrimp dry.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and spray well with cooking spray. Place shrimp on the pan along with lime juice, Tajin and salt.
- Toss the shrimp to evenly coat and then spread in a single layer.
- Place the pan under the broiler (about 6 inches from it) and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and flip each shrimp. Place the pan back in the oven and cook for 1-2 more minutes until the shrimp is fully cooked. Remove from the oven.
- Divide the quinoa between 4 bowls and then the shrimp. Top your bowl with corn salsa, tomatoes, pickled red onions, avocado crema, cilantro and queso fresco and serve immediately.
Notes
- Pat your shrimp dry before seasoning. Any extra moisture will prevent them from getting that beautiful charred edge under the broiler.
- Let the quinoa steam. That 10-minute rest off the heat is important, it finishes cooking and gets perfectly fluffy.
- Prep your toppings first. The shrimp cooks so quickly that you want everything else ready to go before they hit the broiler.
- Make it your own. Swap in different toppings like shredded cabbage, jalapeños, or cotija cheese to mix things up.
- Add a little heat, like a pinch of cayenne to the shrimp seasoning, or a drizzle of hot sauce over the finished bowl for some extra heat.
- Watch for the curl. Shrimp are done when they turn pink and form a loose C shape. If they curl into a tight O, they're overcooked, so keep a close eye on them.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- The quinoa, pickled onions, and corn salsa can all be made ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Leftovers and storage- Store components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the quinoa and shrimp separately and add fresh toppings before serving.
Nutrition
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