As much as I love diving into a complicated recipe, using (read: dirtying) every dish in my kitchen and letting things simmer and stew all day long, there are days when I need a simple meal.
Simple, but not boring.
The days when my husband has to work a bit late. The days when the kids are tired, and need a little extra TLC. The days where I just need a little extra TLC. And by TLC, I mean, like, 3 extra cups of coffee because I’m still dragging from my new early morning workout routine. Speaking hypothetically, of course. Those are the days I’m talking about.
Those are the days when I need a quick and simple, yet flavor packed Tropical Quinoa. I’ve been making this recipe for years and just rediscovered it along with my love of quinoa. That nutty little minx. Plus, it’s done in less than 20 minutes. The longest part is boiling the water.
That’s not too bad, is it?
Also, can I mention how easy it is to roast shrimp? Criminally easy.
Throw shrimp on a pan, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with seasonings and then roast. Plus, they’re shrimp, so they’re done in less than 10 minutes. I told you – criminal.
It’s also criminal that I just ‘discovered’ this method very recently. I don’t know where roasting shrimp has been all my life, but it’s here to stay.
Oh, how I love you, Roasted Shrimp! I would write sonnets about you if I knew exactly what a sonnet was.
You’re not to shabby yourself, Tropical Quinoa. Not too shabby, at all.
Happy Friday!
Tropical Quinoa\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\serves 6
4 points+ per serving
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 mango, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 scallions, sliced
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring water, salt and quinoa to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork.
In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa and all remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Quinoa can be served warm, room temp or cold.
Enjoy!
Roasted Shrimp\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Serves 4
3 points+ per serving
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel then spread shrimp out on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle shrimp with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss shrimp to coat in oil and seasonings.
Roast shrimp for about 7 minutes or until pink, firm and cooked through. Allow shrimp to cool for about 3 minutes before serving. Serve along side Tropical Quinoa for a simple and light meal.
Ooo, yes! This is exactly the sort of simple-yet-awesome meal that I love to make for me and only me. I’ll usually spend a week or two house-sitting for my parents every year while they’re away, and the first couple evenings I’m there are usually spent fully embracing my aloneness by double-fisting popcorn and carrot sticks. By the third day, I’m ready to make myself a respectable meal, which almost always involves quinoa + veggies and whatever else I unearth from the freezer. Love the tropical quinoa, and the shrimp roasting method! (How have I never roasted shrimp before??) So looking forward to trying this. (:
I’m totally with you, Carey! I can last a few days with fending for ourselves, but after that, I kind of need some real food. Even if my energy or ambition level isn’t too high. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
hi, i just made this for Sunday lunch ( im in Europe so now its about lunch time) and it was delicious! first time im cooking quinoa and i loved it! 🙂 thank you for this recipe!
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Ooo, yes! This is exactly the sort of simple-yet-awesome meal that I love to make for me and only me. I’ll usually spend a week or two house-sitting for my parents every year while they’re away, and the first couple evenings I’m there are usually spent fully embracing my aloneness by double-fisting popcorn and carrot sticks. By the third day, I’m ready to make myself a respectable meal, which almost always involves quinoa + veggies and whatever else I unearth from the freezer. Love the tropical quinoa, and the shrimp roasting method! (How have I never roasted shrimp before??) So looking forward to trying this. (:
I’m totally with you, Carey! I can last a few days with fending for ourselves, but after that, I kind of need some real food. Even if my energy or ambition level isn’t too high. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Oh I LOVE this! My kinda meal! It sounds so refreshing! Definitely trying this out! Thank you 🙂
Thanks so much, Alaina!!
This is definitely everything a spring/summer dish should be!
We made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! The quinoa was the best quinoa recipe I’ve ever tried – even my kids devoured it. Thanks!
hi, i just made this for Sunday lunch ( im in Europe so now its about lunch time) and it was delicious! first time im cooking quinoa and i loved it! 🙂 thank you for this recipe!
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