Quinoa

Right now I am on a HUGE zucchini kick. I am eating 2 a week (sharing with my family if they want to eat it, but typically I am the one to devour it). I mostly enjoy it broiled or grilled with olive oil, garlic and onion, or as one of my veggies in homemade Chinese. I have also made it fried, which my daughter loves but I don't care for as much. So, since I was hankering for a new way to eat zucchini, and have been in the mood to try quinoa (pronounced "keen-wa") again, I thought this was a perfect fit. If you have never tried quinoa, it is definitely well worth it! It is a gluten-free whole grain with 11 grams of fiber per serving! Wow! And, it has such a fun texture and look to it, almost comical to see all the little sprouts that come out of it when you cook it! I feel like it is similar to rice and could eat it a lot more often, but, alas, I have yet to win my family over with it. I would also like to try it in a cold salad for summer, something similar to a couscous or pasta salad.

This is a very simple, fairly quick dinner. This small amount of shrimp will thaw quickly in a bowl of cold water if you have frozen. I recommend using non farmed, wild caught American shrimp. Shrimp that is farmed has many of the same issues as animals raised in CAFOs, with a high concentration of animals in the water in addition to high doses of antibiotics (not to mention the fact that many are fed chicken poop, and if you are what you eat, and shrimp eat the poop, and you eat the shrimp...well...you get the picture) as well as the fact that vital habitats are being destroyed to make room for shrimp farms. Almost all shrimp that you get at restaurants is farmed, as well as most shrimp at your local grocery store. I get ours from Route 30 Seafood. They regularly run a special of 5 lbs 26-30 ct shrimp for $20.99. Right now the deal is $27.99, but that is still a lot cheaper than other locations for wild caught gulf shrimp. While you're there, pick up some wild caught salmon (yum!).

Quinoa with Grilled Shrimp and Zuccini

1 c Quinoa (Cook to directions on package, mine took about 1 1/4 c water, I added chopped onion and garlic to the water. Bring to boil and stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer about 10-12 minutes, fluff with fork)

Grilled Shrimp (click for recipe) - 8 skewers of 5 shrimp each will feed 4 people

Grilled Zucchini (Cut 2 zucchini into slivers, coat in the same mixture as the shrimp and grill.)

Combine all 3 ingredients and enjoy! Very simple, and delicious! I did add some extra Old Bay once I had them all combined on my plate. I guess I'll need to write to the company and ask them to start making an organic Old Bay, because I don't think I can give it up- yet!