Tomato Basil Shrimp Quinoa
Quinoa.
What is it? How do you even pronounce that word?
I started hearing about it a few years ago and of course I wanted to try it.
No. I take that back. I felt like I should try it.
But…well…honestly? I didn’t think it would taste good.
It’s a grain, a protein packed alternative to pasta or rice.
I’m a little prejudiced against such foods because when you buy organic or vegan or gluten free, it’s likely to be more complicated or time consuming to prepare (i.e. brown rice). It’s probably harder to find in the typical grocery store and may require a trip to a specialty store where it will be more expensive.
And the part that really gets me is many times it will have an acquired taste, something you have to get used to eating because it’s flavor deficient.
I’ll tell you something. This one proved me wrong.
It’s so trendy right now that I did find it at the grocery store and I feel it is actually easier to successfully prepare than rice. It was, however more expensive at 7.99 a bag. But I really liked its light and chewy texture and mild taste.
What I like best is that it’s a blank slate and I colored it up with some shrimp and the classic tomato basil combo.
| Tomato Basil Shrimp Quinoa | Print |
- 2 cups cooked Quinoa
- 12 jumbo Shrimp
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 bunch fresh Basil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Olive Oil
- Season your shrimp with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Chop your tomatoes in half, set aside.
- To prepare the quinoa, follow the package instructions. But it's a 2 to 1 ratio of water to quinoa. For every cup of quinoa you'll need 2 cups of water and the quinoa doubles after cooking so each cup becomes 2 cups.
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly until the water runs clear. Then in a pot combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and let it simmer until the water is absorbed. Once it's all cooked fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside.
- In a separate pan cook your shrimp. Preheat the pan and add a tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is ready, the oil will easily spread to coat the bottom. Now place the shrimp in the pan. The meat should sizzle if your pan is hot enough. Allow the shrimp to sit for at least 2 minutes per side or until the flesh turns pink. Set aside when they are done.
- Chop of a handful of basil.
- Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, sprinkle some salt and drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the mix to moisten everything. Serve immediately.
