Thursday, October 23, 2014

Broiled Shrimp & Veggie Brown Rice

Shrimp are a great source of lean protein, and I love including them in a meal, but sometimes I have a hard time coming up with a healthy recipe for them. I didn't have a ton of time, so came up with this simple, healthy and great-tasting last-minute meal, and it tasted even better the next day. I cooked the rice and seasoned the shrimp in the afternoon, and at dinner time, this meal took no time at all to cook! My husband makes a similar seasoning for grilled shrimp skewers that he makes in the summer, but they were great under the broiler as well. This is a great weeknight meal!

Broiled Shrimp & Veggie Brown Rice



Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

Shrimp:
1 pound thawed large shrimp, raw and deveined - shells removed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp olive oil



Rice:
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
2 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup organic carrots, chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 organic free-range egg
Soy sauce, to taste
sesame oil, to taste



Directions

To make shrimp:

1. Place shrimp and all seasonings and oil in a gallon-sized bag and seal. Shake until shrimp are evenly coated. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to broil setting. Spread shrimp on a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes per side.

To make rice:

1. Place brown rice, chicken stock and olive oil in medium-sized sauce pan and cook according to directions on rice package (usually bring to a boil and simmer for 45-60 minutes, unless using faster-cooking rice).

2. Place carrots in small pan with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes. Add peas to water and drain.

3. Place 2 Tbsp canola oil in large pan and heat over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, beat egg. Add carrots, peas and egg to pan and scramble egg. Add rice and stir to combine all ingredients. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste. Stir until evenly distributed and remove from heat.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Shrimp are an excellent source of protein, providing 24g of protein in a 4oz serving. Shrimp are also a good source of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Peas are a great source of vitamins and K and fiber. Canola oil is the lowest in saturated fat of any oil, and is rich in healthy unsaturated fats. 

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