We all tend to get in a rut after awhile, especially with our diet. It seems like I eat alot of the same foods, over and over again. I know that I need to include more variety in my diet, but sometimes it is easier to stick with the tried and true recipes.
Variety is an important part of healthy eating. Think about it, the more different types of foods you eat, the more different types of nutrients that you consume. According to Nancy Clark, sports dietitian, most Americans eat the same 10 to 15 foods each week. If you find yourself eating a repetitive menu, at least try to vary your meals. For instance, have different types of cereals topped with different fruits for breakfast. At lunch, try different types of breads and fillings for sandwiches. Have a salad for dinner. The possibilities are endless.
So the inspiration of this post is a recipe that I saw in the Publix weekly ad. Here is the recipe:
Scallops with Ginger Orzo Salad
Ingredients
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
12 oz sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup orzo pasta
3/4 cup Asian ginger vinaigrette
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Prep
Chop pepper, onions, peas, and cilantro.
Steps
Preheat large nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Place scallops in pan; cook (or sear) 1–2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; cover to keep warm. Place water in same pan; bring to a boil.
Stir in pasta and reduce heat to medium; cook and stir 8–10 minutes or until tender and water has been absorbed.
Stir in peppers, onions, peas, cilantro, vinaigrette, and scallops; reduce heat to low and cook 1–2 minutes or just until scallops are opaque (veggies will be crisp-tender). Remove from heat; top with sesame seeds and serve.
Sounds delicious! I modified the recipe somewhat. Instead of scallops, I added shrimp. You could also add chicken, tofu or flank steak. I had orzo, but I also decided to add some quinoa and amaranth. You could also use brown rice or couscous. I added more vegetables. This is a great way to modify a recipe to add more variety. I added broccoli and edamame. Instead of using a ginger vinaigrette dressing, I made my own. This is a great tip to control the amount of sugar and sodium in a recipe. Look at the label of your salad dressings sometime. The first or second ingredient is usually sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Also, dressings are high in sodium. So here is my modified recipe:
Ingredients
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup broccoli
1/3 cup edamame
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
12 oz shrimp
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup orzo
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup amaranth
1 garlic clove, minced
thumb size piece of fresh ginger, diced
Asian dressing
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced and zested
1/4 orange, juiced and zested
thumb size piece of fresh ginger, diced
1/4 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Prep
Chop pepper, onions, peas, and cilantro. I used frozen broccoli and edamame so I just thawed them out. Dice ginger and garlic.
Steps
Preheat large nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Spray with cooking spray.Place shrimp in pan; cook 1–2 minutes until they turn pink. Remove from pan; cover to keep warm. Add orzo, quinoa, amaranth, garlic and ginger. Saute for a few minutes until the grains start to turn brown (this is a great way to add flavor!) Place water in same pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir 15-20 minutes or until tender and water has been absorbed. Stir in peppers, onions, peas, broccoli, edamame, cilantro, asian dressing, and shrimp; reduce heat to low and cook 1–2 minutes. (veggies will be crisp-tender). Remove from heat; top with sesame seeds and serve.
Makes 4 servings
Enjoy!
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