Brown Bag: Mango Quinoa Salad with Shrimp

I do all of my cooking on Sundays because once the week starts, there is just no time. So what I look for in lunch recipes is something that is easy, filling, healthy, and something that will keep well for a few days at work in the fridge. This way I can take the whole thing to work on Monday and have a few days worth of lunches there ready to go.

This week, my brown bag lunch was a mango quinoa salad with shrimp. I had seen red quinoa before, but I had never cooked with it. I wanted to switch things up a bit from the usual brown quinoa, so I purchased the red. They say quinoa is the perfect grain, and mixed with mangoes, bell peppers, jicima, red onion and cilantro, how could that array of bright and vibrant colors NOT be good for you?!! Plus, with the sweetness from the mangoes, the crunch from the jicima, red onion and bell pepper, the acidity from lime and vinegar, and the heat from the jalapeno - this salad satisfies from every end!

MANGO QUINOA SALAD WITH SHRIMP
Recipe

Ingredients
Quinoa
• 1 c red quinoa
• Slightly less than 2 cups of either vegetable stock or water
• 1 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs mango nectar
• 1 tbs butter

Salad
• 1 red onion
• 1 small jicama
• 2 mangoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing
• 1/4 cup mango nectar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• Salt
• 2 teaspoon red chili paste
• 2 limes, juiced

Shrimp
• 1 lb shrimp
• 2 garlic cloves
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper



1. Rinse quinoa and add to small saucepan with 1 tbs butter and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Add stock, lime juice and mango nectar and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Dice onion, jicama, mangoes, bell pepper and jalapeno. Put in large bowl and add cilantro.

3. Meanwhile sauté shrimp with garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper. Cook until light pink and no longer translucent.

4. Whisk mango nectar, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and chili in a medium bowl. Add vegetables, cooked quinoa and shrimp. Toss, serve and enjoy!

** VEGAN NOTE: In homage to my vegan adventure to Cru last week - this recipe can be made Vegan if you omit the shrimp and butter! Look at that! I made a vegan recipe!