Oh hey there, quinoa! You’re looking migggghtttyyy fine today.
Today’s recipe is all about healthy and convenience. I’m shoving some close-up shots of this tasty Garlic Parmesan Quinoa and Shrimp to help entice you (and me!) to start kicking our healthy eating into gear. As a food blogger, I don’t tend to repeat recipes all that much. Very sad, I know! I have a few family favorites that I often turn to (such as my mom’s beef soup or grandma’s lasagna), but with the constant flow of new creations out of my kitchen, I’m not left with much time to re-make recipes as much as I may like them. First world problems, right?
But THIS. Now this simple and fresh dish is one that I can tell will be a staple in my lunch and dinner menu. It provides that perfect combination of ease, deliciousness, and health into a one pot recipe that comes together in just 20 minutes.
I have to admit, while I’m off tooting my own horn about the wonders of quinoa, it’s still relatively new to me. Quinoa is one of those coveted foods in the healthy living blogging world, yet it took me a long time to give it a try. I’m not sure what is was exactly about the food, but I avoided it despite all of its fantastic health benefits and rave reviews. To me, it sounded exotic and with rice and pasta as my main flavor vessels, I just didn’t bother venturing out to try new things.
SOMEONE PLEASE SLAP ME.
I should get sent to blogger detention for being so close-minded, especially when one of my main jobs is to introduce my readers to fantastic new recipes.
So let’s chat more about what makes this recipe so good. First, the health benefits.
Unlike a lot of other plant-based foods, quinoa is a complete protein and has ALL of the essential amino acids that your body needs. Not only that, but it also is gluten-free and is loaded with vitamins and fiber to help you feeling great and your digestive system moving along (the polite way of putting it). All of these characteristics come together to help reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and help you regulate your weight by keeping you feeling full and satisfied. Not bad!
The other main player in this recipe is shrimp. Shrimp is packed with lean protein and unlike many other meats, shrimp is naturally low in fat. The combination of quinoa and shrimp pack a huge protein punch which will keep you full and happy!
This recipe goes beyond health, though, and also can offer being beyond easy and quick to put together. As a busy college student that’s balancing a full pre-med course load, an internship, and two small businesses, I need all the help I can get when it comes to figuring out what I’m going to be eating. After a long day, there’s nothing that I’d rather not do than slave over a hot stove. Ick.
This recipe is a huge lifesaver when I need to eat something ASAP (before I can convince myself to order takeout) and I usually have the ingredients already in my fridge and pantry. All you need is 20 minutes, one pot, and BOOM. You’re ready to eat!
So what are you waiting for? Grab your ingredients, your single pot, and just 20 minutes of your time and let’s kick our healthy eating into gear!
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