Garlic Shrimp with Quinoa

I haven't always been a fan of seafood but the more eat it, the more it tends to grow on me. For this recipe I am talking about shrimp. Shrimp are so versatile and they can be cooked just about any way chicken can. Today was a snow day and my roommate and I decided to pool our ingredients together and make something simple and delicious. Since we couldn't venture out in the snow, we had limited resources to use, but after some research by me, I came across this yummy dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound small-medium shrimp--peeled and deveined

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons minced garlic

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

• 1 pound pasta (instead of pasta for this recipe, I chose to swap out the pasta for quinoa)

• 1 cup broccoli

Step 1: Cook pasta in a large pot of water with vegetable oil until cooked. (If you are choosing to swap in quinoa, follow directions on the package) Chop and clean broccoli then put in pot of boiling water and cook until bright green and soft. 

Step 2: Place shrimp in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or until they are pink. Cooking time will depend on the size of the shrimp. Remove the tails and place in a bowl of warm water.

Step 3: In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter and minced garlic. Put in microwave and heat for about 45 seconds or until the butter is melted.

Step 4: Drain pasta (or quinoa), transfer to a serving dish, add broccoli and toss with garlic butter and shrimp. Finally, top your dish with some parmesan cheese. 

I know this recipe calls for a lot of butter but a meal like this every once in awhile won't hurt anyone, plus it's DELICIOUS!! I chose to swap out the pasta for quinoa because pasta has a lot of excess processed sugars and carbs, while quinoa is packed with healthy fats and protein. This dish was not only tasty but also kept me fuller longer.

ENJOY!!