Shrimp Fried Rice

Why buy takeout when you can make your own, healthier fried rice? This recipe for shrimp fried rice is simply put, delicious!

Perfect recipe addition for your New Year’s Diet – this is a wholesome week night dinner that can be turned into lunch time leftovers.

Pre-cooked rice is the secret to this recipe. I prefer brown rice to white because it has more fiber. Cook the rice the night before and then fluff with a fork before using in the recipe. The rice will keep its consistency better and not turn to mush.

My favorite part, the ginger! No, I don’t’ mean a red-head. I’m talking about that weird shaped root looking thing that is hard to spot in the produce section. Ginger adds a sweet pucker of flavor while also good for your digestive system. It’s usually under $1 for a medium size piece. To prepare use a vegetable peeler to scrape off the flakey skin, then mince with the small side of the cheese grater.

What's wrong with take out fried rice? It's hard to know how much sodium is in prepared foods, especially asian dishes that are known for their near toxic amount of sodium. So, making your own food where you can control what goes in your belly is always best. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, says we should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. One tablespoon of regular soy sauce has 920mg alone! So think twice the next time you douse your next Asian meal. If you are going to add a sauce to your meal, you might consider Braggs Liquid Aminos, while having the same amount of sodium as most soy sauces, it also includes 16 amino acids! Taste is very close to regular soy sauce and it’s non-gmo.

Price: This recipe ranks 2 out of 4 on my price scale. The number of ingredients adds up on this one, but each cost a minimal amount. Rice, onion, eggs, carrots, peas and ginger are all under $2 in the quantity prescribed. Mushrooms go on sale a lot, so wait for that if $2.99 a pound is too much. Bragg's Liquid Aminos are around $4.99 for a 16 oz bottle. Shrimp is the pricey one. As I’ve posted before, let Aldi be your friend. A bag of Large Shrimp is $5.99 there.

Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

Serves 4

1 ½ cup of Brown Rice (uncooked)

1 Tablespoon EVOO

1 Onion, chopped

3 Eggs

1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

1 Cup (8 oz) Baby Bella Mushrooms, chopped

¼ Cup Water

16 Shrimp

1 Cup Carrots

1 Cup Peas

1 Tablespoon Ginger, minced or ground

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil (can be substituted with EVOO)

½ Lime, juice of

2 Tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos (substitute low sodium soy sauce)
Green onions, chopped, to taste

Directions:

Cook 1 ½ cup rice ahead of time, or at a minimum let cool for 2 hours in the fridge before making this recipe. In fry pan, cook eggs. Remove from pan and add EVOO and chopped onions. Cook until clear. Remove onions from pan and add mushrooms, ¼ cup water and Red Wine Vinegar. Cook on medium heat until liquid is evaporated. Add cooked shrimp, peas, carrots, eggs and onions. Cook on medium until veggies are thawed. In the meantime, fluff brown rice with a fork to break apart any clumps. In a large pot or wok, add sesame oil and turn on medium heat. Add brown rice to pot and then ginger, lime juice and amino acid. Let heat for 5-7 minutes. Add all contents of skillet (mushrooms, shrimp, carrots, peas) stir and let cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook so the veggies don’t get mushy. Add more lime juice to taste as an alternative to more soy sauce. Top with chopped green onions to taste.

Combine both skillets of ingredients, stir and ta-da!