Cooking for One: Mixed Seafood with Citrus Rice Salad Recipe
Sometimes I just don’t feel well or just don’t feel like eating so I end up cooking for one – the hubby. He also watches his weight a little more closely than I do as one of my medications keeps me from gaining weight – what a shame, right? So every now and again he asks me to cut back on what I cook so he can drop a few pounds.
This dinner is flavorful and filling for him. Obviously one could up the seafood quantity and still maintain the flavor profiles. I love citrus flavors with seafood and so does he! Of course if you visit the blog on the regular you know I am a big fan of rice salads so this recipe should not come as a surprise.
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Citrus Rice Salad Recipe
So now on to the rice salad. You have to know by now I’m a big fan of them; they are a delightful way to present different proteins. I always, ALWAYS have rice in my refrigerator. Every time I make rice I make quantities so that I have it on hand for stir fries, fried rice dishes or rice salads.
Since this recipe was designed to fit into a diet plan everything is weighed and most measurements are in ounces. I did use a specialty flavored vinegar to add a flavor punch but a plain balsamic can be substituted. It just won’t be as sweet.
Cooking for One – Mixed Seafood and Citrus Rice Salad
Serves 1
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3.5 ounces mixed seafood – I used two scallops, two shrimp and the meat from three snow crab claws but any combination will do
3.5 ounces snow peas and peppers
1 orange, peeled and cut into supremes (3.5 ounces)
zest from half of the orange
2 TBS Honey Ginger White Balsamic Vinegar – or use plain white balsamic. It will just not be as sweet
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
4 cashews
salt and pepper
Thaw the seafood if frozen. Peel and clean the shrimp if necessary.
Add the peppers to a non stick fry pan and add a little water. Cook until they just start to soften. Add the snow peas and heat through.
Mix the orange zest with the Honey Ginger White Balsamic Vinegar and set aside. Clean the crab meat from the claws and set aside.
Season the seafood with salt and pepper. Heat the non stick frying pan over med-high heat and add the scallops. Cook for about a minute and a half and then add the shrimp to the pan and cook for a minute and turn them both. Further cook the seafood for about two minutes more or just until it is just done. Remove from heat.
Cut the shrimp and scallops into quarters. Warm up the rice either in the microwave or on the stove top.
Add the shrimp, scallops, crab meat, snow peas and peppers, the warmed rice and the orange pieces to a bowl. Pour the vinegar/zest mixture over top. Gently mix. Place into your serving bowl and top with the four cashew nuts.
Cooking for One – How Was the Meal?
Hubby was very satisfied with this dish. He loved having seafood and the orange gave it a tart/sweet flavor that he really enjoyed. The nuts added a little touch of crunch and it is certainly colorful.
I can easily see how I could turn this into a filling and delicious meal for two. The brown rice would stay because it is delicious. I would add a bit more seafood, change the snow peas to broccoli (I don’t like snow peas!) and add a bit more fresh orange. As for those cashews? Well I would certainly add a few more or maybe even change them out for pistachio nuts.
