A healthy, gluten free summer dish: Cherry Quinoa & Shrimp

After a very meat-heavy July 4th weekend, I?m looking to make something lighter. This recipe from Northwest Cherries fits the bill ? quinoa, shrimp and cherries. Yes, cherries, which are on sale this time of year and oh-so-good for you.

Not only is this dish high in protein and fiber, it?s low in calories and gluten free, too. If you?re doing Weight Watchers, each serving is only 4 POINTS.

Update: I made this dish tonight and it was terrific! I doubled the recipe, substituted jalapeno peppers for the Anaheims (and used half the amount). I also used 2 tablespoons dried parsley instead of 1/2 cup fresh. It was slightly spicy, but not overpoweringly so.

Cherry Quinoa & Shrimp

From Northwest Cherries

Yield:6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped Anaheim pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups pitted Northwest fresh sweet cherries
8 ounces small cooked peeled shrimp
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Prepared salsa, optional

Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in oil.
Add broth, quinoa, Anaheim pepper, salt, and ground pepper. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 12 to 18 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
Fluff mixture with a fork and gently stir in cherries, shrimp, and parsley.
Serve with salsa, if desired.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 215 Cal., 13.1 g protein, 5.5 g fat (23% Cal. from fat), 29.5 g carb., 74 mg chol., 3.3 g fiber, 596 mg sodium.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 4

This Mama?s Tips:

If you don?t have a cherry pitter, you can use a chopstick or plastic straw to remove the pits. In this recipe, a few torn apart cherries is no big deal. Or you can buy a Westmark Cherry Pitter from my This Mama Cooks OpenSky shop.
You can make this vegetarian by using veggie broth instead of chicken broth and substituting tofu for shrimp.
Check out the Northwest Cherries website for the latest health information about Northwest cherries as well as recipe ideas and tips on freezing, canning and drying cherries.
You can learn more about cherries at Health Castle?s Food of the Month ? Cherries.