My favorite New Food

Try not to be too shocked-I am writing about food again. Finally. I have been inspired by a simple, versatile food that has been right in front of me and yet never experienced. It is orzo pasta. A few months ago Joe and I were having dinner at Not Your Average Joe's and I ordered a lamb kabob dish that came with a side of orzo with goat cheese and spinach (I think). The lamb was fine, but the orzo wowed me. I was like, I could do this at home. I kind of get mad at myself for never thinking of it before.

So, the first time I tried it, I made it with chicken broth, fresh spinach, basil and Parmesan cheese. I could have eaten the whole pan. Actually, I might have. I wish the orzo was not a pasta, I wish it were a grain full of fiber and good for you, but it is not. However, you can certainly add in healthy things to make it a solid meal.

Tonight I came home from Zumba and the rest of the family had eaten leftovers. I wanted to eat healthy, after my junk food overload at the Red Sox two days before. I needed to get back on track. I have been trying to eat more fish and was craving seafood. I had some frozen shrimp on hand, so I decided to go with that. I start with about a tablespoon of butter in a saute pan. When the butter is melted I add in a cup of orzo and cook on medium for a few minutes and then add in a can of broth. I usually use chicken, but all I had was beef, so that is what I used. Bring it to a simmer and start chopping vegetables. I used a diced tomato, green pepper, frozen corn, spinach, cilantro, garlic, and shredded carrots. I ran the frozen shrimp under hot water for a few minutes and added that to the pan, then all of the vegetables. For seasoning, I used some Fiesta Seasoning from Tastefully Simple, but you could use any Cajun spice to taste. My orzo was obviously taking on a Spanish flare, so I added some black beans for good measure. To finish the dish, I added some Parmesan cheese and some shredded Mexican cheese. The entire dish takes only about 10 minutes to prepare.

So basically, you could take this idea and make it your own. I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I did.