Recipe Review | Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Quinoa Salad

Highly recommended by a home cook I admire greatly, I jumped on this recipe as a dinner idea about a month ago. We loved it! So much so, that I made it again this week. While it is something you need to plan a bit in advance for, the prep is worth the payoff. In fact, the second time I made it, I prepared all the components in the afternoon and put it together as a chilled salad for dinner that evening. (If you plan to do this, wait until just before serving to dice and add your avocado.)

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Quinoa Salad

(via Cooking Light)

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What you need:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided

10 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used Sriracha)

1/8 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

4 garlic cloves, chopped and divided

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)
     (The shrimp I found were smaller. One pound ended up being about 35 shrimp)

2/3 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup canned organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (I always add more cheese!)

Cooking spray
8-10 (6-inch) wooden skewers 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

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What to do:

1. Preheat grill to high heat.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, black pepper, hot sauce, paprika, and 2 garlic cloves in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss well. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes. 
   
3. Rinse and drain quinoa. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining 2 garlic cloves and quinoa; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 13 minutes or until liquid is absorbed (mine takes about 17-20 minutes). Cool. 
   
4. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and honey in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add quinoa mixture, tomatoes, chickpeas, avocado, and cheese; toss gently. 
   
5. Remove shrimp from bowl; discard marinade. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Thread 3 (or more) shrimp onto each of 8 (6-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until done. 
   
6. Divide quinoa mixture evenly among 4 plates. Top each serving with 2 skewers. Garnish with cilantro. 
   

Both times, I served this dish with a big green salad on the side.