Shrimp Française, Garlic Kale & Red Quinoa with Onions

Four amazing ingredients will make you fall in love with this meal. Capers, Lemon, Butter & White Wine. This easy-to-make French-style (Française) sauce goes SO well with Shrimp (and if you prefer, Chicken) making an amazing accompaniment to your meal. Kale is one of my go-to greens. It's light, tasty and so so so good for you! Quinoa is one of the healthiest foods in the world. Honestly, it is - I googled it. A great substitute to rice with pretty, natural colors to brighten up your dish.

Ingredients:

Shrimp Française
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 stick (4oz) unsalted butter
3/4 cup white wine (something you enjoy drinking)
1 tablespoon corn starch (optional)
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon capers

Garlic Kale
4-6 cups kale, fresh and cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, diced
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt, to taste

Red Quinoa with Onions
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning (I like Everyday Seasoning or 21 Seasoning Saute from Trader Joe's)
1 cup red quinoa

Cooking Instructions:

Let's start with the shrimp! In a bowl, combine shrimp, thyme, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and olive oil. Let marinate for 20-30 minutes. Fun fact: the longer it marinates, the better it will taste!

Quinoa Time! In a sauce pot, combine the water, bay leaves, kosher salt, and your choice of all purpose seasoning. Let that come to a boil and add the quinoa and let simmer until all of the water is absorbed.

While the quinoa is boiling, take out a small saute pan and melt 1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Once the butter is melted, add your diced yellow onion and saute until soft. Set aside for later.

In a large saute pan, heat 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat. Once oil is heated, toss kale into oil making sure each piece gets a little oil on it. As kale wilts, add garlic and salt, to taste. Make sure you are paying attention to the kale as it will burn! Turn heat to simmer and cover for 5-10 min. Once cooked, set aside in serving bowl.

Onto the main dish! First, you'll want to heat up your large saute pan again (do not add extra virgin olive oil!). Take those awesomely marinated shrimp and toss them onto the pan. Cook until the turn pink. Add white wine and butter to the shrimp. This will deglaze your pan and add flavor to your sauce from the shrimp seasoning. At this point you can whisk in corn starch with your liquid if you'd like a thicker consistency to your sauce. Once pan is deglazed, add lemon juice and capers to the mix and simmer for 10 minutes.

At this point, your quinoa should have absorbed all of the seasoned water! If it has not, let it sit a little longer. If it has, take the 2 bay leaves out (nobody is going to enjoy eating those!) and add your onions to the quinoa. Mix until onions are evenly distributed throughout your quinoa.

This recipe serves four people.

Plating Options
I enjoy plating my food to where every piece of the dish compliments each other. My grains are usually placed on the bottom, veg in the middle and protein on top w/ sauce. this brings the flavors together and (I feel) really makes the meal.

Another option is to not let your food touch each other at all. I know you crazies are out there. Don't worry, it will still be an enjoyable meal! :)