I love the idea of Chinese food. Done well, it has loads of fresh vegetables and lean protein. I’ll even splurge on having Chinese take-out every once in a while. Unfortunately, there is a down side to Chinese food. It can be quite high in added oil (translation – fat) and the sodium in Chinese food can hit your daily allowance in just one meal. Plus, I’m always looking to take restaurant favorites and make them myself so I know exactly what ingredients are going into the dish.

Enter my favorite food – shrimp. Aside from the fact that I just love the taste, shrimp are loaded with protein, vitamin D, B vitamins, and zinc. They also have those wonderful omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoids which can act as antioxidants.

So, it was with my desire for a healthier Chinese dish and my love of shrimp that I created this recipe for shrimp fried rice. Enjoy.

SHRIMP FRIED RICE
2 T canola oil
½ cup chopped white onion
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup chopped green onion
1 cup bean sprouts
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined without the tail
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked brown rice
4 T reduced-sodium soy sauce

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add white onions, green onions and peas. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and sprouts to the skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Scoop everything from the skillet into a large bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, add the beaten eggs and scramble. Once cooked, leave the eggs in the pan and use your mixing spoon to chop them into small pieces. Put all ingredients back into the pan (including the cooked rice). Add soy sauce and stir until well blended. Heat through.

Nutrition
calories = 360
saturated fat = 1.8 g
fiber = 3.5 g
protein = 31.5 g