Shrimp, Mango, Vegetable Rice Salad with Lemon Broccoli

This meal was full of as many veggies as were possible to squeeze in but left you feeling full of carbs (rice) and protein (shrimp) which I find to be quite the nice little trick. This refreshing and light, summer-y meal was different and delicious. I especially enjoyed the enticing colors as I put on the finishing touches.

But I must admit, I'm also excited for this post for another reason. Today we debut the cost line along with the time and difficulty ratings at the top of each post. I started tracking how much each meal I cook costs, adding up the ingredients at Whole Foods and the local supermarket (as well as the occasional farmer's market.) Please tell me in the comments what you think of this new feature!

A few things to know about the costs:
1) This only includes new ingredients I must purchase. This means that typically spices and baking basics (think flour, sugar, vanilla, cornmeal, etc.) are already included because I keep my kitchen full of those.
2) This also means some "staples" will not be included. For instance, rice. I buy large portions of rice at once and only use a cup or so at a time, making the bags last a long time. I do not include this in my cost, but also believe it would not add much since just a fraction of a container is used each time.
3) All costs are based on meals for TWO people, but I will note when the portions came out much too large or much too small (which is rare for my kitchen.) Please adjust the cost accordingly if you are cooking for a different number.
4) I purchase all of my meats, seafood, and vegetables from Whole Foods. I only purchase sustainable seafood and grass-fed free-range meat (a standard for Whole Foods.) This means these are at the high-end of a cost for a meal but I believe you achieve the best results with the best ingredients. However, clearly you can spend less by going to a non-gourmet supermarket.
5) Costs are by the meal. So the cost below includes the shrimp rice salad as well as the broccoli. You'll have to estimate on your own to determine what just a piece of this meal would be.

And so let's go!

Time: 1 hr 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Cost: $24.84, but enough for at least 4 people


Shrimp, Mango, Vegetable Rice Salad
Time: 1 hr 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp red pepper
1/8 tsp cumin (ground)
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2/3 c light coconut milk (find the light!)
1 1/4 c uncooked basmati rice
3/4 c carrot, shredded
2 medium to large mangoes, peeled and diced
1 c zucchini, diced
1/2 c green onions, diced
2 tbsps fresh cilantro, diced
2 tbsps lime juice
1/2 tsp salt

(this recipe is based upon a similar one in Cooking Light)

Mix together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, curry powder, red pepper, and cumin in a bowl. Remove the tails from the shrimp and add them to the bowl. Toss until well coated and then marinate in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.

Combine the coconut milk with 2 cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the basmati rice and then immediately cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the rice simmer for 15 minutes or until it is light and fluffy with the liquid absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Place the rice in a large bowl and add the carrot, mango, zucchini, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Toss until well combined.

As the rice is simmering you can finish with the shrimp. Take the marinaded shrimp and put them on skewers for grilling. Heat your grill to medium heat. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side or until done. (If you are using a Foreman grill no need to flip them.) Make sure not to overcook your shrimp since they cook so quickly.

Place the shrimp on top of the rice and enjoy.

Lemon Broccoli
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
3-4 c broccoli crowns, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp butter or fake butter
1 tsp freshly grated lemon rind
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper

Place the broccoli in a microwaveable dish. Add a tablespoon or so of water, cover, and microwave for 4-5 minutes or until soft. The time will vary depending on the amount and size of broccoli so check it accordingly.

Melt the butter over low heat in a pan on the stove. As soon as it is melted add the lemon rind, lemon juice, and black pepper. Add the cooked broccoli and toss well to make sure the sauce is evenly distributed. Serve right away.