Shrimp Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of the easiest, most delicious, and satiating meals that you can make, especially in college. Day-old rice is best for fried rice, so you can clean out your fridge and use leftovers, and it is easy to make high protein by using shrimp, chicken, sirloin strips, pork, or whatever protein you prefer. I decided to do shrimp because it cooks super fast and I personally love shrimp fried rice.

I cannot stress enough the importance of being well stocked with frozen vegetables. Of course, fresh vegetables are good to have and delicious, but when you're trying to save time and eat a nourishing meal on a busy schedule, not having to chop all your vegetables and buy a million different ones at the store saves a lot of time and a lot of money. I try to buy frozen vegetable blends/mixes so that I can have a wide variety in every meal, and I buy different blends based on certain meal types/tastes. Broccoli stir fry mix with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, and corn are perfect for a meal like this, whereas it's good to have frozen peppers, onions, and cauliflower rice for a burrito bowl.

At the end of the day, the key to finding healthy and high-protein recipes at school is trying to work with what you have, and if you don't have some of these ingredients, you can freestyle and add your own twist. Making sure every meal has protein, carbs, healthy fats, and some kind of fruit or vegetable is the most important part of constructing your food/meals, and feeling energized and full is a top priority.

MACROS:

CALORIES: 469 calories

PROTEIN: 44.8 grams

CARBOHYDRATES: 50.3 grams

FAT: 9.5 grams

INGREDIENTS:

- 125 grams jasmine rice, weighed cooked

- 6 ounces frozen shrimp, weighed raw/frozen

- 170 grams frozen cauliflower rice

- 1 whole egg

- 85 grams normandy vegetable blend mix

- 3 ml olive oil

- soy sauce and seasonings of choice

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl, weigh out your frozen shrimp and cover with enough water and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let sit for about 20 minutes to defrost and then peel and devein if needed.

2. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and onion powder.

3. In a separate pan, cook your shrimp on medium high heat for about 1-2 minutes on each side. When cooked to your desired liking, set aside and let rest.

4. In a small sprayed pot, add your frozen vegetable stir fry and cauliflower rice and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cover on medium heat and let cook through.

5. When the vegetables are soft enough and ready, add your jasmine rice and a sprinkle of soy sauce and mix. Day-old rice is better for fried rice, so try to use leftover white/jasmine rice from a previous meal, as fresh rice gets a little mushy.

6. When the rice is well combined with the veggies and soy sauce, push to the side of your pan and scramble an egg on the empty side. Once scrambled, mix that into your rice and veggie mix and turn off heat.

7. Now to plate: place your rice in a bowl with your shrimp right on top, and drizzle with sriracha and other toppings of choice. Enjoy!