Buffalo Baked Shrimp with Wild Rice Salad + Walnut Green Beans

Food! I haven’t done a food post in so long, you guys, and that’s because I’m pretty sure I’ve made every single one of my go-tos for you on here already. I like to pretend I’m a cook who’s, like, really creative in the kitchen, but to be real with you, I make the same seven things week after week and then live off leftovers and the Whole Foods cafe. You now know all my secrets.

So, if you’re a particular fan of reading about meals I like (I’m pretty sure that’ll be a grand total of two people I’m describing), sorry food’s been MIA. But just for you sparkling, two human beings, I looked up (and also kind of made up–looking at you, rice salad) a couple new recipes to try out!

These are more health-conscious takes on rich and fulfilling foods I love, but you’ll find no frying of Buffalo shrimp nor any calorie-amassing salad dressings here. In other words, it’s a solid meal with decadent flavors that also makes your middle school health teacher who taught you the Food Pyramid very, very proud.

Buffalo Baked Shrimp Ingredients:

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off
• For the Buffalo marinade:
  • 3/4 c. hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter or olive oil
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse shrimp in a strainer under cool water thoroughly. Mix marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Pour shrimp and Buffalo marinade into a gallon Ziploc bag and shake until all shrimp is covered. Place in fridge to set for an hour or longer.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Pour marinated shrimp onto a cooking-sprayed baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes.

Wild Rice Salad Ingredients: (I was seriously craving a pasta salad when I came up with this healthier rendition. It has similar ingredients to a PS, but instead of the carb-heavy pasta noodles, I opted for a wild rice medley.)

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice (should make about 3 cups when cooked)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 raw jalapeños (depending on your spice affinity–mine is large–but you can use 1 or none), chopped
• 1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook wild rice according to packaging. After it’s done, place in a large bowl in the fridge to cool temperature to room temp or cooler. Add in the veggies and mix in the oil and vinegar as the dressing. Finish with salt and pepper to your taste preferences.

Walnut Green Beans Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. green beans (I recommend getting them pre-trimmed to save yourself the hassle!)
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
• 2 tbsp. almond oil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake walnuts on ungreased baking sheet for 7 minutes.

Put washed green beans in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water until completely cooled to room temp or cooler.

Heat almond oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add green beans and mix regularly for about 4-5 minutes. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in walnuts and parsley immediately.