Shrimp on a shrimp-sized budget!

TUESDAY'S DINNER:

Fried Rice* with Shrimp and Sesame Slaw $1.46

This is one of my favorite dishes. Why, you ask? 1) It's easy to make. 2) It's yummy. 3) It's healthy! and D) It's cheap!

What you'll need:

About 3 cups of leftover, cold White Rice

Garlic

Fresh Ginger Root

Toasted Sesame Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil

1 Egg

1 Carrot

Frozen Peas

Broccoli Slaw

Rice Wine Vinegar

Sesame Seeds

Bragg Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce

Large cooked Shrimp (peeled, de-veined, tail off--Trader Joes' frozen shimp are great with about 50-70 shrimp per bag)

Begin defrosting your shrimp about a half hour before you begin cooking. Soak them in soy sauce if you'd like. Warm your pan or wok. Add about a tbs of the toasted sesame oil and about a tbs of your vegetable oil. Once oil is pretty warm, add 1 egg. Scramble in the oil. Move to the side of the pan and add 3 cloves of chopped garlic and about 2 inches of peeled, chopped ginger root. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped carrot and cook for about a minute. Add your shrimp (drained) to the pan and warm (do not overcook--they will get rubbery!). Add your leftover white rice and about 2 tbs of Bragg's or soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook for a couple of minutes. Add about a 1/4 cup of frozen peas and stir. Add more soy sauce to taste. YUM!

While your rice is a-cookin'...pour about 2 tbs of sesame seeds into a small pan. Heat over low-medium heat to toast the seeds. This brings out the nutty sesame flavor of the seeds and adds a nice little crunch factor in the slaw. Just watch that they don't burn! When they get a little bit golden, that's perfect! Turn off that heat. When they cool, throw them into your salad bowl.

For the slaw, we used broccoli slaw this time for a change. I do honestly think that I prefer a cabbage slaw, though. Maybe shred your own nappa cabbage...I don't know. But it still was good! In your salad bowl (over your toasted sesame seeds) pour about 3-4 tbs of the rice wine vinegar. Add about 1 tbs of your toasted sesame oil and a splash of Bragg's or soy sauce. Easy and tasty!

So there you have it! A meal that tastes great and is easy on the budget. Serves about 6!

*Disclaimer: I know, I know, this isn't authentic Chinese food. I equate this recipe to my mother-in-law's ayn-chee-lah-dahs (enchiladas). They're totally gringo, and my great grandmother Isabella Morales probably rolls over in her grave every time I eat them...but they are yummy in their own gringo way! So it is with this rice. Hope you like it!