Day 9 - Greek Orzo with Shrimp and Asparagus

Greek Orzo with Shrimp and Asparagus, Broccoli, Black Seedless Grapes

Before I start talking about today's lunch, I should tell you about a few cooking challenges I'm having this week.

First, there just aren't many great sale prices in my area...at least not on things I want.  I picked up some asparagus, broccoli, grapes, cherries, lemons, pineapple, and shrimp for pretty decent prices this weekend, but other than that I may be relying pretty heavily on pantry staples.  I've also got some dairy left over from last week, and I splurged and got some pre-made hummus.

I'm also pretty busy this week, so I'm going to be leaning on the leftovers and super quick cold lunch assemblies.

And the most irritating problem is that my overhead kitchen light decided to die last night, and I just don't think I'll have time to buy and replace the tubey bulbs (that's a technical term) til the weekend.  So, whatever I cook at night needs to be quick enough that I can whip up before the sun sets, and still easy enough to not need great light anyway.

So, without further ado...lunch!

Grape and broccoli.  Self explanatory and good.  But I just couldn't decide what to do for a main.  Pre-cooked shrimp was a good price at the farmers' market, as was asparagus.  I ended up combining it with some orzo that I found in the back of a cabinet, feta, and a vinagrette.

So.  Good.  SO.  Good.

I had it hot for dinner and cold for lunch, and I can't decide how I like it better.  The picture above looks pretty bland, but I promise it was incredibly flavorful and light.  There's also a lot more shrimp and asparagus than appears in the photo...that happens when you eat it all up the night before. :)


Greek Orzo with Shrimp and Asparagus

1/2 cup dry orzo pasta
3 cups water
3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon
1/2 cup cooked shrimp
1/2 cup asparagus, trimmed and chopped to 1 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon low fat feta cheese
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon dried marjoram
S&P, to taste

Bring water and bouillon to a boil.  In a heat proof bowl, add asparagus and about 1/2 cup of the boiling water.  Set aside.  Pour orzo into boiling water and cook according to package directions.  Meanwhile, whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and marjoram together.  When orzo is al dente, drain orzo and asparagus.  Place back into warm pot but keep removed from heat.  Add remaining ingredients and stir well.  Serve hot or cold.

This made enough for about 3-4 servings of the size you see above.