We’re trying something new here at GovGab – once a month, I’ll review a recipe from the government. Think Julie and Julia. Our first recipe is from FDA’s Office of Women’s Health: Diabetes Recipe Cards (also available in Spanish). You can order this free recipe and other recipes online from the Federal Citizen Information Center.
Recipe: Grilled Shrimp with Pasta and Pineapple Salsa
I made a few tweaks:
- I bought fresh pineapple, already cut instead of canned.
- I used half of a green pepper instead of 1 jalapeno pepper.
- I bought fresh, deveined shrimp; I just had to peel them so it saved me time. You can also buy a package of frozen shrimp already peeled and deveined; thaw it out according to the directions on the package.
- I bought whole wheat rotini pasta to make it a little healthier. I cooked it according to the package.
Cooking experience:
I don’t own an outdoor grill, so I used an indoor grill pan, sprayed with cooking oil. I set the burner to medium-high.
This recipe required a lot of chopping, so I probably would make this on the weekend unless I pre-chopped everything beforehand. I also used a mini-chop to dice the onions – less tears for me.
It took me about an hour from start to finish. Maybe if my knife skills were better, it would’ve saved me time.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Me: “It’s a nice light dish. I definitely would make it again. You could also substitute the pasta with romaine lettuce for a nice salad.”
Husband: “This dish would not be out of place at a seaside resort, say Hawaii. It has a great aroma and combination of sweet and crunchy. It’s tricky to get good balance with the pasta. The shrimp holds up well as a leftover.”
Son: “Mmm…yummy!” (picked out and ate the pasta only).
So GovGab readers – wanna try this recipe out? Try it with the jalapeno pepper! If you do, let us know what you think and leave a comment on this post.