curried shrimp over Israeli couscous with mango salsa

This winter has felt a little dull here in Minnesota. Yes, I really am grateful for the warmer than usual weather we have had but lately it has just felt wet and gray. Things just need a little zip or something.

When I am restless with the season I find it reflected in my cooking. On the hottest day of this summer, I made a roast in the oven for the first time. Around the end of August when I was looking forward to fall, I began baking everything with pumpkin added in. Today I must have been craving a tropical spring break because all I wanted to eat was mango salsa so i knew I had to figure out a meal to satisfy my cravings. However seasonally askew the ingredients for this meal were, let me tell you that the results were spot-on. Even my husband, who is wary of anything even remotely Indian flavored, declared this dish to be one of his favorite meals that I have ever cooked. The reason that I think this dish "works", is that the Israeli couscous is creamy and mellow, the shrimp hot and slightly curried, and the salsa served on top is cold, crunch, and tangy. If this meal were viewed as a relationship, it would be a case of opposites attracting. So here you go friends and make this meal if you wish. It sure is cheaper than a flight to the tropics this time of year.

Curried Shrimp over Israeli Couscous with Mango Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb medium to large shrimp

2 cups uncooked Israeli couscous

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

one handful of fresh spinach

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 lime, juiced

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

2 Tbs olive oil

2 mangoes, cut and cubed

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

salt

red pepper flakes

Directions:

Salsa- Combine the cubed mango pieces in a bowl with the diced onions, chopped cilantro, red pepper and jalapeno. Cover the ingredients with the juice of a lime. Salt and red pepper the salsa to taste.

Israeli Couscous- This stuff is so fun. The little balls are chewy and it doesn't clump like traditional couscous does. I get it at Cub or Byerlys in the Jewish foods section, Trader Joes might have it but I am not sure. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a pot. Add the couscous to the broth, cover and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, I add a handful of roughly torn or quickly chopped baby spinach leaves to the pot to increase the nutrition content of the meal a tad. This is also when I add the lemon juice.

Shrimp- Dry your shrimp with a paper towel. Put the shrimp into a bowl and cover with the olive oil and curry powder. Add a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if you want a little spice and then mix gently with a spoon or your hands. Heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side depending on their size.

To plate this meal I spooned the couscous onto a dinner plate, followed by the shrimp, and finally topped with the mango salsa. Making the salsa is the most time intensive part of this meal due to the chopping but it really only takes 10 minutes or less to make. If the salsa is made in advance you can get dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Thanks to Luke's approval this will be on frequent rotation in our little household. 

Wedding Inspiration

I have spent a considerable amount of time looking at beautiful wedding images lately. No, we are not looking into getting married again or a vow renewal ceremony. I need to wait until we are married at least two years before doing that :) Let me just say though that I am really glad there was no Pinterest before we got hitched. I can't image how overwhelming it would have been to try to sort through all the amazing wedding ideas on that site. The reason for my renewed interest in weddings is that I am helping a beautiful bride-to-be style her wedding. She picked a fun vintage theme and here are some of the pictures we have come up with for inspiration:

Here I arranged some of the stuff we have so far to have an idea of how it is looking.

I am not gonna lie, I love it so far! Working on a wedding that is not our own is so much more fun than designing ours was. It must be when it is your own wedding, you are dealing with all the others stresses that engagement brings and you are too close to the subject. Whatever the reason may be, I am really excited to show you how this all turns out in less than a month. Happy Monday friends!

Being Known

Being known and loved is one of the best feelings that we as humans can experience in this life. I listened to a sermon once about how the desire to be known, or understood, affects all our relationships. It is such a powerful force because we were created to be fully know by one person, God, and while knowing us completely He loves us deeply . How amazing is that?

I think that is why feeling known, or understood, by those we have relationships with is so powerful. We were created with this desire and relationships here are just a shadow of what is to come. That thought really struck me after Christmas this year. Why? Well... I really loved the gifts I received for Christmas. They made me so happy! As materialistic as that sounded to me at first, the gifts' impact came from the loved ones who gave them. They were so thoughtful in picking out presents and their gifts reflected my needs, desires, and interests. My gifts allowed me to create a cleaner home with fewer chemicals (Norwex products), provided fun date nights for my husband and I, cultivated my love of cooking and reading, and provided a whole lot of good visual design. Wow! I really felt that my loved ones understood me and loved me. That is the reason we give gifts. So here is a big virtual thank you to all of you, I am so blessed by the people in my life. One goal of mine this year is to better show love to the people in my life. What inspires you in gift giving? Sorry this Christmas inspired post is so late.

Just a little visual of some of the awesome gifts I received. Thanks!