Dirty Brown Rice with Shrimp

 Start to Finish: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
Chicken bouillon cube
2 bay leaves, divided
1/8 + 1/4 tsp cayenne, divided
1/8 + 1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 + 1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb 96% lean ground beef
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 scallions, chopped

Directions:
1. Cook brown rice according to package directions in water along with a chicken bouillon, 1 bay leaf and 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 each of salt, cayenne, paprika and thyme.
2. When the rice is almost done cooking, heat a large heavy saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the oil, onions, green pepper, celery, bay leaf and garlic. Sauté on medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add beef, salt, black pepper, remaining paprika, thyme and cayenne pepper. Sauté until browned, about 10-15 minutes; add shrimp, cover and cook 5 more minutes.
3. When the rice is done, toss with beef and shrimp and combine well. Top with scallions and serve.

Notes: I had never thought of putting spices into the rice when it was in the rice cooker, but I really liked how it turned out and will use that trick more often. This meal had a lot of flavor and even though I am not a huge shrimp fan, it was good. Due to the shrimp, it was a little more expensive, but worth it for an occasional meal option.

Servings: 5 (1 serving equals 1-1/3 cup)

Estimated Price: $14.00

Source: skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories: 346.6 • Fat: 5.9 g • Protein: 27.8 g • Carb: 44.2 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Sugar: 1.1 g  Sodium: 151.0 mg (without salt)