For the most part, I try to use seasonal produce and stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums, etc) in particular is a favorite to make savory and sweet dishes with - when we lived in California, the stone fruit was incredible and accessible. There are a few meals that I find a way to make year-round. One of which is Spiced Shrimp with Coconut Black Rice and Fruit Salsa. When peaches are in-season, June through September, I opt to make a minimal ingredient peach salsa for this dish, which is our favorite. Simply combine one large diced ripe peach, a small finely diced jalapeno (De-seed for less hot spice), a small finely diced shallot, juice of a small lime, plus salt & pepper to taste. Set aside to let the flavors come together.

Since we find ourselves in January (hello, 2018) I would turn to mangoes since they are in grocery stores year-round, or why not try something new with a pomegranate or blueberry salsa? Heck, if you're not a sweet salsa person, use your favorite salsa recipe or favorite brand from the store.

Lets talk about black rice aka forbidden rice for a second. It is similar to brown rice in taste and nutritional value but has even more health benefits. I like this detailed article discussing the health benefits. It makes a good point that black rice isn't a miracle worker or a cure for your ailments or weight loss goals but it is a healthy rice option. Black rice has a great texture being a bit chewy (reminds me of farro) and a slight nuttiness. Plus, it looks beautiful.

Sorry the black rice is hidden below the mound of delicious shrimp, goat cheese, and veggies!

Ingredients - serves 4

For the shrimp:

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined*

tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

For the coconut rice:

1 cup forbidden rice (also known as black rice)

1 cup of canned light coconut milk

1 cup water

Toppings:

Salsa of choice

Goat cheese crumbles

Grape tomatoes, cut in half

Arugula

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper - toss to evenly distribute.
If you have time, cover the bowl and let marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Most of the time I do not remember to marinate the shrimp so go straight to cooking.
Cook the rice in coconut milk and water according to package directions. (I love black rice because it has such a nice chewy texture!). While the rice is cooking, move onto the shrimp.
Heat pan over medium heat and add the shrimp in even distributions so all are touching the pan. Let cook on one side about 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper, before flipping over for another 2-3 minutes and season with salt and pepper again. There should be no gray translucent parts of the shrimp remaining. Turn off heat and assemble bowls.
Place serving of rice in bottom of bowl, top with shrimp, goat cheese, salsa, tomatoes, and arugula.

*Most recently I bought the Kirkland Signature frozen shrimp - it comes in a 2 lb resealable bag, peeled and deveined with no preservatives. The size of shrimp are moderate considered 'jumbo' which means you get 21-25 pieces of shrimp per pound.

Enjoy!