Recipes

Zesty Meals In Minutes - Spice It Up In Seconds

Courtesy of Family Features
Source: Uncle Ben's

(Family Features) It's no secret that convenience is king when it comes to food shopping and meal preparation. Today's busy home cooks are looking for short cuts that deliver great-tasting food for their on-the-go families.

With a little creativity and a well-stocked pantry, you can prepare quick, delicious meals that satisfy today's cravings for food with hotter, spicier and bolder flavors.

For a grab-and-go breakfast, mix low-fat or non-fat yogurt with granola and ripe berries topped with a bold dash of cinnamon. Or, make a sweet and crunchy trail mix with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, dates or apricots, a protein source such as almonds or peanuts, plus some whole wheat cereal and a tablespoon of small chocolates.

To add spice to lunch or dinner, try a recipe that features Uncle Ben's Cajun Style Ready Rice, a blend of long grain rice, Cajun seasonings, red beans and peppers. It's microwave-ready in just 90 seconds, making it easy to create a zesty meal in minutes.

Spicy Cajun Rice and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps can be prepared ahead of time, separated into portable containers and enjoyed at home, at work or on-the-run. The iceberg lettuce used in this recipe is nature's perfect on-the-go wrapper. The lettuce stays crisp and provides a cool finish to this spicy Cajun treat.

Spicy Cajun Rice and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons filling and one lettuce wrap
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Makes: About 24 wraps

  • ½ pound shrimp, thawed, cleaned & tails removed
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup red pepper, diced
  • ½ cup scallions, diced
  • 1-8.8 ounce pouch Uncle Ben's Ready Rice Cajun
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce

  1. Combine shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, hot sauce and garlic powder in small bowl to coat. Over medium-heat, place remaining tablespoon of oil in 10-inch non-stick sauté pan or skillet. Add red bell pepper and sauté for 1 minute or until soft. Add shrimp, scallions and continue to sauté while rice is heating.

  2. Heat rice in microwave according to package

  3. Combine heated rice with shrimp in sauté pan and mix well. If ready to eat lettuce wraps immediately, use one or two of the larger, outer leaves and scoop two tablespoons filling into it, wrap it up and enjoy!

If preparing the dish for a later meal, prepare filling as directed above, then place mixture in a portable container and refrigerate. When ready to eat, heat rice mixture in microwave for 60 seconds, then scoop two tablespoons filling into one or two layers of the outer leaf, wrap it up and enjoy!

The remainder of the dish can be separated into individual servings or stored for future use.