Lemon Shrimp Orzo with Fresh Veggies

Like Emily Dickinson, I dwell on possibilities with this shrimp dish. 

It's a light, refreshing, and perfect summer weeknight meal. The shrimp can be fresh, frozen, thawed, or grilled. The veggies can change with the season, and the dressing can be homemade or prepared. 

This recipe serves four, but the ingredients can easily be increased for more servings. To keep the recipe simple, I used cooked frozen shrimp thawed, but grilling the shrimp is a good option and would enhance the flavor. Use English sweet peas, as they are smaller and sweeter. A splash of white wine and a squeeze of lemon right before serving to brighten up the meal. Some suggested prepared dressings include Lite Greek or White Balsamic Dressing. 

Ingredients:

• Large shrimp fully cooked, tails on, thawed if frozen 
• 1 cup dry orzo
• 3 cups total of veggies (I used snap peas, English peas, and diced cherry tomatoes, but asparagus would be a good alternative)
• Lemon
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• Prepared dressing or a homemade lemon dressing recipe below
• Splash white wine  

Directions:

• In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add in orzo, reduce heat, and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside in a bowl.  Wipe the pan clean.  
• In the same saucepan, bring water to boil and add snap peas. Reduce heat and boil for 2 minutes. Add frozen peas and cook for 30 seconds more. Drain both in a colander packed with ice. 
• Add the orzo, drained veggies, tomatoes, and parsley flakes to the bowl. Mix in the dressing, adding a splash of wine and a squeeze of lemon.   

White Balsamic Vinaigrette
A perfect harmony of flavors with this easy white balsamic vinaigrette recipe. It’s tangy, bright, and ideal for this shrimp orzo dish. 

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup white balsamic vinegar (use good quality) 
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic 

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender. Taste test to balance ingredients. 
• Serve the vinaigrette immediately or refrigerate it in an airtight container until needed.