I can’t believe it’s June already! Part of me is looking forward to summer but the other part of me wishes I had eaten better over the past few months. Hot weather means less clothing and it’s hard to cover up, if you know what I mean. Vanity aside, running long distances with extra weight isn’t easy either. It can be hard on your joints and you use more energy to run fast. This month is a good time to start eating clean so you can fit into that new swimsuit. So let’s kick things off with a recipe using quinoa.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a grain that has a soft fluffy texture when cooked and somewhat of a nutty flavor. It is high in fiber, protein, magnesium and iron. I first had a chance to try quinoa a few years ago when I stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. For breakfast, the staff had set out a pot of quinoa next to a pot of oatmeal and they explained that quinoa was often eaten as hot cereal in many cultures – you can dress it up just like oatmeal with fruit and a pinch of cinnamon, only it has much more protein. I was immediately hooked!

I found this recipe for Sweet Ginger Shrimp with Dill & Quinoa in an old issue of The Running Room magazine. It’s simple to make, and I sometimes double the quantity so I’ll have extras for lunches during the week. I normally take a serving with me for lunch along with a container of mixed salad greens, a handful of baby carrots and an apple, and I’m set until dinner.

What are some of your favourite activities to get in shape?

Sweet Ginger Shrimp with Dill & Quinoa
(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound large shrimp (about 25-30)
• 1/4 cup fish stock or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon liquid honey
• 1/2 cup diced red peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions:

• Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring for 2 to 4 minutes until lightly brown.
• Add ginger, lime zest and black pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring until ginger and garlic are fragrant.
• Add shrimp, stock, lime juice and honey. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once (scraping any bits from bottom of the pan), until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove from heat.
• Toss prepared quinoa with shrimp mixture, add in dill and peppers.