Grilled Shrimp and Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Garlic Mojo

The first time I made this meal, I had no intention of it becoming a “thing”. As most bowl meals are, it was a throw together affair of random components based on what we had in the fridge and what sounded good on a night when I had little inspiration. However, as soon as we tasted it all together, we knew it definitely needed to become a thing.

So, I made it again to take notes and share with you! This is a great option for a quick and healthy meal that is light and perfect for summer. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Yield about 4 servings

Ingredients

For the roasted garlic mojo:

2 heads garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves
¾-1 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
½ tsp. kosher salt

For the shrimp and veggie bowls:

1½ cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2¼ cups veggie broth
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for veggies
½ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more for veggies
¼ tsp. black pepper, plus more for veggies
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
8 oz. asparagus, trimmed
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills removed
2-3 oz. cotija, for topping

Directions

01
Place the garlic cloves in a skillet set over medium heat. Roast, turning regularly, until softened and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel, place in a food processor, and pulse until the garlic is chopped. With the machine running, add in the olive oil through the feed tube in a slow steady stream. Add in the lime juice and salt, and pulse to incorporate. Transfer to a jar to store until ready to use.
02
Combine the quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Let cook 15 minutes, fluff with a fork, and let stand covered for 5 minutes more.
03
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, combine the shrimp, lime juice, olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl and toss until evenly combined. Let marinate at least 10 minutes. Thread onto skewers. Prepare the veggies for the grill by brushing lightly with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.
04
When the grill is heated, oil the grates. Place the veggies on the grill and cook, turning once, until crisp-tender and browned in spots. (Cooking times may vary for the different veggies, so keep an eye on them.) Remove to a cutting board, let cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
05
Place the shrimp skewers on the grill and cook, turning once, until opaque and just beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes total.
06
Fill each serving bowl with some of the quinoa, the grilled veggies, shrimp and cotija. Drizzle a bit of the garlic mojo over the top. Toss together and serve immediately.

Source

garlic mojo from More Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless