need advice- sick of eating rice with everything

[ceile]

Making some chili-lime shrimp tonight and I'm getting really tired of putting everything over rice. What makes a healthy substitute?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

1. Fettechini? Worked very well for me.

[fizzgig]

2. cous cous

that's my first go to if i don't want or don't have rice. quinoa would work well, too.

[Goblinmonger]

3. Bed of spring greens?

I'm a vegetarian so it's been a while since I've had shrimp, but maybe some arugula and similar spring greens would taste good with a complimentary sauce to the chili-lime?

[cbayer]

4. While I love rice, I know what you mean. I made Israeli couscous last night and it was really good.

The "grains" are larger than the usual couscous and you brown them before adding the water or stock.

[yellerpup]

5. Polenta goes well with spicy sauces, too.

cous-cous, as previously suggested, pasta (wheat or rice) and potatoes.

[ceile]

6. thanks everyone

I think I'll go with the Israeli cous cous...if I remember correctly, it's sort of "pearled". Should soak up sauce nicely.
I thought about polenta, and maybe I'm making it wrong, but it comes out so cakey- like corn bread.

[cbayer]

7. Yep, pearls with just the right texture, imo.

I also really, really like grits, but they aren't for everyone.

Enjoy!

[ceile]

8. Grits!

Love grits! My friend makes the best shrimp n grits I've ever had. Whole pint of cream and I'm pretty sure an entire stick of butter- maybe 2.

[cbayer]

9. Well, there you go!

I love grillades and grits, cheese grits, grits with salt and butter.

It's like liquidy polenta.

Yum!

[Mira]

17. What's a grit?

Sorry, it's late, and I can't help myself.

[susanna]

25. Add a little more of your chosen cooking liquid...

...and you can dictate the texture/thickness of polenta. You may have to go outside any given recipe; polenta, being a dried item, dictates is own moisture requirements (and it is variable). So if you, as the cook, want some leeway, just have some extra liquid on hand to thin it out.

[Denninmi]

10. Quinoa -- also a great source of protein.

Love it, but don't make it often enough.

[ceile]

14. Is it a grain? n/t

[gkhouston]

24. Yes. You can also bake with quinoa flour. It has a peanut butter odor,

which might be off-putting if anyone in your house is allergic to peanuts.

[freshwest]

11. Try putting in on a split baked potato, if you need the carbs.

Or a bed of lettuce with some avocado slices and diced tomatoes. Another thing I found which tastes better than rice is emmero farro wheat. Cooks like rice and looks like it but has a very nutty flavor and a different color from bulgur or rice.

[kestrel91316]

12. Just have some nice bread alongside to sop up the juices.

[ceile]

13. mmmm bread

That's an idea. There's an Italian deli down the street that makes amazing bread. And half off after 8pm! Will have to make extra sauce...

[Retrograde]

15. Cracked wheat? Bulgar? Couscous?

I like barley as a rice substitute, especially in soups. Haven't really done much with quinoa or amaranth, but they may be good substitutes, or maybe a small pasta like orzo.

[NRaleighLiberal]

16. more votes here for quinoa and/or couscous. or barley or a new favorite - Farro.

[shadegrown dulse]

18. There's no law you have to have grains every night!

Why not use raw zucchini Spirulized in pasta noodles, hmmm?

[grasswire]

19. a mash of root vegetables can work

roasted, or boiled. Parsnips, celery root, something like that.

[msanthrope]

20. Grated cauliflower. (faux rice)

Chop a head of cauliflower and either grate it on the box grater, or use a cuisinart and pulse 'til it look like rice.

Microwave for about 5 mins with a tablespoon of water and a sprinkle of salt.

Taste. You may want it done a little more.

You can flavor this with just about anything...soy, siracha, lime, cilantro, etc...

[ceile]

21. That sounds great! n/t

[HopeHoops]

22. Egg noodles.

[hobbit709]

23. Rice noodles