It can be challenging to eat healthy when life is busy. Our friend Heather, from Fit Mama Real Food shares her best tips to make for a healthy, tasty, and easy meal – all by prepping in advance.

When you need a quick yet healthy meal, try this Spicy Shrimp Melon Bowl! The spice of the shrimp pairs perfectly with sweet and juicy Alonna™ Canary Melon. Served over a bowl of brown rice with fresh veggies and a simple salsa verde yogurt sauce, it’s sure to add a fresh touch to your weekday menu! Spice and sweetness go hand in hand in this recipe – the spice in the tender shrimp is a perfect match with sweet melon. If you’ve ever enjoyed a mango salsa or pineapple salsa on a shrimp taco bowl, this pairing is one to try!

The shrimp is medium heat but can definitely be adjusted to hotter or milder depending on how much chili powder you use. Make it how you love it, then pair it with the perfect fruit!  The Alonna™ Canary Melon is crisp, and refreshing, and gives tropical vibes to whatever it is paired with. Yellow on the outside, and crisp white on the inside, it’s certainly the melon for every meal! 

Made for Meal Prep –

Buddha bowls like this Spicy Shrimp Melon Bowl are MADE for meal prep! The fresh ingredients for your bowl are always available year-round thanks to greenhouse grown fruits & vegetables, which offer a dependable and steady supply of fresh produce.  These items are grown in a controlled environment, maintaining ideal conditions regardless of environmental factors like season or weather. This enables continual harvesting and a steady supply of high-quality produce items needed for your healthy bowls!

To make busy days easier, all the individual components of these bowls can be prepped in advance and stored individually. Or, if you want to simplify even more, build your bowls in a mason jar so they are ready to grab and go! Once your bowl is prepped just add your sauce, shake it up, and enjoy!

Prep Your Ingredients –

To create this Spicy Shrimp Melon Bowl all you will need are the following ingredients: 

  • Pure Flavor® Alonna™ Canary Melon
  • brown rice
  • shrimp
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • granulated garlic
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • avocado oil
  • plain Greek yogurt
  • green salsa verde
  • lime
  • pico de gallo
  • cilantro
  • Greens of choice

For the full Spicy Shrimp Melon Bowl recipe, click here!

Create Your Bowls –

To make these delicious bowls, begin by marinating the shrimp. Next, prepare your rice by following the directions on the rice packaging or using a rice cooker. While the rice is cooking, sear the shrimp in a hot skillet for 2 minutes on each side. When done, the shrimp will be a pinkish color and no longer opaque.

Once the shrimp has been cooked, prepare the melon by slicing it in half and removing the seeds and outer skin before dicing the fruit into tiny pieces. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, salsa, and lime juice to make the creamy salsa verde drizzling sauce. You may also put it in a blender to give it an extra creamy and smooth texture.

Once everything is ready to go, you can build your bowl! Place the rice on the bottom layer of the bowl, followed by the sliced melon, shrimp, pico de gallo, greens, cilantro, and a drizzle of creamy salsa verde. You may use sesame seeds, green onions, red pepper flakes, or creamy avocado for garnish! Enjoy!

Customize it –

What’s so great about bowls? You can use substitutions to tailor the bowl to the preferences of your choice!

Shrimp – The type of shrimp I prefer to use is medium size, but any size will do! For a non-shrimp option, try your favorite fish, or use tofu, chicken, or make spicy black beans for a vegetarian option.

Avocado oil – For some added flavor, substitute in sesame oil. To maintain a more neutral flavor, opt for extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.

Brown rice – Jasmine rice, sushi rice, ancient grains rice, and quinoa mix, or cauliflower rice are all good alternatives to bowl rice.

Yogurt – Need this dairy-free? Use canned coconut milk or almond yogurt instead.

Salsa verde – Any type of salsa will work here. If you use a chunkier variety, you’ll want to blend it in a blender to smooth it out.

Lime – Lemon juice and rice vinegar are good alternatives to use here. For an Asian twist, swap in soy sauce or coconut aminos for the lime juice.

Pico de gallo – Fresh diced tomatoes are a delicious alternative! Pair with a little red onion and enjoy.

Make it a Meal

Bowls are a satisfying meal choice that exemplifies the ideal balance of nutrition, practicality, and freshness. You can make colorful, healthy bowls that suit your taste preferences by utilizing the availability and quality of our greenhouse grown vegetables fruits & vegetables such as melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers! The flexibility a bowl provides not only saves time but also helps to facilitate meal planning.  Making a bowl becomes simple when you have fresh-grown vegetables all year round.  Embrace the limitless options that bowls present and enjoy the delicious fusion of flavors and textures while nourishing your body with foods that were grown in greenhouses.

~ Heather