Sautéed Scallops and Quinoa with Orange-Avocado Salsa
Quinoa mixed with olive oil and a big handful of fresh herbs makes a refreshing bed for the scallops and zippy salsa made from oranges and avocado. The salsa is also good with shrimp or any fish as well as with chicken breasts or turkey cutlets. To time the dish right, start the quinoa cooking just before preparing the salsa. This recipe makes a generous amount of both the quinoa and the salsa; toss the leftovers with crumbled feta cheese and pumpkin seeds for a light but filling lunch the next day.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
Counts 9 of 10 ingredients — the other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and contribute nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume — 9 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 1 medium (150g) | 240 |
| Quinoa | 1 cup cooked (185g) | 222 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Shrimp | 100g cooked | 99 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Shallot | 1 tbsp minced (10g) | 7 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white, red or multi-color quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 to 4 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 oranges, peel and pith removed
- 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and finely diced
- 3 Tbs. minced fresh basil
- 2 Tbs. minced shallot
- 1 1/2 tsp. seeded and minced red jalapeño
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 10 to 12 oz. sea scallops, patted dry