This meal was one of my favorites I’ve made recently. I subscribe to Opera Girl Cooks, a blog that always has delicious, healthy recipes. While I admittedly don’t often make many of the recipes posted, I fell in love with her Basmati Rice Tabbouleh the second I saw it in my email (check out her Mango and Lime Lassi, as well. So good!)
Back to the Tabbouleh: I typed the ingredients into my grocery list (using the NOTES on my iPhone – the standard feature I can’t live without), and brainstormed about what else to serve. It didn’t take long for me to decide on jumbo scallops. I was craving seafood, but couldn’t interest myself in shrimp or salmon. But rich, buttery scallops seemed a perfect complement to the tabbouleh and my craving. This decadent meal was so flavorful, and even with the bacon, within the 500-calories I’m allowing for dinner.
SKEWERED BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS
Makes 5 skewers
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil
- Place a roasting rack on top of the foil to elevate the skewers
- Rinse desired vegetables. I used:
- 10 grape tomatoes
- 4 pearl onions (for two of the skewers)
- 6 mushrooms (for three of the skewers) – wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel instead of rinsing under running water
- Place whole vegetables in a bowl
- Toss with:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Dash of ground pepper
- Pat dry:
- 10 jumbo scallops
- If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them thoroughly before using
- On a paper towel, spread out:
- 10 slices of Hormel brand fully cooked bacon
- I like using fully cooked, because it crisps just enough when baking with seafood with no need to worry about overcooked fish with undercooked bacon. It also has less fat, and I just prefer using it over raw bacon since I only use bacon as an accompaniment and don’t want it’s flavor to overpower the featured dish
- Wrap a jumbo scallop in one slice of bacon, skewer to hold bacon in place, then skewer two of your chosen vegetables, and repeat with a second bacon-wrapped scallop and two more vegetables
- Place skewer on baking wrack, and continue until skewers are complete
- Brush each scallop lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Bake for about 12 minutes
- Turn skewers, brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Bake another 12-15 minutes or until scallops are just cooked through – do not overcook
- You can press gently on the scallop to feel how firm the cooked scallop is – this is how I judge when mine are cooked, much like when cooking a steak
- I baked mine for a total of 25 minutes
- Serve with the Basmati Rice Tabbouleh for a healthy, flavorful meal
I had a total of two skewers, but that’s a big serving. Jumbo scallops are very filling since they are loaded with protein. Next time I make these, I’ll probably put three scallops per skewer and make that one full serving.
The scallops were so rich and buttery, and the tabbouleh so fresh. It was a very filling and satisfying meal, but not one you’ll feel guilty after eating.
~Ingredients to nourish the body put together in ways to nourish the soul to share with family and friends to nourish the heart~
