Shrimp and Bacon Fried Rice

Before I get to this recipe, I want to share some exciting news! As of yesterday, I am now a proud employee of Lingonberries Market, a gluten free grocery store in Vancouver. Its awesome; not only is everything in the store gluten free, but they have options for people with almost every food allergy. And I basically get to check out all the products and build my knowledge about food allergies. It is seriously the perfect job for me.

I've also been apprenticing at Abby's Table. Abby is a natural chef who caters healthy food for people with special diets, like myself. She catered my graduation party a few weeks back and her stuff is amazing. She also has a line of sauces that are absolutely to die for. So I'm learning the ins and outs of working in a kitchen. I'm also going to be assisting her with product demos for her sauces at various places. It's been such a great opportunity for me, I'm so happy with the direction my life has taken!

So, about this recipe. When I was in school, my roommate Emily would always cook absolutely fabulous meals for me and our other roommates. 99.9% of the time, whatever she made was something I should absolutely not be eating, but I ate it anyway because that girl could cook! One of my favorite recipes was her fried rice recipe. It's been on my mind for months, so I decided to recreate it with my own twist. Emily's secret was that she added bacon to the mix. You will not believe how good this stuff is.

Shrimp and Bacon Fried Rice

1 packet Trader Joe's frozen jasmine rice

1 leek, chopped

1 c. broccoli

1 c. red bell pepper, chopped

2 tbsp. wheat-free tamari

2 c. precooked frozen cocktail shrimp

6 slices turkey bacon (we cook all the bacon and then freeze it, so you can reheat it whenever you need it without having to wait for it to cook)

Olive, sesame, or grapeseed oil

Thaw the shrimp for an hour or so before you begin cooking. Cook the packet of rice according to the directions. You can also make a batch of regular jasmine rice, I just love the TJ's stuff cause it cooks in 3 minutes in the microwave. Chop the veggies and put them in a large skillet with the oil. Once the rice is done, add it to the skillet. Chop up the bacon and add it and the shrimp to the mix. Add the tamari and saute all the ingredients until shrimp and bacon are cooked through. Serve and enjoy!