Simple Shrimp and Pineapple-Coconut Black Rice Salad

Admittedly, I made this MORE complicated than it needed to be when I bought shrimp that needed to be cleaned, deveined and deshelled (is that a real word?). Which adds to the point of the post: make it simple.

This is tasty, simple and delicious. Only whole foods as ingredients. Win. Win. Win.

Oh! and I need your help. I'm hosting a contest to improve this recipe! 

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Simple Shrimp and Pineapple-Coconut Black Rice Salad

Ingredients

2 cups black (often called Forbidden) rice

1 cup canned, frozen or fresh diced pineapple

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup each red and yellow peppers, diced

1 can coconut milk fresh cilantro to taste

MYSTERY INGREDIENT

2 lbs shrimp (veined or deveined, depends on how much work you want to put in)

2 Tbs unrefined toasted sesame oil

2 big handfuls of fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

1) Soak the rice for 6-8 hours in water in a large pot--it decreases cooking time by about half. When you're ready to cook the rice, strain it from the water you soaked it in and refill the pot with 3 cups of fresh water. Set to boil on the stove over med-high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce heat to simmer until the rice is done.2) While the rice is cooking, prepare the peppers, scallions and pineapple and add to a large bowl. Strain the pineapple but save the juice to add in later. Put to the side.

3) Heat a skillet or pan over low-med heat. Add the oil carefully and let it warm. Increase hit to medium add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes on each side. Remove shrimp from the pan and add the spinach. Allow it to wilt and remove from the pan.

4) Combine the black rice to the other ingredients in the bowl. Add coconut milk and pineapple juice to taste.

5) Place rice, shrimp and sauteed spinach on a plate and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!!

Here's where you come in: when I made this, while it was delicious, it felt FLAT. Like something important was missing. My challenge to you is to make this dish and add in what you think is missing and TELL ME ABOUT IT* so I can make it better next time.