Shrimp Tacos

So it’s Lent and that means no meat on Fridays. I’m noticing that some people panic because they feel limited and wind up resorting to pizza. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely a pizza fan and I find it on my dinner menu just about every other week, especially during football season. But the point I’m getting at is that there are so many other options for meatless Fridays.

* Broiled Salmon with boiled potatoes and green beans

* Grilled scallops with a roasted red pepper sauce on a bed of whole wheat angel hair pasta tossed with garlic and parmesan
* Get creative with grilled cheese. Try fresh mozzarella and tomato with pesto (or balsamic) on ciabatta bread.
* Breakfast for dinner! Pancakes or waffles. Omelets with peppers, onions and cheese. Oatmeal casserole. French Toast. Eggs benedict.
* Baked macaroni and cheese with a side of broccoli (I like to mix the broccoli in.)
* Go British and make a baked version of Fish & Chips… mmmmm with some sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Note to self: find a recipe for that.

This past Friday I made Shrimp tacos.

You'll Need:
Frozen Shrimp
Fish taco seasoning
Juice of 1 lime, 2 teaspoons reserved
olive oil
ranch dressing (I used the jar kind that they keep in the refrigerated section)
avocado
cumin (about 1/4 tsp)
cayenne or chipotle pepper powder (about 1/2 tsp)
broccoli slaw

First, wash, peel and devein the shrimp. Toss with fish taco seasoning and lime juice.

 
Heat a frying pan and add olive oil. “Hot pan, cold oil, food won’t stick.” Add shrimp and cook until just firm. I like my shrimp overcooked and kind of charred. According to every chef/cook on the Food Network this is incorrect, to that I say… I don’t care, I like it this way.

While the shrimp are cooking we make the sauce. In a food processor combine the fruit of 1 avocado, ranch dressing, lime juice. Add Cumin and Cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.

 

{Here’s how to cut an avocado: Cut lengthwise all around the avocado. Twist the 2 sides until they come apart. Take your knife and gently whack the pit. Twist the knife to free the pit and discard. Score with a knife and then, using a spoon, scoop around the fruit to disconnect it from the shell.}

Then warm some tortillas. Add a bed of broccoli slaw. Add the shrimp, sprinkle some shredded white cheddar cheese (if you want... I didn't add cheese to mine) and drizzle with the avocado sauce. Voila! Shrimp tacos. You could also make this into a salad, just chop everything up (tortilla included if you’re not watching your carbs) and throw it on top of a bowl of romaine. The “sauce” is a little too thick as a dressing for my liking so I’d dilute it with a little water.