Hi guess what? I love tacos. And I bet you do too because seriously how could you not? First, tortilla's are the perfect vehicle for food. Second, you can put any type of combination of food inside of said tortillas. And third, they're gluten free so that's pretty great because that means less inflammation in our bods!
I made myself tacos last night and tonight. No shame. Last night, I stuffed my tortillas with pan-fried zucchini, red pepper, portabello mushroom, and roasted butternut squash, topped it with tomatillo salsa, fauxmaggio cheese and then proceeded to house them. And I came to a realization.... tacos NEED to have some sort of protein in them. Without shrimp, fish, meat, or tofu something just feels incomplete. The ratio is all off. The texture is underwhelming. My belly is unsatisfied. Therefore, I created proper taco-Tuesday-style Spicy Shrimp Tacos. Read on for the recipe.
I typically buy my seafood fresh from my local Whole Foods but since I found out the shrimp at the fishmonger counter is previously frozen anyway, I bought myself a huge 5 lb bag of frozen shrimp. Might as well control the process myself. When buying frozen shrimp look for the label IQF which stands for "Individually Quick Frozen" which means the shrimp weren't frozen in one huge block and are most likely going to have a better texture and flavor. Make sure the only ingredient is shrimp; no preservatives, no additives.
So now with this new epiphany, I set out to make the perfect taco.
The Perfect Taco = protein + crema or guacamole + slaw or onions + cilantro + lime + optional cotija cheese.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. Also, tell me what your favorite kind of taco is!
Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw and Avocado Crema
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
For the Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce:
¼ cup avocado oil
¼ cup water
½ shallot
½ cup cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt (himalayan is my fave, full of minerals)
juice of 2 limes (or 1 lemon if you don't have limes)
½ cup organic greek yogurt
¼ avocado
For the Shrimp Tacos:
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
1 tsp each chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
2-3 cups shredded green cabbage
6-8 soft corn tortillas (I used Siete Foods Cassava & Coconut tortillas since I'm trying not to eat corn right now)
1-2 avocados
Toppings: Cotija cheese (optional), cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
Blend all the sauce ingredients except the yogurt and avocado in a food processor. When mostly smooth, add the yogurt and pulse until combined. Taste and adjust as needed. Set aside.
Heat a drizzle of oil a large skillet over medium high heat. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and sprinkle with the spices. Add the shrimp to the hot pan and saute for 5-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through.
Toss some of the sauce (not all) with the cabbage until it the cabbage is coated to your liking. It should resemble a coleslaw - you want it to be enough sauce so the cabbage is weighed down a little bit.
Add avocado to sauce and blend. This makes your sauce nice and thick and perfect for drizzling on top of the tacos.
To serve tacos, pile slices of avocado, 4-5 pieces of shrimp, coleslaw, and finish with Cotjia cheese (optional), cilantro, and lime wedges.
**Recipe inspired by Pinch of Yums Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw recipe**