Seafood Tacos

If you've ever been to NoDa in Charlotte and had the pleasure of eating at Cabo Fish Taco, then you've probably enjoyed some amazing fish tacos. This recipe is a simple feat with a delightful combo of Mexican-inspired tacos and perfectly seasoned seafood. Since our local grocer was out of tilapia this week, we used shrimp instead. We seasoned the shrimp in a southwest seasoning (see below, adapted from cdkitchen), which added a great flavor to the tacos.

Ingredients:

Tacos:

• 2 servings of fish or shrimp
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 1/2 tbsp. cumin
• Southwest seasoning: combine pinch of salt, black ground pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, and oregano
• 4 small flour tortillas
• cooking spray

Taco toppings:

• 1 avocado, sliced
• Salsa of choice, to taste (we used mango peach)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• Shredded cheese, to taste

Directions:

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and heat to medium heat. Add onions and sauté until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.

Spray another pan and turn to medium high heat; add tilapia or shrimp. Season with half the lime juice and spices. For fish, flip when one side is cooked, season again, and cook until golden. For shrimp, continue to toss in seasoning until cooked through.

Heat tortillas in microwave if desired to eat warm.

Fill tortilla with a portion of seafood and then top with onion, avocado, and salsa; sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 2 servings

Shrimp and Couscous Paella

Adapted from Kitchen Simplicity

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish served with rice, vegetables, and optional meat or seafood. This recipe uses couscous in the place of rice, which creates a delicious form of paella. The recipe also calls for turmeric, which is the spice that gives paella its special flavor. Beware that the spice can stain your kitchen counter or clothing if spilled. Special thanks to one of my best friends, Elisa, for the beautiful plate on which this meal is displayed. She heard we wanted to start collecting fun plates to make our blog pictures more unique, so here's the start of our collection.

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 garlic gloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1 bag frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tbsp. light butter
• sliced almonds, to garnish
• dried parsley, to garnish

Directions:

Coat a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray. Saute red pepper until softened. Then add onions and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Next, stir in broth, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and add shrimp. (If shrimp are cooked, cook for a minute or until shrimp are heated. If shrimp are uncooked, cook for 2-3 minutes.) Leaving broth at a simmer, stir in couscous, peas, and butter. Once butter is melted, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff with a fork if needed. Garnish with almonds and parsley, and serve.

Yield: 5 servings

Shrimp Quesadillas with Tomato Avocado Salsa

Adapted from: Skinny Taste

Summer, how we love you! There is nothing like a meal made with fresh fruit, vegetables, and lots and lots of cilantro! These quesadillas were nothing short of amazing. Let's just say if they were on a menu at Mi Cabaña By the Hospital, prepared just this way, I would order them every time! But isn't it all the more satisfying when you can whip them up yourself?

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp red onion, finely minced
• 12 medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• cumin
• garlic powder
• salt and fresh pepper
• cooking spray
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 small tortillas

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Season shrimp with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. Add shrimp and scallions. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until shrimp is cooked though. Remove from heat and set aside.

Lightly spray skillet with oil. Add one tortilla, top with 1 1/2 tbsp cheese, 6 shrimp, and tomato avocado salsa. Once cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is slightly crispy, place the other tortilla on top. Put a plate on top of the quesadilla and flip it over onto the plate. Then slide the other side onto the skillet. Cook another minute and remove using a spatula. Repeat for the second quesadilla. Cut into wedges and top with remaining tomato avocado salsa.

Yield: 2 servings

Grilled Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs and Sweet Potato Fries

Shrimp marinade adapted from Yummly

Our friend Elizabeth's favorite foods are grilled shrimp and sweet potato fries, which is just what we made for her birthday. The shrimp kabobs were easy to cook on the George Foreman and the sweet potato fries delicious with our own homemade seasoning.

Ingredients:

Kabobs:

• lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 peppers (we used one red and one orange)
• 1 yellow onion
• 9 wooden kabob skewers

Shrimp marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• pinch of dried parsley

Sweet potato fries:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

Shrimp and veggie kabobs:

Mix shrimp marinade ingredients together then pour into a gallon size plastic bag and add shrimp. Let shrimp marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Soak wooden kabob skewers in water for the 30 minutes as well.

Meanwhile, cut the peppers and onion into 1 inch square slices.

Thread some skewers with shrimp and other skewers with vegetables (the vegetables will take longer to cook, so it's better to cook them separately). Line skewers on the George Foreman, cooking the vegetables first for approx. 10 minutes (until softened) and then the shrimp skewers for approx. 5 minutes.

Sweet potato fries:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the sweet potato in half and then continue cutting into thin 3-inch strips. Spread evenly over a foil covered cookie sheet. Lightly spray with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon, paprika, and garlic powder. Cook for 20 minutes turning occasionally until golden brown.

Yield: 4 servings

Lime and Ginger Shrimp Quinoa

Adapted from The New York Times

This is a delicious and unique dish that would serve best for lunch or as a side item for a dinner party. It also requires some non-traditional ingredients, but we found some substitutions that worked just fine. Nevertheless, a wonderful meal to be enjoyed again on a hot summer day!

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar- we used regular white vinegar diluted (ratio 1:3 water to white vinegar)
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. buttermilk- we used 2 tbsp. 1% milk and 1 tsp. white vinger (suggested ratio 1 cup milk: 1 tbsp. vinegar)

For the salad:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa or 3/4 cup uncooked; note quinoa should be rinsed (it's easier to buy pre-rinsed but if you don't watch this video on how to rinse)
• 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 cucumber, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 16 medium shrimp (or 45 small), deveined, peeled and cooked

Directions:

In a small bowl mix all ingredients for the dressing. In a salad bowl combine cooked quinoa, scallions, cucumber, cilantro, and shrimp. Then mix in dressing and it's ready to serve!

Yield: 3 servings

Orange Basil Scallop and Shrimp Pasta

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

You might not think orange juice and basil go well with seafood, but this dish will prove you wrong! We keep individual servings of frozen seafood (Ocean Eclipse purchased at our local grocery) in our freezer, which allow this meal to be quick and easy. A few ingredients combine for a deliciously citrus meal!

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. scallops
• 4 oz. shrimp
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tsp. mustard
• 1/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tbsp. butter
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 1/2 cup dry pasta

Directions:

Combine orange juice, mustard, and basil together in small bowl and set aside. Coat scallops and shrimp with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook scallops and shrimp in a skillet over medium heat until they start to brown (approx. 6 min.). Remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet, add the orange juice mixture and let it boil for about a minute. Then add butter to the mixture and let it cook for another minute.

Cook pasta according to package directions. We used mini pasta shells, also known as orecchiette (and that's /orɛkjɛteɪ/), but anything in your pantry will work just fine. Mix juice mixture with pasta and serve with scallops and shrimp on top. Steamed snow peas make a great side.

Yield: 2 servings

Shrimp and Broccoli Linguine

Adapted from Simply Recipes.

This is a pretty quick meal that can easily be adapted to suit the ingredients in your pantry or your taste buds. The broccoli and sun dried tomatoes could be substituted for other vegetables and more garlic and/or pepper could be added.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. of linguine (or serving size on box)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1/4 lb. peeled, deveined, cooked shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets cooked
• 1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
• Dried parsley flakes to season

Directions:

Combine cream, garlic, pepper, and wine in skillet on high heat. Once simmering reduce to medium heat and continue to simmer for 7-10 minutes or until sauce thickens. While sauce is cooking, boil linguine. Add shrimp to sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add broccoli and sun dried tomatoes. Serve over linguine and season with parsley.

Yield: 2 servings

Shrimp ‘N Grits for Two

Tonight we did a little experimenting, adding a few of our favorite things to cook up this traditional southern meal. Needless to say, we were pleased with the outcome!

Ingredients:

• 30 medium cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ cup grits
• Cooking spray
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ tbsp butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder (for less garlicky grits reduce to ½ tsp)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• ¼ cup large bell pepper, approximately ½ cup minced
• 1 scallion, minced
• ½ lemon for fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Coat small frying pan with cooking spray. Heat shrimp on medium heat, be sure to cook if using raw shrimp! Once warm, squeeze lemon juice over shrimp and heat for an additional minute.

Sauté peppers, garlic, and scallion in a small pan until the peppers are tender, approximately 3 minutes.

Bring 1 ½ cups water to boil in a small saucepan. Slowly pour grits into water. Stir in garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until grits have thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, then cheese. Finally, add peppers and scallions to the grits.

When ready to serve, mix shrimp into the grits.

Garnish with leftover lemon wedges.

Feel free to add more cheese or less garlic, depending on desired taste.

Yield: 2 servings