Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

BBQ Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Ranch Coleslaw

As soon as I posted this coleslaw recipe over the weekend, I started thinking about how yummy it would be on a shrimp taco. So as promised (okay, not "promised" - I just hinted at it), here's a shrimp taco recipe. With the avocado coleslaw. A perfect combination.



This recipe also screams "summer" to me. I made it for lunch on Sunday after my husband and I spent the day outside doing yardwork and assembling our new backyard swing. It was really hot on Sunday and the cool, crispy avocado paired with the sweet BBQ shrimp made for a refreshing lunch. 

By the way, this recipe got the "husband-approved" stamp, which I'm happy about. He's a somewhat picky eater (not too bad) and sometimes I just cook for me and he cooks for him. But he ate these and he liked them, which makes me more excited to post them.

When I cook with shrimp, I like to use cooked frozen shrimp. They're simple to defrost - just let them sit in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.



Once the shrimp are defrosted (or mostly defrosted), it's time to cook them. I used the Foreman to cook mine, but these can definitely be cooked on a grill as well. We haven't used our grill yet this season, so onto the Foreman they went.



They only need to be on the Foreman for about 3 minutes. Technically, once they're defrosted they're good to eat, but for this recipe grilled/warm shrimp works better. If you're cooking on an outdoor grill, you may want to leave them on a little longer, and then just remove them when they're grilled to your liking.

Once the shrimp are done, put them into a bowl and toss with the BBQ sauce.



While you're doing this, you can warm your tortillas. This isn't necessary, but if you're like me (in the sense that you think a warm wrap is ALWAYS better than a cold one), throw your tortillas on the grill for 30 seconds to a minute to warm them up.


Then, assemble the tacos. Layer slaw, three shrimp, and a sprinkle of ground cayenne. That's it!



Of course, this recipe does require a little advanced prep - you'll need to make the coleslaw as well. But that's super easy too and the whole thing (coleslaw and tacos) can easily be done in less than 30 minutes.

As always, I'd love to know if you have questions, comments, or feedback! Enjoy!

Until next time!

Ingredients

  • 9 medium-large frozen cooked shrimp
  • 2 tbsp BBQ sauce (I prefer Honey BBQ)
  • 3 extra thin corn tortillas
  • 1 serving Avocado Ranch Coleslaw (prepare in advance)
  • Pinch of ground cayenne pepper


Serving size: 3 tacos (entire recipe)
Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 9

Instructions

  1. Defrost the shrimp by placing them in a bowl or hot water. Once the shrimp are soft enough, remove the tails.
  2. Place the shrimp on the Foreman or grill. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until grilled to your preference.
  3. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a bowl. Add the BBQ sauce and toss until the shrimp are fully coated. If you prefer, warm the tortillas on the grill while you're tossing the shrimp with sauce.
  4. Distribute the slaw evenly among the tortillas. Add three shrimp to each taco, then sprinkle with ground cayenne. 


Nutritional Information


Saturday, April 25, 2015

Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Ricotta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Hi guys. Me again. And I brought a friend, Spinach and Ricotta. Remember him? He's awesome. But this time, he brought Sun-Dried Tomatoes along and let me tell you, three is most definitely NOT a crowd with this group.



This recipe is so easy and delicious. It's perfect for a quick after-work dinner or to make over the weekend and refrigerate for lunches for the week. I've made a lot of chicken in my lifetime, but I think I can officially say this will be my new go-to recipe.

It's really easy too, you guys. You just need to cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise, mix up your filling, and spread it on the chicken. Cutting chicken breasts lengthwise isn't the easiest thing to do, but you'll be okay if you use a sharp knife. I promise. Also, it doesn't have to be perfect. Just cut them in half lengthwise as best as you can.

 PRE-CUT CHICKEN BREASTS
CHICKEN BREASTS HALVED LENGTHWISE

Then, mix up your filling. It's important to use sun-dried tomatoes that are NOT in oil. It's much healthier this way.




Then just spread the filling across the chicken halves, top with the other halves, and bake!



The end result? Perfectly cooked chicken with a warm, cheesy, spinachy (I'm officially making "spinachy" a word - I'm an editor, pretty sure I can do that) filling.




Ta-da! I made this for the first time a few days ago and sent a picture to my friend since I knew she loved the Spinach and Ricotta English Muffin Pizzas I posted a few weeks ago. I know she'll be making this, and I'd love to know if you try it, too!

Until next time!


Ingredients

  • 4 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use Perdue Perfect Portions)
  • 1/2 cup part skin ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, cooked according to package instructions (TIP: I cook the whole package [9 or 10 oz, depending on the brand] and just store the leftovers in a tupperware in the refrigerator)
  • 6 sun-dried tomato halves, not in oil, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese (or grated parmesan cheese)
  • Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to taste)

Serving size: One stuffed chicken breast
Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 5


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick, no-calorie cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Using a very sharp knife, carefully halve the chicken breasts lengthwise. If the chicken isn’t very thick, this will be difficult, but doable. If you don’t get the halves exactly even, it’s fine. Close enough is fine – we’re not striving for perfection here.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and grated cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and mix to combine.
  4. From the chicken breast halves, take the four larger halves and arrange them on the baking sheet. Distribute the spinach mixture evenly across all four halves, then top with the smaller halves.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Let the chicken cool slightly (just a couple of minutes) before serving.

Nutritional Information