Shrimp Tacos Hooray!

Two weeks ago during another lobster fest at my parents house, my sister and I opted for a less glutenous route.  Plus I just can't rip those poor suckers apart.  Even cooked, don't they look too cute to eat??

For whatever reason, I have never been able to eat these much sought after crustaceans.  It is only recently I will eat lobster pieces in certain dishes.  I am thankful I have this obviously hypocritical moral dilemma (clearly I eat other once living items) which keeps me away from butter drenched seafood.  Shrimp on the other hand, bring it on.  I think because their heads are gone, and they are dead upon arriving in your kitchen I am able to move forward ingesting sans problem!  That said, my sister and I stuck within the Oceanic theme of the meal but crafted a nice, refreshing meal perfect for the approaching summer season.

Assigning Weight Watcher points to this meal is a bit tricky as a lot is based on estimation.  For BEST accuracy use a food scale to measure your items.  You will have an overall mixture with a total point value you have to divide based on how many people you are serving.  Then you will have some "sides" that are easy to calculate.

Shrimp Tacos: Serves 3 to 4 people (3 if everyone is super hungry)
Points (based on 1/4 of the total mix below, 2 tortillas, and 2 oz of cheese): 8 points
*From the kitchen of MEG (LER's sister)

Ingredients
-16 oz Shrimp (measure when cooked and shelled): 8 points
-2 to 3 tomatoes (seeded and diced...save some of the tomato seeds): 0 points
-1/3 red onion finely chopped: 0 points
-Juice of 1 to 2 limes: 0 points
-Juice 1/2 lemon: 0 points
-1 large Avocado diced: 8 points roughly (2 oz is 2 points so you will have to use food scale for accuracy)
-2 TSP Olive Oil: 2 points
-1 TBSN chopped cilantro: 0 points
-Salt and Pepper to taste: 0 points
-Shredded Iceberg Lettuce (you can use cabbage as well): 0 points
-Shredded Carrots (2 large): 0 points (as long as you don't cook there are no points)
-Queso Fresco Cheese (It's a spongy white Mexican cheese...may be hard to find in traditional grocery store.  Sold at Whole Foods.  A mild Feta is an OK substitute): 1 oz is 2 points
-Small Soft White Corn Tortillas (I used the Mission Brand): 1 point/tortilla

1.  If you are feeling lazy simply buy a pound of cooked shrimp from the store.  If you are ambitious get the raw and shell and devein.  I like the medium to large sized guys!  Boil shrimp for 5-7 minutes.  Drain and cool.  When cool cut into pieces...not finely chopped but little chunks.

2.  Combine in a bowl: shrimp, lime juice, lemon juice, diced red onion, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Mix well coating all ingredients with the juices.  Depending on taste you may need to adjust the level of juices.  Start out with less and add more if needed.  As with many of these recipes, much is based on personal taste.  If looking a little dry add a few of the tomato guts removed to moisten.  However, once you let this sit for a bit you'll see juice in the bottom so don't over kill with liquid in the preparation stage.

3.  Add the avocado once you are satisfied with the flavor.  Gently stir avocado chunks into mixture coating with the juices.  I do this at the end because all that mixing can make the avocado get all mushy and you want to maintain the chunks.

4.  You can make this a few hours ahead of time and set in the fridge to marinate.  It is served cold.  Right before serving, give it a stir to make sure that all the liquid that has settled at the bottom coats the mixture.

5.  Shred lettuce and carrots to make a slaw.

6.  Cut Queso Fresco into small cubes.

7.  Just prior to assembly/eating microwave the corn tortillas.  They are a slightly tougher and a bit more grainy than a flour tortilla.  Warming them enables you to fold/roll them without breaking them into pieces.

8.  Place desired amount of lettuce/carrot slaw on tortilla.  Spoon a helping of shrimp mixture on top of slaw.  Top with Queso Fresco.  Fold into a taco shape and eat!!  You will need some extra napkins!!

Volia - a close up of your shrimp mixture before serving.  I'm salivating as I write.

Ready to become one with the belly.  Picture below does not show cheese as this ingredient was added the second time this meal was made.  But just picture a few chunks of yummy white cheese on top - what could be better??

The prep work on this isn't too bad.  It's a great meal because you can make ahead of time, say during a toddler nap. Then it's ready to go when you come down post toddler bedtime ravenous and ready to inhale just about anything.  Obviously you can fiddle with the ingredients...my sister likes to add a small amount of sour cream (2 TBSN of light sour cream is 1 point).  If you are like my husband and need additional sides, corn is a nice compliment (although corn has points!).  I find this meal more filling than I thought and a nice change of pace.  If you have leftover shrimp mixture (I am normally funny about eating ANY seafood leftover but this seems to go against my general aversion to old fish) it's nice to throw on a bed of lettuce for a salad the next day!  You will notice the more you read that I have a rule for just about everything, and every rule has some ridiculous exception.  Case in point - eating leftover products of the sea.

Hope you all enjoy.  Until tomorrow, happy healthy eating!