CINCO DE MAYO SPICY SHRIMP TACOS

Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite holidays! That's mainly because it's another great excuse to eat tacos more than once a week. I have been doing some experimenting and have come up with an amazing shrimp taco marinade which of course I just had to share with the world. I will warn you that this marinade is spicy (not kick-you-in-the-pants spicy but has-some-bite spicy) so if you're not into spicy stuff you probably wont enjoy this as much as my other recipes. If you can stand a little heat then more to ya my friend!!!!! Enjoy!

Makes 4 Tacos - VIDEO BELOW

INGREDIENTS:

16 Shrimp (de-veined with shells removed)
1-2 TBSP of Olive Oil
1/4 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 TSP Chili Powder
1/4 TSP Paprika
1/4 TSP Cayenne Powder
3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
1 Lime Zest and Juices
1.5 Cups of Shredded Cabbage
1 Stock of Green Onion (Chopped)
Salt
Avocado (sliced)
4 Tortillas

Garnish:
1/4 Cup of Cilantro
Sprinkle of Cotija Cheese or Feta Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Mix shrimp, olive oil, red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne powder, minced garlic, pinch of salt and lime zest in a bowl. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes or so.

In another bowl mix together the shredded cabbage, lime juice, chopped green onion and a pinch of salt.

Warm up a skillet on medium heat and add in the marinated shrimps, cook for about 5 minutes or until pink. You can add more oil if you think you need it.

Warm tortillas up under oven broiler for a minute or two.

Plate your tortillas, add your avocado slices, cooked shrimp, cabbage slaw, and garnish with cilantro and cheese.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can!  Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH - VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN OPTIONS

I have tried many different squash recipes, but this has to be one of my favorites. My girlfriend Lili made it for me the other day when I went to her house for dinner and it was not only healthy, but really tasty so of course I had to share the recipe with you guys. You can add any veggies that you like and can even switch up the pesto for tomato sauce if you want. Be creative but most of all have fun!

INGREDIENTS:

1 - 2 Acorn Squash
3/4 Cup of Uncooked Quinoa
1-2 TBSP of Olive Oil
1/2 Medium Spanish Onion (chopped)
2 Celery Stock (chopped)
2 Clove of Garlic (minced)
1/2 Cup of Carrots (chopped)
1/2 Cup of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
Pesto Sauce
2-3 TBSP of Goat Cheese, Feta Cheese, Halloumi (whichever you prefer/optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is warming up go ahead and cut a small portion of the top and bottom of your acorn squash off to help it sit up straight. Next cut the squash in half, width-wise, and remove the seeds from the inside.

Place the squash on a baking tray that is lined with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

In the meantime make your quinoa.

While you are waiting for your quinoa to cook you can add the olive oil to a pan and throw in your chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic and black beans. Sauté until the onions become translucent. I also like to salt and pepper my veggies as they are cooking

Once the quinoa is ready transfer to a bowl, add in your pesto and sauteed vegetables. Mix together. At this point you can add in your cheese if you want. Save a little for garnish!!

Once the squash has been in the oven for 30 minutes remove and stuff with the quinoa mixture. Garnish with cheese and pop back in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

Once ready remove from oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can!  Bon Appetite!!!

TOMATO, ONION AND GOAT CHEESE OMELETTE

Today's breakfast is very simple and easy to make. The great thing about omelets is that they have so much variety and you can use whatever you have at hand to fill it. I used tomato because of their high antioxidant properties and how they are packed with vitamin A and C. Onions are also really good for you as they boost your immune system,  regulate blood sugar levels as well as reduce inflammation. If you dont have these items, dont worry just fill it with whatever you have following the same guild lines. Enjoy

INGREDIENTS:

1 TSP of Butter or butter alternative
2 Eggs (whisked)
Salt and Pepper (as desired)
1 Tomato (Chopped)
1 Small Onion (chopped) I used a red onion but it doesn't really matter what kind of onion
2 TBSP of Goat Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Butter your pan on medium heat.

Add desired salt and pepper to whisked eggs and throw your eggs into the pan.

Allow your eggs to cook slowly pulling in the edges to allow liquid on top to fall to the bottom and cook. You can also flip the entire egg base like a pancake at some point if you have those skills... i dont lol i'm way to clumsy

Once it starts to cook through place the remaining ingredient (tomato, onion and goat cheese) on one half of the omelette and flip the other side over it. Continue to allow to cook. Flip entire omelette over so other side can cook. One ready plate and serve!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!

QUINOA EGG 'FRIED RICE'

Fried rice is one of my favorite Asian dishes but I was looking for a healthier alternative for rice when I realized Quinoa would makes a great substitute for any rice dish. Quinoa is a very good complex carb which is made up of part protein, part carb making it take longer for your body to digest and therefore keeps you full longer. I have never made fried rice before so I looked up a couple recipes to help me and this is what I came up with. Enjoy

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Of Quinoa
2 Cups of Water
1.5 TBSP Teriyaki Sauce
2.5 TBSP of Soy Sauce
2/4 TBSP of Sesame Oil
1 TBSP of Olive Oil
1 Small Onion (Chopped)
2 Carrots (Peeled and Chopped)
2 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
2 Green Onions (Chopped)
2 Eggs (whisked lightly)
1/2 Cup of Frozen Peas (thawed)
1/2 Cup of Frozen Corn (thawed)

DIRECTIONS:

Add the water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling add in your quinoa, lower the heat to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes fluff the quinoa and remove from heat. Allow to cool.

In a bowl combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, mix and set aside.

Add your oil to a wok and allow to heat up on medium heat before throwing in your onions and carrots. Stir and let saute for two minutes.

Next add in your green onions and garlic - continue to saute.

Once the vegetables are nicely cooked add in your quinoa followed by the sauce mix. Stir until fully incorporated.

Next make a well/hole in the middle of the wok and add in your eggs. Allow to cook a little before scrambling.

Lastly add in your peas and corn. Mix till they are fully incorporated and warm through before plating and serving.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!

SALMON, AVOCADO AND MANGO CEVICHE - GLUTEN FREE

I love Ceviche! Its honestly one of my favorite things and its so refreshing, filling and light at the same time. Its great if you are trying to lose weight! This dish could make a great appetizer for a dinner party or even just a light lunch on its own. You can also switch up the type of fish if salmon isn't your thing. You do you and enjoy! x

Yields two servings

INGREDIENTS:

6oz of Salmon (remove skin and dice into cubes)*
2 Green Onions (thinly sliced)
1 Avocado (cubed)
1 Mango (cubed)
Salt (as desired)
1 TSP of Olive Oil
1-2 TBSP Fresh Lime Juice

*If you place the salmon in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before cubing it will be much easier to cut.

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl combine cubed salmon with the green onions, salt and olive oil . Mix

Drizzle 1 TSP of lime juice on the cubed avocado (To avoid the avocado from discoloring) and mix it with the mango. Use the rest of the lime juice on the one salmon mixture.

Line a teacup with plastic wrap and add in you salmon mix followed by the mango-avocado mix. . Place in the fridge for 15 minutes so that it helps maintain mold.

Flip teacup onto plate and slowly lift up the teacup. The contents should fall away easily because of the plastic wrap but maintain its form. Remove plastic wrap and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!