Back in the Kitchen

Don't think I ever shared this with you.  If you know me or read this here blog then know my obsession with thai food and mexican food!  We eat it pretty much every night.  Poor R must get so bored with my meal preparations!  This is a pulled together healthy mexican style supper.

Grilled Shrimp + Black Bean + Kale  Corn Tacos

grilled shrimp-marinate 

sriracha

honey

olive oil

2 cans black beans

1/2 onion + 1 clove garlic- saute

1 tsp cumin

corn tacos-heat on both sides in a skillet

roasted tomatoes

roasted zucchini

sauteed kale

guacamole (homemade)

onion

lime juice

cilantro

salt 

avocado

bulgarian sheep feta

sriracha

This recipe is SO easy and so healthy too.  My husband and I really try to eat healthy meals during the week so we can splurge on the weekends.  We love nothing more than to go out to eat on the weekends and "cheat" on our healthy diet.   You should definitely give this recipe a try and see if you like it with kale.  If not kale you could use wilted spinach.

Honeydew + Black Bean Tacos

Odd combo right?  Truth be told, these were not paired together but I just liked this honeydew pic when I was sifting through all my Labor Day pics from the beach.   Loving these colors paired together.

Moving on to the real reason for this Tuesday Food Day post 2 days later...

Black Bean + Chipotle Sweet Potatoes + Guac Tacos

With a Side order of Grilled Shrimp

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Wow y'all must think I eat the same things every day?  I do to some extent but just mix in a few different ingredients here and there.  This recipe is so stinking good I think I could eat it every week!  There are a lot of components to this recipe but it's so worth it!  

Recipe below is courtesy of 

Naturally Ella

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Juice from one lime
• 4 taco shells (hard or soft)
• Guacamole:
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 serrano pepper, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 small tomato, diced
• handful of cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in skillet. Add onions and let cook until onions begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. Next, stir in sweet potatoes and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
2. In a mortar and pestle, combine the chipotle, adobo sauce, honey, and lime juice. Break apart the chipotle into small pieces (alternatively, you can cut up the chipotle.) Pour into the pan with the sweet potatoes and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add beans and continue to cook until sweet potatoes have softened, 10-15 minutes.
3. While sweet potatoes cook, scoop out the insides of the avocado. Add onions, garlic, pepper, salt, and lime juice. Mash until the guacamole has your favorite consistency. Fold in tomato and cilantro. Taste and add more salt if needed.
4. To serve, scoop a spoonful of guacamole onto the bottom of the taco and layer with sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle extra cilantro on top if desired.

We also roasted frozen corn kernels to serve on top.  Have y'all ever done this?  It is the best thing since sliced bread-ha!!!  My sister in law introduced me to this very simple concept and I'm so glad she did.  All you do is drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the pan, add the frozen corn, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for  about 20 minutes.  Such a perfect accompaniment to black beans in any form!

  Julienned fresh spinach, radicchio and cilantro were another addition.  And I of course doused this baby in Sriracha and salsa.  You have to give this recipe a whirl!!!

*warning this recipe is pretty spicy (which you know I love but some of you may not)

Tuesday Food Day

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Butter Sriracha Shrimp

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons Sriracha
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 pound head-on shrimp
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Preparation

• Whip butter with Sriracha and melt in skillet.
• Sauté minced garlic in it and toss in shrimp. Just before they're done, add lemon zest and mint and basil and let them wilt.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/06/sriracha-buttered-shrimp#ixzz21Z805JVM


Y'all know how much I love Sriracha and love to feel the burn!  I am so weird about spicy things and love to pile on the hot stuff until my eyes water and I can't feel my mouth!!!  Big R asked me if I was trying to sabotage him for something.  Had he done something wrong because this dish is so freaking spicy???!!!!!  Ha Ha!
 I would seriously consider cutting the Sriracha down to 3 tablespoons instead of 6 if you are worried about it being too hot.  Big R could barely eat it but I was loving every bite!!!!I found this recipe on none other than Pinterest.  It is a recipe from Bon Apetit and has 25 recipes using Sriracha.

This is during preparation

While cooking.  It just looks like it's hot as fire doesn't it?!

And of course I put everything on a salad!!!  I made some Quinoa and black beans to put with the shrimp and it was delicious!!!!  Definitely a thumbs up for this recipe ...that is if you can take the heat!!!!!