Shrimp Tacos

We are swinging into spring full-force, and maybe you’ll be celebrating Cinco de Mayo this May 5th. If so, these Shrimp Tacos are a healthy and light meal – perfect for a celebration!

Why we love it

As Nutrition Therapists, we often suggest a LOT of dietary substitutions for our clients. Corn tortillas are the classic method of serving Mexican tacos. However, corn is often a trigger for food sensitivities, therefore many therapeutic nutrition protocols eliminate corn (at least temporarily). If you decide to prepare these Shrimp Tacos for a crowd with dietary restrictions, you can offer a variety of different ways to serve the shrimp filling!

Ideas for corn tortilla alternatives

• Grain-free tortillas

• • Use grain-free tortillas as an easy swap for corn/flour tortillas. There are several brands making ready-to-eat tortillas with ingredients such as cassava flour, coconut flour, almond flour, chia seeds, etc. Most of these tortillas are paleo and vegan friendly! And, they are surprisingly delicious.

• Make your own tortillas

• • There are tons of recipes online for all sorts of tortillas that can suit a variety of dietary protocols such as paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), keto, Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), and others. Some of the main ingredients used in these tortillas may include tigernut flour, almond flour, eggs, cassava flour, tapioca starch or red lentils. For certain homemade recipes, a tortilla press can be particularly helpful!

• Lettuce wraps

• • Lettuce wraps don’t have to be boring! You can go classic with romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce, and use the lettuce as “cups” for your filling. Or, try using collard greens to make a sturdy wrap. If you want to try collard greens as a wrap, stack large pieces of collards in a pot of simmering water, stem sides first, and blanch for 30-60 seconds, or until the stems are soft. If the stems are really thick, you can always cut them off beforehand. Then, fill and roll up, tucking the sides in as you go like a burrito.

• Celery root tortillas

• • This is an unconventional option! If you are looking for a tortilla that is heartier than a lettuce wrap, but are avoiding nut flours, eggs and starches, try out celery root tortillas! These work best if you find a large celery root. Just peel, slice into thin circular slices, and grill or roast the slices until softened. Find detailed instructions in this blog.

• Make it a taco bowl

  • Ok ok, this isn’t an actual tortilla… but if you’re short on time or don’t have tortilla ingredients, it’s so easy to turn tacos into a bowl! To keep it low-carb, you can use a simple salad as your base, or try cauliflower rice. If grains are an allowable option, your base could be quinoa or rice. You can even make noodles from zucchini or sweet potato as your base!

Whichever tortilla option you choose, this spicy shrimp, cilantro lime coleslaw, and avocado tomato salsa combo is delicious. Enjoy!

Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

– Shrimp

• 1lb wild-caught shrimp, shells removed and deveined
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

– Coleslaw & Cilantro Lime Sauce

• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 3 cups shredded purple or green cabbage
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• ¼ tsp salt

– Avocado Tomato Salsa

• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (less if the jalapeno is spicy!)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. To make the shrimp: mix 1 tbsp of olive oil with the spices in a large bowl. Place the shrimp in the bowl and toss to ensure they are well coated. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the coleslaw and salsa.
2. To make the coleslaw: in a separate large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup chopped scallions. In a food processor combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt and 1/3 cup chopped scallions and blend until smooth.
3. If desired, you can save some of the sauce to use as a drizzle. Pour approximately half of the sauce over the coleslaw and toss until it is well coated. Or, pour all the sauce on the slaw.
4. To make the avocado tomato salsa: in a bowl combine all the ingredients for the salsa and stir until well mixed.
5. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet on high heat and then add in the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through.
6. To assemble the tacos, fill each tortilla of choice with coleslaw, avocado salsa and shrimp and then drizzle with any extra cilantro lime sauce. Serve with wedges of lime.

Serves 4-6

Recipe adapted from Every Last Bite

As an alternative to coleslaw try this Crisp Cabbage Slaw for a twist on a classic.

Make your own homemade purple masa tortillas to wrap around your shrimp taco fillings.

Want to learn how to create and prepare recipes like this?

Join our Natural Food Chef Program! Picture yourself in your kitchen surrounded by nothing but organic vegetables, whole grains, top-quality meats, eggs and a range of the more unusual things like pâté, kimchi, kefir and bone broth. If you resonate with the idea of creating delicious meals that are not only healthy but downright regenerative, then join us for our 15-week program!

About the Author: Daina Rasutis is a recent graduate of NTI’s Nutrition Therapist Master Program. She plans to use her certification to spark a craving for health through movement, sustainable living and, of course, nourishing food. Follow Daina’s cooking creations and lifestyle tips on Instagram: @tabletocrave