Shrimp Tacos topped with Tropical Guacamole Salad and a Creamy Lime Sauce…wow, doesn’t that sound delicious!  This is my personal creation made in my kitchen this week and it embodies all the “fresh flavors” that I have always wanted to include in my food.   Fresh Flavors….Those two words were my inspiration a couple of years ago when I began dabbling in the personal chef business….aka fresh flavors by frankie was born.   Today, I am a part-time personal chef/food blogger and I always try to keep those two words in my mind when I am in my art studio:  My Kitchen!

Shrimp and Mexican were my obvious cravings when I began developing this recipe and I wanted to keep it on the light side so adding avocados and tropical fruit such as mango and pineapple seemed to be a tasty choice.  Now, I must confess that when I was “creating” this recipe this week, I was doing a lot of tasting and adding.  My plan changed often so I didn’t take as many pictures as I normally do.  I didn’t even take a picture of my Tropical Guacamole Salad but you can see it a bit in the photo above.   I will be making this recipe again very soon and I will make sure to update my pictures :-)!  The recipe serves 8 generous portions (2 tacos each).

My  husband, Jeff, slathers sour cream all over every Mexican dish he has and he has really been on a quest to lose weight before our trip to Mexico in May to celebrate his 50th birthday.   I knew I had to figure out a way to keep some sour cream in the recipe but make into a lighter sauce that would satisfy his cravings.  Viola!  Creamy Lime Sauce was born!

Creamy Lime Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (do not use store bought!….remember, FRESH FLAVORS)
• 1/2 cup LIGHT sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of hot sauce (more if you like)
• 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro (more if you like)
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Combine first 10 ingredients (all except oil).  Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking to emulsify.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.  Can be made a day ahead and will keep in fridge so several days after as well.

On to the Tropical Guacamole Salad!

Tropical Guacamole Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 mango, pitted, peeled, and cubed
• 1/4 pineapple, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of jalepeno, seeded and minced
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Just an FYI…this would be great on anything and I even snacked on it by itself the next day!  The lime juice helped the guacamole from turning brown too fast.

Lime-Marinated Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons of Cajun Seasoning (depends on how spicy you like it)
• 2 lbs. shrimp
• Tortillas of your choice (I had whole wheat and Jeff had corn)

Directions

Whisk together the lime juice, garlic, and olive oil.  Add the shrimp and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.

Drain the marinade and rub shrimp with the Cajun Seasoning.  Thread shrimp onto skewers.

 Preheat your grill to high.  Brush grill grate with olive oil.  (Note:  I used my indoor grill pan that day since the weather was not cooperating.)  Grill shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through. 

 Now it’s time to prepare your taco! Place 4-5 Shrimp on tortilla, add a couple of heaping tablespoons of the Tropical Guacamole Salad, and top with a couple of teaspoons of the Creamy Lime Sauce.  Serve with your favorite Mexican side dish (I prepared Mexican Black Beans with Corn) and savor that first bite!  Yum!

Bottom Line:  This recipe will wow crowds…it truly is that good!  Add it to your Cinco De Mayo celebration in May for a sensational burst of flavor!  Enjoy and Keep on Cooking!