Bangin Good Shrimp

This is the second time I've made this lightened up bang bang shrimp recipe from Skinnytaste and it was a big hit both times.  I'm a huge fan of Bonefish's version.  This one is great, too - and much less fattening.  My dimly lit photo definitely does not do it justice.

What you will need:

[for the sauce]

5 tablespoons light mayo (I used mayonnaise made with olive oil)
3 tablespoons thai sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha (or less if you don't like things to be spicy)

[for the shrimp]

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3-4 cups lettuce and/or cabbage
4 tablespoons green onions, chopped

In a medium bowl, mix mayo, thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha.  Set aside.

Put shrimp in a large bowl and coat well with cornstarch.

Heat a large skillet on high heat and then add oil.  When oil is hot, add the shrimp. Cook through, tossing a few times.  This will take about 3 minutes.

Remove shrimp from pan and add to sauce.  Mix well and serve on top of lettuce/cabbage mix.  Top with green onions.

Homemade Carrot Ginger Dressing

So I have to admit - I loooove the ginger dressing you get at sushi restaurants.  I love it so much I often briefly consider drinking the leftovers from my bowl when my salad is gone - but instead just get a little sad inside when they carry my "empty" bowl away.

While my homemade version doesn't leave me wanting to drink what's left, it's actually really good and very healthy - made mostly from carrots and other fresh ingredients.

What you will need:

5-7 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons onion (I used red)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fill a large saucepan with water and carrots.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Boil about 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

While carrots are cooking, combine other ingredients in a food processor or blender until well mixed.  Add in cooked carrots and mix again until smooth.  I like that this made a very thick dressing, but you can add water until it reaches the consistency that you like.  Serves 8-10. Enjoy!

Cornichons, Ham, and Light Butter on a French Baguette

While looking for some new low fat/low calorie items at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago, I ran across a jar of "cornichons" - which I want to keep calling cornichos for some reason.  Having never heard of these tiny pickles before, I went searching for information and recipes online.

Turns out cornichon is just the french word for gherkin.  So, pretty much, they're just the smallest pickles I've seen - and go well on sandwiches.  Most people who know me know that I'm a fan of pretty much any sandwich - and so I decided to try a lighter version of this cornichon recipe I kept seeing online.

What you will need:

1/6th French baguette
1 Tablespoon Balade Light Butter with Sea Salt
3 slices thick cut ham (I used Trader Joe's uncured black forest ham with no nitrates or nitrites added)
6 cornichons, sliced in half lengthwise

I decided to make my sandwich open faced so I could enjoy more of the toppings without the added bread.  Cut baguette in half, top each piece with 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1.5 slices of ham, and 6 cornichon halves.

Enjoy!