Turn your thoughts to lighter fare as a welcome for spring
Warmer weather means fresh food and easy recipes to keep you enjoying the weather outdoors instead of being trapped in your kitchen for hours. While these three recipes might not go together per se, they are three of the newest recipes from the last month that offer a lighter take on some fan favorites.
Carrot coconut soup might have you questioning my taste, but I assure you it's the perfect spring soup packed with tons of flavor. It's creamy and fresh but has a hug-in-a-bowl feel and is great alone or with your favorite sandwich.
My chicken bahn mi are super juicy and tender, topped with pickled veggies. Don't be discouraged, as this might sound time-consuming to make. It only took about 30 minutes to prep and cook - but I highly recommend letting the chicken mixture marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Soy, ginger, garlic and vinegary flavors combine to make you fall in love with this soon-to-be-favorite of yours.
Crispy shrimp tacos have been on repeat at my house. They are so filling but lighter on calories and are very versatile. I always prefer to deep fry the shrimp if possible, but they can also be made on the stove. Crunchy shrimp, soft tortillas and fresh veggies make this a wonderful weeknight dinner.
Enjoy!
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Carrot and Coconut Soup
2 pounds carrots, trimmed and not peeled
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup lite coconut milk
½ cup cilantro (with stems)
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the trimmed carrots with the grapeseed oil and cook for 30 minutes, or until fork tender.
In a blender, add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, carrots, cilantro and sambal oelek.
Puree for 5 minutes for silky smooth soup.
Garnish with more chopped cilantro and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Serves 4
Biz Velatini
Banh Mi Style Chicken Burgers
For the burger:
16 ounces ground chicken breast
4 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or sriracha
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ginger paste
Salt and pepper
For the pickled vegetables:
1 cup dill pickle juice
1 cup carrots, peeled into ribbons
1 cup cucumbers, sliced thin into rounds
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Add all the pickled vegetable ingredients into a large jar. Shake to coat and refrigerate at least an hour before adding to the burger.
Mix all the burger ingredients together.
Take a small portion of the meat mixture and cook over medium heat to test to see if you need to adjust the salt and pepper or seasonings.
Refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors meld.
Divide the mixture into 4-ounce portions.
Heat skillet over medium heat. Spray with avocado oil spray.
Cook burgers for 4-5 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Place on hamburger buns. Top with pickled vegetables.
Serves 4
Biz Velatini
Crispy Buffalo Shrimp Tacos
1¼ cups flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
Salt and pepper
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons Frank's hot sauce
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 La Banderita Carb Counter Street Tortillas (flour)
2 cups mixed greens
4 teaspoons ranch dressing
4 teaspoons Frank's hot sauce
Heat deep fryer to 350 degrees.
In one bowl add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce together. Dip the shrimp into the wet batter, then the flour mixture, back into the wet mixture and finally back into the flour mixture.
The shrimp will be very tacky - not to worry. That will crisp up nicely.
Deep fry for 3-4 minutes. Drain and salt.
Build the taco. Place greens on the bottom of each tortilla, top with the crispy shrimp and drizzle each with ranch dressing and Buffalo sauce.
Serves 4, 3 tacos each
Biz Velatini