Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 filled tacos)

Serve with fresh orange sections. Beer note: An orange peel–infused Belgian white beer will cool the palate. Hoegaarden White, with its cloudy appearance, citrusy-fresh taste, minimal bitterness, and refreshingly tart finish is delicate enough for seafood and excels at extinguishing heat.

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
32 peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 16 slices
3/4 cup salsa verde

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Step One: Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add shrimp, tossing to coat.

Step Two: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture to pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from heat.

Step Three: Heat tortillas in microwave according to package directions. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; arrange 4 shrimp on each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 avocado slices, and 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa.

Source: Cooking Light, November 2008. View the recipe on CookingLight.com.

Steamed Veggie Medley with Cilantro Pesto

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

For Cilantro Pesto—

2 cups fresh cilantro, washed and destemmed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 of one Serrano chili, seeds removed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
fresh ground salt and black pepper to taste

For Veggie Medley—

1/2 cup dry brown rice
1/2 cup carrot, cut into thick medallions
1 cup broccoli, chopped into large pieces
1 cup cauliflower, chopped into large pieces
1 cup red cabbage, cut into large pieces
1 cup pinto beans
1/2 cup pico de gallo

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Step One: Prepare rice according to package instructions.

Step Two: While rice is cooking, add cilantro, garlic, Serrano, lime juice, and olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Step Three: Steam veggies until tender. (Works well to add carrots to steamer first, allow to steam for a few minutes, then add broccoli and cauliflower, allow to steam for a few minutes, then add cabbage).

Step Four: In a large bowl, gently toss rice, beans, veggies, pico de gallo, and pesto.

Source: This is my attempt to blatantly copy the “Steamed Veggies, Rice & Beans” bowl from the Laughing Planet Cafe that I used to shovel into my face during long study sessions when I lived in Portland. A cute boy who worked there suggested adding their cilantro pesto into it one day, and true love was born.