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SHRIMP,AVOCADO,AND MANGO SALAD WITH COCONUT LIME DRESSING

February 19, 2016 Julie Sanchez

This delicious and crunchy salad was inspired by a shrimp and avocado salad I ate at Ouisies Table here in Houston. The salad came with a coconut lime dressing that I could have eaten with a spoon. Thus began my quest for replicating this tart and slightly sweet dressing. I added jicama and cucumbers to the salad for crunch as well as mango to enhance the tropical feel of the coconut.


These are the ingredients you need for the salad. I like to buy manilo mangoes because they tend to be more juicy than other mangoes. A ripe mango feels just like a ripe peach...a little squishy to the touch. Once you try a jicama you will be addicted to its juicy crunch. It really has no taste but it is great in salads and Asian stir fry. My husband loves simply sliced jicama sprinkled with tajin and key lime juice. I also prefer a seedless hothouse cucumber over a normal cucumber since the seeds are smaller, its less bitter, and you can eat the peeling.


For the dressing you need a can of coconut milk, not lite coconut milk. You can find coconut milk usually in the international aisle of your grocery store. The coconut milk is very weird looking when you open the can. It looks like thick shortening that has settled to the top. You must empty the can and mix the liquid with the solid to combine. Save the remaining coconut milk and experiment the next week by making a fun curry dish! If you do not have rice vinegar than use apple cider vinegar. 


You can see the thicker part of the coconut milk I pulled out of the top of the can and the liquid at the bottom of the can. The finished coconut lime dressing is not very thick, which I prefer. If you like a thicker dressing than pour off some of the liquid at the bottom of the can at this point.


Whisk the coconut milk till smooth, or mix in a nutri bullet.


Once the coconut milk is smooth, measure out 1/2 cup of the milk and put in a medium size bowl.


Squeeze your limes, you need 2 tablespoons for your dressing and a splash for your shrimp. 


Finely chop your fresh cilantro.


I like to cut the shrimp down the length of the shrimp to divide the shrimp into two pieces for 2 reasons. One it makes it easier to clean the shrimp. And two it makes it seem like you have twice as many shrimp, and you will not have to use a knife when eating your salad because the shrimp is already bite size.


Once you have cut and cleaned you shrimp, wash them and dry them well with paper towels. Then place them in a bowl and drizzle on your olive oil and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, or salt and pepper.


Heat a small skillet on medium high heat. Add shrimp, add a splash of remaining lime juice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes till the shrimp turn opaque and start to curl. 


Remove the shrimp from the pan to stop the cooking process, toss half of the chopped cilantro in the bowl and toss. Place in the frig to cool while prepping your other ingredients.


Cut the top and bottom off the celery and simply cut thin slices crossways up the celery stalk. You do not want to cut down the length of the celery like you do for soups. You want the celery to look like little moons.


With a hothouse cucumber you can eat the peeling, so simply cut the cucumber in half, then thinly slice it.


First peel your mango. 


Mangoes have a long wide pit in the middle of the fruit. The middle section in the photo above is the pit. So cut down each side of the mango to get your two large sections of fruit. You may be able to scrap off a little more off the pit but it is difficult, since the pit is the  length and width of the mango, just not the depth.


You can see the pit in the top right corner. Cut the mango in strips and then cubes.


Jicamas are weird looking creatures. (I wish I could draw a smiley face on the jicama above) Cut the ends off the jicama first.


Then cut all the sides off to form a rectangle or square. Yes there will be waste, but your matchsticks will not be uniform and pretty if you try to use the whole jicama. Plus the square is so much easier to work with.


Cut thin slices, then cut the thin slices into matchsticks. You can save the remaining jicama by putting in a container covered with water  and place in the fridge. 


Score your avocado into cubes lengthwise and crosswise with the skin still on.


Carefully scoop out the cubes with a spoon.


All your ingredients will then be ready for you to assemble your salad.


I like to buy romaine hearts at Whole Foods, the core of the romaine. I add romaine for the crunch factor. Simply chop your romaine.


I use spring mix as well, that I tear into small pieces. You could also use spinach or arugula. I like to combine healthier lettuces with the romaine. It also adds a little color variation which is appealing.



SHRIMP,AVOCADO,AND MANGO SALAD WITH COCONUT LIME DRESSING RECIPE


Serves 2 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTs(FOR DRESSING)

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk, from a can, not lite coconut milk
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar ( or apple cider vinegar)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced finely
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • cayenne pepper, dash
  • pinch of salt

PREPARATION(For dressing)

  1. Open your can of coconut milk. It will be solid on the top and liquid on the bottom, so you will have to scoop the contents into a medium bowl and either mix it up with a whisk or put it in your nutri bullet to combine.
  2. Once combined, measure out 1/2 cup of the creamy coconut milk and pour in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Juice your 2 limes. Measure 2 tablespoons lime juice and add to the coconut milk. mixture. Save the remaining lime juice for your shrimp.
  4. Add your rice vinegar, honey, garlic, cayenne pepper, and salt to the coconut milk mixture. Whisk to combine.
  5. Slowly whisk in olive oil. (Dressing will not be super thick, if you prefer a thicker dressing you can discard some of the coconut liquid in the bottom of the can to make the milk thicker.)

INGREDIENTS(fOR sALAD)

  • 10 medium to large shrimp, cleaned and sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • dash of Cajun seasoning, or salt and pepper
  • splash of remaining lime juice
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped finely
  • 2 stalks of celery, sliced
  • 1/2 of a medium cucumber or 1/3 of a hothouse seedless cucumber ( my favorite) sliced
  • 1 mango, chopped
  • 1/2 of a jicama, sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1/2 of a head of romaine, roughly chopped
  • 1 box of spring mix, or arugula, or spinach

PREPARATION(for salad)

  1. Cut your shrimp in half lengthwise, remove the poop and the veins, wash the shrimp, and lay them on paper towels to dry them off. 
  2. Put shrimp in medium bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning. Toss to combine.
  3. Put a small sauté pan on medium high heat. Add shrimp, add a splash of remaining lime juice and cook about 1 to 2 minutes till opaque and starting to curl. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a bowl to prevent overcooking.
  4. Sprinkle in half of the chopped cilantro into the shrimp mixture and toss to coat all the shrimp. Place shrimp in refrigerator to cool off while prepping your remaining ingredients.
  5. Cut up your celery, do not cut down the length of the celery, just slice finely crosswise down the stalk.
  6. Cut your cucumber in half lengthwise and then finely slice the 2 halves.
  7. Peel your mango, then turn the mango on its side and slice each side down from the middle seed. The seed is the entire length and width of the mango but not the depth. Refer to photo above.
  8. Peel and slice your jicama into matchsticks. Its easiest to cut the round jicama into a square, then you can create matchsticks. Yes, there is waste, but the uniformity of the matchsticks is much more appealing when cutting from the squared off jicama!
  9. Cut you avocado in half, remove the seed. Then score the avocado in the skin. Scoop out the avocado cubes with a spoon.
  10. Roughly chop your romaine, and tear your spring mix into smaller pieces, arrange in 2 bowls or plates.
  11. Combine all other ingredients on top, however beautifully you choose to. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

PRINT RECIPE


Note: The shrimp and the dressing can be prepared ahead of time, and kept in the refrigerator.

In Main Course, Salad, Salad Dressing

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

January 22, 2016 Julie Sanchez

These chicken meatballs are so much healthier and lighter than traditional meatballs made with ground beef. If you are on a paleo diet these meatballs are legal since they do not contain any breading or cheese. I added fresh chopped spinach to the recipe for both color and added nutrition. They are great on top on spaghetti noodles, but if you are trying to stay away from carbohydrates they are equally delicious on zucchini noodles...which are colorful, healthy, and delicious!


I prefer ground chicken thighs over ground turkey or ground chicken. Thigh meat is more moist and has more flavor than breast meat in my opinion. I usually buy marinara...there are so many good ones at Whole Foods. I like the Monte Bene brand pictured above, but I also like Organico Bello. I also add nutritional yeast, which you can leave off if can not find it. It basically replaces the parmesan cheese that I normally put in my meatballs. My husband are both trying to lose weight so we cut out dairy as much as possible during the week. I garnish the dish with fresh basil, but if can not find it, no biggie, it simply adds a little zip to your dish.


If you are following a paleo diet or if you are trying to reduce dairy in your diet you may have seen nutritional yeast in recipes. It is a deactivated yeast that is produced specifically to be healthy. It is also gluten free and vegan, and can be used the same way you would use parmesan cheese.  Its yummy sprinkled on popcorn!


I use a half of a 5 ounce box of fresh spinach in this recipe. Chop the spinach up finely and set aside. You need one cup chopped spinach, but if you eyeball grabbing half the box, there is no need to measure. 


Add the chicken, chopped spinach, nutritional yeast, grated onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper to a medium size bowl. I like to grate the onion so you do not get chunks of onion. When you grate an onion you will also get onion juice which helps flavor the meatballs. Grate the onion in separate bowl, so you measure it the first time. Then in the future you can grate it right into the chicken mixture.  You need about 1/2 of small onion, or 1/3 of a larger onion.


Wash your hands and start mixing up the mixture with your hands. Its the best way to distribute everything, and it feels awesome to squish the mixture between your fingers. 


Grab a cookie sheet line and line it with parchment paper or foil, for easy clean up. Put a little olive oil on your hands and roll the balls a little smaller than a golf ball. You will get about 25 to 30 balls. Half way through, you will need to wash your hands and put oil on them again. Your hands get too chickeny and the balls start looking messy...which is the time to stop, wash, and oil.


First pour your marinara in a large pot and turn burner to low heat to heat up your sauce.  Pull out a large skillet and turn heat on medium high, let the pan heat up and then put in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place meatballs in pan and let brown, turning them so they can brown on all sides. I like to use tongs for turning the meatballs. Once they are browned you can place them in the marinara and let them finish cooking in the marinara, or you can reduce the heat, put a lid on your skillet, and finish cooking them in the original skillet.  They will not stay round and perfect, and that is OK. They will have been made with love, they will taste great, and some balls will look better than other ones...such as life!!


My beautiful  imperfect chicken meatballs!


If you can find fresh basil, roll up couple of leaves like a cigar and finally cut the basil into chiffonades for your garnish.


The meatballs are great on top of zucchini noodles or spaghetti noodles.  Either way they will be delicious!!


CHICKEN MEATBALLS RECIPE


Serves 4 as a main dish

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time: 25 MInutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken thighs

  • 1 cup finely chopped spinach (1/2 of a 5 ounce box)

  • 1/4 cup grated onion with the juice (1/2 of a small onion)

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese)

  • One 24 ounce jar of marinara

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • fresh basil for garnish

preparation

  1. Chop up your spinach finely and set aside.

  2. Grab a medium size bowl, add the chicken, the spinach, the grated onion with its juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and nutritional yeast. Leave off the red pepper flakes if you do not like spicy food.

  3. Combine the chicken mixture with your hands, making sure all the ingredients are combined.

  4. Grab a cookie sheet and line with parchment paper or foil (for easy clean up).

  5. Oil your hands and begin rolling the mixture into balls a little smaller than a golf ball. Place on your cookie sheet. Halfway through this process your hands will become coated in chicken, and the meatball rolling will be difficult. Simple wash your hands, oil your hands, and start again.

  6. Heat up the marinara in a large pot with a lid on low heat.

  7. Heat up a large skillet on medium high heat. Let your pan get hot first. Then add your oil and add your meatballs one by one. After they begin to brown keep turning them till all the sides are browned. You are not trying to cook the meatballs at this stage, just simply putting some color on them. As you turn them they may lose their perfect round shape.

  8. At this point you can put the meatballs in your warming marinara, put the lid on, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not put the oil from the saute pan in the marinara. Alternatively, you can put a lid on the skillet you browned the meatballs in, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. It really depends on how you want to serve your meatballs...whether in a sauce or resting on the sauce!

  9. Serve on zucchini noodles, or noodles of your choice. Garnish with the basil.


PRINT RECIPE


In Italian, Main Course, Paleo, Chicken

ASPARAGUS,SPINACH,& LEEK SOUP

October 7, 2015 Julie Sanchez
2014-05-07 18.05.22-1.jpg

Soup is not just for Winter. We love soup all year long. It's always good leftover, and it's so nice to come home and simply heat up dinner in one pot. I have made asparagus and leek soup for years and then decided one day that the color was not very fresh or appealing. It was similar to the color of our green carpet back in the 70's.  So I decided to add spinach to the ingredients for two reasons. One, it brightens the color of the soup and makes its more appealing and two, spinach is just so good for us. It is high in potassium, iron, calcium, fiber, and magnesium. If you are following a Paleo diet or dairy free diet simply leave off the half and half and sour cream garnish. Its yummy both ways!

Asparagus, Spinach, Leeks, and Garlic are the fresh ingredients you need.


2014-04-01 17.43.17.jpg

Leeks do not need to be scary. Cut the root end off and save the tender middle section.


2014-04-01 17.44.17.jpg

Peel off outer layer of skin, then cut in half lengthwise. Run under water opening up the layers since dirt loves to hide in the layers, Then chop into one inch pieces.


2014-04-01 17.53.56.jpg

In large pot on high heat saute leeks with olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally till leeks are translucent with a little color,


Remove the bottom part of the asparagus and discard before chopping asparagus. It's considered the tough part and it is best to remove it.


Cut the asparagus in 2" pieces


2014-04-01 18.32.51.jpg

After simmering leeks, asparagus, garlic in vegetable broth for 25 minutes, you add the fresh spinach. Turn off heat, stir, cover, and let sit for 2-3 minutes.


2014-05-07 18.05.12.jpg

After you puree mixture in blender, garnish the soup with diluted sour cream and your saved asparagus tips. The swirl may seem hard to do but it's not. Hold spoon of sour cream in your hand and swirl it on the soup like you shake a dice. Moving your hand right and left.  You can practice on the paper towel. And each time you swirl it, it will be different and original. Your very own edible work of art. Enjoy!


ASPARAGUS,SPINACH & LEEK SOUP RECIPE


Serves 4 as a main course

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 leeks, rinsed and chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (One 32 oz box)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bunches asparagus (1 1/2 - 2 pounds), chopped into 2" pieces
  • 5 ounces fresh spinach  (One "Organic Girl" box)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1/4 cup sour cream, diluted with water
  • Optional: dash of cayenne pepper

PREPARATION

  1. In a large pot saute leeks in olive oil on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, till lightly golden.
  2. Add broth, garlic, and asparagus. Bring to a boil.
  3. Turn heat down to medium/ medium low  to simmer and cover with lid.
  4. After 5 minutes, pull of asparagus tips (2 per bowl) and save for garnish.
  5. Simmer for 25 minutes.
  6. Add spinach, stir, turn off heat, put lid on the let sit for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Puree in blender till smooth. Be careful with hot liquids in a blender, either let it cool down a little bit, or hold a towel on the lid.  I have had hot liquid explosions and its not fun! It is also better to puree in small batches. Save a little of the cooking liquid, so you can control the consistency of your soup. You can always add more...but you cannot thicken it later.
  8. Add half and half  (you can leave off the half and half if you are doing paleo, or dairy free).
  9. Salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Put sour cream in bowl , dilute with water and stir till loose enough to drizzle on soup as garnish.
  11. Place soup in bowl, drizzle with sour cream.
  12. Place 2 asparagus tips on sour cream drizzle.

PRINT RECIPE


SERVING SUGGESTION

This soup would be delicious served with a crunchy, garlicky Caesar salad.


In Soup, Main Course, Vegetarian
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