Grilled Shrimp Burritos with Zucchini and Sweet Potato

First, let me just clear the air here. I know you're disappointed by the subject of this post and I know who you are. But I promise, the dark chocolate peanut butter bacon truffles are coming soon. I'm tweaking it to turn up the bacon and turn down the peanut butter. And in the meantime, I'm just trying to entertain taste buds and keep things healthy. Because if I talk about how much I ate last weekend one more time everyone that reads this has the right to block me forever. Oh no, I just did. Ok, starting now.

Can I have a bite please?

This week flew by for me. I'm not really sure why that is, considering I never fully recovered from last weekend (ps I didn't mention food) and I've had a really rough time of getting up every morning, but I'll take it! Tomorrow is Friday. And this brings up some philosophical questions for me. Like, will the memory of Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon performing together Rebecca Black's "Friday" ever NOT be the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the final day of the work week? Is it too early in the year to buy a case of Pumking this weekend? Do dogs find weekends confusing? How many hours will Adam spend playing FIFA this Saturday? And many others. I'm deep. In the words of a wise old (just kidding) man, "about as deep as a shot glass." (Dear Jess, yes, I stole that from your dad.)


Most importantly, however, is the age-old question, "What's for dinner?". And no, it's not beef. Ok, sometimes it's beef. But not this time!


Delicious. Healthy. Spicy. Sweet. Easy. Fast. These tacos. PS Adam created the seasoning for the shrimp. He asks that we call him "Skrimp Masta Flex".


Soundtrack: One more (nu?)disco dance party, in honor of the new Magic Tape (14!) ala the Magician, and then we will move on (and I will share my truffle recipe). I swear.

Magic Tape Fourteen by TheMagician

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Zucchini and Sweet Potato
Serves 2-3


1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (ew!)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into large cubes
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can black beans
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp chili powder, divided
1 tsp chipotle seasoning, divided
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp Old Bay
1 tsp garlic powder, divided
1/2 tsp paprika
1 lime
salt & pepper
flour tortillas
pineapple salsa (This is important. I use Wegmans, I'm obsessed)
EVOO


Boil a small pot of water. Add the pieces of sweet potato and par-boil for 2-3 minutes, until just softened. Drain, chop potato to smaller pieces and set aside.


Heat grill and skewer shrimp. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tsp chipotle, 1/2 tsp Chile power, 1/4 tsp garlic powder,1/2 tsp Old Bay, and a dusting of salt & pepper. Sprinkle the shrimp with this seasoning mix and juice from 1/2 the lime. Grill the shrimp for about 3 min on each side until done. After cooking, squeeze the other 1/2 of the lime over the shrimp, chop coarsely, cover and set aside. (Or have a Sue grill the shrimp, while you move on to the next step!) 


In a saute pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Add zucchini and sweet potato. Season with thyme, 1/2 tsp chile powder, 1/2 tsp coriander, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin. Saute until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan (I rinsed the same one from the potato for less dishes) heat the beans over medium heat. Season with paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic powder (And a big thank you to Pepperjack's).


While beans are heating, (yea this is a lot of action at once, it's ok, you can do it!) warm the tortillas according to package directions.


Assemble tacos using beans, zucchini, sweet potato, and shrimp. Top with pineapple salsa and enjoy!

Zucchini: it's so in season! Like white pants!

Check out Sue, sprinkling that seasoning!

Zucchini & Sweet Potato saute.. Ole!

You can just see the spices! Or just Jeremy's thumbs up
in the background... We're also reppen' the Wegs salsa!

Fetta-zuc-chini Alfredo with Chicken and Kalamatas

Fetta-zuc-chini? I made it up! I'm afraid to google it though, in case that proves otherwise. God, I hope it's not copyrighted. It's my word. Thanks. Zucchini takes on a whole new role (a window into editing, originally typed roll) in this dish, as a mock pasta! I've been thinking about trying this for months (after my favorite Top Chef did the same). My first failed attempt became this dish (not enough zucchini) and I gotta say, try #2 was pretty impressive! 

Fetta-zuch-ini! Can I say it enough?

I've been feeling pretty stressed at work lately, so this week I've been trying to focus on the little things in life that make me smile. If it's cool with you, I'd like to share my list. And maybe it will bring a smile to your face as well! And then I promise we will get back to food. (But some of these things are food, so it's totally relevant.)


Little things that happened this week that make me happy:

• Fetta-zuc-chini!
• Dresses with pockets
• Chocolate chips that are stuck together butt to butt (the flat side is the butt, in case that's not obvious to you)
• This little bun and the person it always reminds me of
• Iced coffee, in a cup with a straw
• Free Kindle books (reading The Secret Garden right now; A Tale of Two Cities which I've been trying to reread for years is next!)
• Olive bars
• Watching little kids do weird things and then picturing them as adults doing the same things and thinking about how weird that would be
• The mini garden gnomes I stuck in some of the pots on my rooftop "garden"
• The actual flowers in the aforementioned garden
• Wedge heels, because they are possible for me to walk in
• Clean bedrooms
• Lime green grocery totes
• Opening a new eyeliner
• This little boy (I love when his face gets itchy)
• And then, when all else fails, beer!

So, now that we are all good and happy, let's talk healthy Alfredo. I didn't use butter or heavy cream, so I'm not sure you can really call the sauce an "Alfredo." I used a technique similar to what I use to make macaroni and cheese, and whisked flour and milk into a little chicken stock, allowed it to thicken, and then stirred in the cheese. The sauce comes out thick enough to rival a classic Alfredo. This time around I cooked the zucchini IN the sauce, next time I won't do that. By cooking the vegetable in the sauce I added a lot of water and thinned it out. So I will instruct you to do it that way and that is why. Do as I say, not as I do! Also, I will add olives to anything. You can leave them out and it won't take anything away from the dish. But let's get started! You seem hungry.


Soundtrack: American Babies


Fetta-zuc-hinni Alfredo with Chicken and Kalamatas
Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: 2 (or double for 4!)


2 chicken breasts, cleaned and cut into slightly-larger-than-bite-sized pieces (scientific, I know)
3 medium zucchini
1/2 c. chicken stock, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. 2% milk

1/2 c. grated (freshly if possible!) Parmesan cheese (or similar), plus more to sprinkle
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
about 10 kalamata olives, halved
cooking spray
salt and pepper


Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Spray saute pan with a layer of cooking spray and add chicken. Cook through, until no pink remains.


Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat 1/4 c. of chicken stock over medium heat. Add zucchini, lightly season with salt and pepper and cook just until it begins to soften, tossing often with tongs. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.


Once chicken is finished, move to a bowl and cover. In the same saute pan, heat the remaining 1/4 c. of chicken stock and add garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and flour, making sure to eliminate any lumps. Add milk to chicken stock and stir until combined. Bring mixture to a boil, using a rubber spatula to scrap the bottom to avoid burning. Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and red pepper flakes. Add cheese and stir until incorporated. Remove from heat.


Using tongs, move zucchini to the saute pan, making sure to leave behind any liquid in the frying pan. Add chicken and olives and toss. Serve!

Little pieces of chicken.. creative caption huh?

Technique demo - cutting the zucchini into ribbons. Or pasta!

Must be hot in there!

Sauce ingredients... man I suck at this part tonight.

Look at you, all healthy and stuff...