Tacos are just one of those great comfort foods! When prepared with natural ingredients, tacos are a healthy choice for dinner. I like to make the tortillas and slaw ahead to take camping in our RV. I have also served Blackened Tacos at a dinner party. Pair your shrimp tacos with a Quinoa/Kale salad, fresh Guzpaucho (a spanish cold soup great for summer), and your favorite fruit pie. It's a great menu for a dinner party!
A good taco always starts with homemade tortillas. We enjoy flour and corn tortillas. The corn tortillas are the healthiest choice. Nutrition wise, corn tortillas are gluten free, made from whole grains, and provide more fiber with fewer calories and sodium than flour tortillas. Even if you choose to make flour tortillas, at least you are avoiding the preservatives that are put into packaged tortillas. Also, it is just fun to make tortillas! Invest in a tortilla press to create beautiful flat tortillas. The trick to a good tortilla is to get it as flat as possible and the tortilla press works well for this. If you don't have one, just roll them out between wax paper and make sure you roll them out to be very thin.
Amazon Tortilla Press (Click to buy)
These are my favorite recipes for tortillas:
Flour Tortillas -These are so easy and fun to make! It reminds me of playing with play-doh with my speech students.
Corn Tortillas.- I love corn tortillas because they are gluten-free and contain good nutrition including fiber, making them a healthy choice!
Shape your tortillas in a small ball, then flatten out in the palm of your hand prior to putting between two small sheets of wax paper on the tortilla press. Press firmly until the tortilla is thin. Stack between wax paper and cook immediately or place in a freezer bag to store in the refrigerator up to a week. I have never frozen them, so I'm not sure how well tortillas will freeze.
Shrimp Taco Slaw
Use fresh ingredients to make shrimp taco slaw. I have two different recipes that I enjoy making for Blackened Tacos. Make ahead and store in your refrigerator up to 5 days if all of the ingredients are fresh when you mix it up. (Do not store refrigerate cooked shrimp more than a day or two.)
Shrimp Taco Slaw #1: I love this Shrimp Taco Slaw and Sauce by Natasha's Kitchen so much. The only changes I make are mixing the slaw and sauce together and letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight. I also like to add more seasonings to thoroughly coat both sides of shrimp before cooking until they have a nice blackened look on each side.
How to cook blackened shrimp:
Choose large shrimp and remove tails when you peel the shrimp. Dry shrimp thoroughly and then coat both sides with some good seasonings:
-garlic powder
-onion powder
-Old Bay Seasonings
-a little red pepper flakes
-pepper
-dry mustard
-a touch of salt, but not much because there is salt in the onion and garlic powder.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a non-stick pan and heat on medium until shrimp sizzles a bit when you place them in the pan. Use olive oil to keep this recipe healthy! I like to use mild olive oil that is good for roasting and cooking.
Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side until they have a nice blackened look on each side.
Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to remove any excess oil, but there should be very little if you only used 2 tablespoons of oil. Do not use too much oil to cook your shrimp.
Shrimp Taco Slaw #2
This is another great Taco Recipe by Eating Healthy using halibut, cod, or blackened shrimp that is a favorite. It has a slightly different twist with mango and lots of great seasonings. I have used this recipe with blackened shrimp and cod. Both were excellent! My husband and I are fans of sriracha sauce, so we always add a little extra to the sauce. When serving to guests, I keep the sriracha to a minimum and set it out beside the toppings for guests to help themselves to a little extra 'bite'.
How to cook tortillas:
Use a large electric skillet if cooking tortillas for more than two people. It will make cooking them easier and quicker. Use just a little olive oil and a pan or electric skillet that holds heat well.
The skillet or pan should be heated on medium heat and hot before cooking the tortillas. Brown tortillas on each side (about 2-3 minutes) each side. Place in a plastic freezer bag or wrap in saran wrap to keep them hot while cooking the whole batch.
This is a great camping table that folds very compact for storage!
How to serve blackened shrimp tacos:
Put blackened shrimp on a tortilla, spoon slaw on top, and add extra sauce if desired or set out the sauce for each guest to add as suits their taste. Sprinkle cotija cheese on top or place in a bowl for each guest to add their own cheese. Add extra toppings of pickled jalapenos, tomatoes, avocados, or sour cream in small bowls for each guest to add some of their favorite toppings.
With the make-ahead tortillas and slaw, blackened shrimp tacos are a great meal to serve on your next camping trip or Taco Tuesday dinner.
For a fun neighborhood dinner party. Set the table with linens, silverware, china, and fresh flowers to make your next dinner party a fun, summer hit! Offer a choice of wine, beer, or tea to your guests. Everyone loves choices! I love to serve Guzpaucho, Quoino/Kale salad, and a Healthy Fruit Pie with homemade ice cream. YUM!
I love any opportunity to use my china that I found at the Goodwill. Yes, I bought a whole set of Salem by Century China 23 carat gold for 35.99. I looked it up on ebay and it sells for $599, so I considered this a steal! Initially, I used the china for special occasions, but now my husband, Doug, and I use it for everyday when we are home.
If you want to keep your clean up simple after your taco dinner party, The Dollar Store has a great section on party supplies with clear plates and silver or gold plastic silverware. They also have cute little clear bowls and little silver spoons that are perfect for the Guzpaucho. I used this option when I held a neighborhood dinner party at a vacation rental home. I was pleased with how everything looked and at the end of the party, the clean-up was minimal! I like to use a white tablecloth even when I use disposable tableware. It just makes the table look really nice.
I hope you will give these Blackened Tacos a try. I think your family and friends will thank you. I hope you have as much fun preparing and serving them, too!
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Best tacos we have ever eaten!! My better half always thought was a waste of good shrimp. But now he has wanted them on more than 1 occasion. Thanks for sharing 😊