Baked Coconut Shrimp and Avocado Dip

 

 

 

We have a delicious, amazing recipe for you today! We're participating in a Recipe Redux member challenge sponsored by the California Avocado Commission. We were challenged to make a recipe for a summer gathering, which are in their peak season from March to September.

 

I remember going to a friend's house when I was little and we lived in California. She lived in the middle of an avocado orchard. I remember being fascinated with the tall, dark trees and their green fruits. I'm not sure I ate avocado much at that point in my life, but I've since come to love them. I think there aren't many family gatherings where we don't have a bowl of guacamole.

 

Did you know that avocados contain over 20 different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, and are naturally cholesterol free? They're amazing, I tell you.

 

We decided to make an Baked Coconut Shrimp with an Avocado Coconut Dip. It's really yummy. And we put a little bit of sweet chili sauce for a double dip to give it a bite. Sweet and creamy, spicy and tangy. And the shrimp are baked instead of fried, so you can just count the calories that you save. I wish I had made more. I will have to soon. It's really easy to make and would work great as an appetizer or a main dish.

 

Ingredients

 

Shrimp

1 lb uncooked shrimp

1/3 C cornstarch

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

2 C unsweetened coconut flakes

2 egg whites

2 tsp honey

 

Dip

1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 T honey

1 avocado

4 T coconut milk

2 tsp freshly-squeezed lime juice

Sweet chili sauce

 

Directions

 

1. Peel and devein shrimp, if necessary. Wash and pat dry with a paper towel.

 

2. Mix cornstarch, salt, and seasoning in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, put coconut flakes. In a third, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites and honey together.

 

3. Dip the shrimp in the cornstarch mixture, then the egg white mixture, then the coconut flakes. Place on a greased baking sheet and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

4. Mix the Cajun seasoning, honey, avocado, coconut milk, and lime juice together in a food processor until smooth.

 

5. Bake the shrimp for 15 minutes, or just until coconut starts to brown. Serve warm with avocado dip and sweet chili sauce.

 

Serves 4. 

 

 

I received free samples of California Avocado mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Avocado and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.