Shrimp Lettuce Cups + Thai Peanut Sauce

Welcome back to QCK!

You may or may not have noticed I took the weekend off from posting or doing any sort of real engagement. It didn’t happen for any real reason in particular, just that I was kind of behind of things and had a lot of things to get done around this little apartment and I was also just really tired. I spent last week (safely) visiting my parents before they head back to Qatar, it was great to see them but not so great for my productivity. So anyways, I’m back in Minneapolis now and working to catch up on new recipes and putting everything together for a news letter, which I’m hoping to have together by the end of August. Is there any specific content you’d like to see in said news letter? Leave a comment!

Aaaanyways… a couple weeks back someone asked me for fun dips/appetizer recipes, she also mentioned in a separate conversation that she was pescatarian and I instantly thought of these little shrimp + lettuce cups with a thai peanut dressing that are SO easy to make for a group or for a quick, easy and healthy lunch.

The shrimp is really simple, it just gets sautéed in garlic and ginger, then set aside. In the same pan I lightly sauté some cabbage, red pepper, and shredded carrot. In the meantime I make the dressing by combining peanut butter with rice vinegar, soy sauce, a big squeeze of fresh lime juice and a little bit of honey. It all gets placed on leaves of Bibb lettuce to make a perfect bite-sized, handheld snack.

What’s great here (besides the flavor) is that they’re full of protein as well as vitamins and nutrients from the vegetables. The cabbage/red pepper/carrot combo is just very lightly sautéed so you don’t lose any of the natural “good stuff” inside. Garlic and ginger are really great for your health and immune system and there’s a ton of both in this recipe. The protein is really filling but not overfilling because of the lack of gluten/carbs. So they’re perfect for a healthy meal or as a party snack that will actually keep your guests full and satisfied.

Substitutions and Add Ons

• Bibb Lettuce can be replaced with romaine.
• Red Bell Pepper can be substituted for any other color of bell pepper.
• Honey can be swapped for agave or brown sugar.
• You can also add crushed peanuts, zucchini, jalapeño, onion, red pepper flakes.

Recipe

Prep: 15 Min

Cook: 15 Min

Category: 30 Min Meals

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Clove of Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp Ginger, minced
• 1/2 C Cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 C Shredded Carrots
• 1 Head of Bibb Lettuce
• 1 Small Tomato, diced – optional for serving.
• Chopped Cilantro, optional for serving.
• 1 Recipe of Thai Peanut Sauce

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, add oil, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to one minute.
2. Add shrimp in one even layer, season with salt and pepper.
3. Sear shrimp on one side, about 3 minutes, then flip and finish cooking for another 2-3 minutes. The shrimp should be opaque white and pink.
4. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
5. In the same pan, over medium-high heat, add cabbage, bell pepper and lettuce. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Sauté the vegetables until they just start to soften but are still holding their color and form, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Clean the bibb lettuce by cutting off the roots and gently washing in cold water. Then pat dry on a clean paper towel.
8. Place 2-3 shrimp in each cup and top with the sautéed vegetables, diced tomato, cilantor and Thai Peanut Sauce.

As always, I hope you enjoyed this recipe! If you tried it out let me know in the comments. For more recipes check out my homepage and follow along on Instagram. Don’t forget to like, follow, comment and share. Thanks for reading! 

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