By Candy, RN (Steele the Day)
Hot and spicy foods are the best! I love to make my own Cajun spice mix because I like the flavors of leaf herbs rather than the ground ones you frequently find in the Cajun spice mix at the store. I love Emeril’s recipe and always keep it in a jar by the stove. You can use it on chicken, fish, seafood, and tofu for a real spicy kick.
This recipe is fresh, light, and a perfect quick dinner. Shrimp is high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat. It is also a good source of niacin, vitamin B12, iron, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of protein, vitamin D and selenium. I usually buy it in bulk at the “stores with cement floors” as it’s much less expensive than in a regular grocery store.
Cajun Shrimp with Black Bean and Corn Salsa
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
4 ears sweet corn (or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed)
2 cups black beans
1 avocado, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place shrimp in a large mixing bowl with olive oil and Cajun seasoning. Toss to coat all shrimp evenly and then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp is pink throughout. Don’t over-bake!
While the shrimp is baking, add corn cobs to a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from stove and drain the corn. Soak in cold water to stop the cooking. Scrape the corn from the cob and place into a mixing bowl.
Add the black beans, red onion, and avocado and stir to combine well.
In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over the corn and bean mixture. Add cilantro and toss well until everything is coated with the dressing. Place ¼ of the salsa onto a plate and top with 5 pieces of shrimp.
Candy Steele is a registered nurse who has worked with cardiac patients for over thirty years. “Functional foods” have become her passion, and she enjoys sharing her love of cooking, a random life and a faithful Jesus with her friends at Steele (the Day). She is blessed with three grown children, a new daughter-in-law, and a kind and patient husband who only knows how to fix popcorn (but she’s OK with that).