Mama Love

*Special thanks to Chef Jess for today’s post dedicated to the upcoming Mother’s Day.  Happy Mother’s Day!!  xoxo, Johnna Knows Good Food

Mother’s Day is around the corner; and pleasing the mother of a Chef is no easy task. To fulfill the seafood lover in my mother and the health consciousness of this Registered Dietitian I put together a simple yet flavorful lettuce wrap. Remember when trying to pack in the flavor, using fresh local ingredients is best. I recommended stopping by DC’s very own Wharf for the freshest catch of the day and strolling around one of our many local Farmers Markets for the freshest produce around!

Best,

 Chef Jess

Spicy Garlic-Lime Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Mango Avocado Relish

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives/cilantro/Italian parsley leaves

Squeeze of lime juice

Salt and black pepper to taste

Lettuce leaves

Mango-Avocado Relish

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced medium

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced medium

½ small carrot, peeled and shredded finely

5 cherry tomatoes, quartered

¼ C. cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons of lime juice

½ jalapeño or habanero pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400° F or heat grill over medium-high heat.
• Combine ingredients listed from shrimp through salt and pepper, marinade for 10-15 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, combine all Mango-Avocado relish ingredients and set aside.
• Bake for 5-7 minutes or grill 2-3 minutes per side until just opaque.
• Serve in lettuce leaf topped with relish, (additional squeeze of lime optional)
• Serve immediately.

*Jessica Swift is a Registered Dietitian in the Washington DC metro area. Chef Jess is a classically trained chef with a Master’s Degree in Nutritional Sciences. She has been providing her expertise to many individuals, groups and corporate settings in the Washington DC area since 2009.  Chef Jess’ love for nutrition was sparked by instances of Type 2 diabetes and hypertension among family members.  To date, she is happy to report those family members lives have been changed through diet and exercise and they are no longer taking medication. Follow Chef Jess for healthy recipes and motivational tips on Facebook and Twitter!

Tags: Chef Jessica Swift, dietician, Mother's Day, recipes, washington dc

Category: appetizers, guest post, holiday cooking, main dish