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Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Mango Cucumber Salsa
Sometimes in life we can’t have things just as we want them. Concessions have to be made or we have to just miss out. We have an opportunity even in these littlest of moments to make a decision, we can either wallow and whine, feeling sorry for ourselves, or we can suck it up, make a new plan of action and be inspired to create something that works for us, in the here and now.
Back when I was doing the Autoimmune Protocol last month, I was feeling quite sad as Cinco de Mayo was approaching and every single other human (at least all the ones in my various social media feeds), were posting about tacos and margaritas, chips and salsa, burritos and the like. When you can’t have nightshades (so that’s no peppers of any kind or tomatoes, so basically salsa), any grains or corn, cheese, alcohol plus no meat for me at that time, either, all this stacks up making tacos or really any Mexican food at all, seem quite impossible.
It was time to get crafty and creative and put my brain to work! Honestly, I could have lived without tacos that day, but then I got to thinking about all of you that live with these dietary challenges and restrictions outside of just 30 days, maybe it’s part of every single day for you. That was the perfect motivation to come up with a taco recipe that could easily be adapted to whatever you need it to be.
Enter these amazing Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Mango Cucumber Salsa. Here’s the deal, I am sharing this recipe as I made them, to be totally Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Friendly. This also makes them gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, night-shade free, nut-free, seed-free and they also are meat-free (DUH). These tacos are the real deal, so much flavor, so many great textures and gorgeous colors. You won’t miss a thing.
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How-to Make Plantain Tortillas
Whether you to avoid consuming corn and grains because have an allergy/intolerance or maybe you just prefer to limit how often you eat them, either way we all know this makes eating Mexican food a challenge. I am next to certain this life isn’t worth living without tacos – I’m just sayin’. OK that may be a bit dramatic, but I for one don’t actually love the idea of never having a taco again, just because I want to make healthier choices.
With Cinco de Mayo and several trips to Mexico falling within a one-month period, tacos have definitely been on my mind and in my dreams! I decided rather than cry while everyone around me was indulging in all the tacos, I used this as inspiration to come up with an alternative.
Plantain tortillas are certainly not something I invented, I have seen plenty of adaptations, some call for eggs, some use the plantains uncooked. I have played around with many variations, but these seem to be what works best for me (lightly adapted from this recipe). The key is green plantains. The greens ones are starchy and less sweet than the yellow. For my money, these produce the most authentic tortillas. I also recommend cooking them first, it softens them and when you add some water the mixture feels just the way traditional masa feels when making homemade tortillas.
There are a few steps here, but they are well worth it, you’ll think so too, especially as you are enjoying epic tacos. Plus you can make the tortillas ahead of time, store in the fridge and cook up anytime within 3 days, or so.
I find adding the fresh lime zest to really tone down any sweetness and bring out the traditional tortilla vibes. I have also been known to add a pinch or two of chile powder or garlic powder, for extra flavor.
Let’s get to it…
