Cilantro and garlic-infused shrimp tacos recipe

Tacos are a popular Mexican snack that you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. They’re great for barbecues and picnics at the park. Best of all, you can have fun with the ingredients. You can use a variety of vegetables, meats and other herbs and spices to get the flavor you desire. Most tacos make use of meat, but if you want to bring the flavors of the sea to this dish, this cilantro and garlic-infused shrimp tacos recipe from Naturally Savvy is a great option.

Cilantro and Garlic-Infused Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes Total time: 20 to 25 minutes Serving Size: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 bag of large shrimp (30 to 40 pieces)
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• Organic coconut oil

Fixings:

• Organic corn or gluten-free tortilla wraps or taco shells
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Salsa or guacamole of choice

Procedure

1. 
   Grind the garlic and cilantro in a food processor, then heat coconut oil in a pan on medium high heat.
2. 
   Sauté the garlic-cilantro mix, green onions and mushrooms, mixing periodically for about 10 minutes. Place the mixture in a bowl and cover.
3. 
   Reduce the heat to medium-low, and then cook the shrimp on the pan until its sides become pink. Put the veggie and cilantro mix back in the pan and mix well. Cover with lid and cook four to five minutes, mixing periodically.
4. 
   Warm up the tortillas and serve with the fixings and shrimp.

Make this recipe healthier with this tortilla alternative

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, 92% of the corn grown in the U.S. today is genetically engineered.¹ As a result, finding truly high-quality organic varieties of corn products can be challenging. If you cannot find organic corn tortilla in your local stores, don’t worry — you can enjoy this recipe using a healthy alternative: organic romaine lettuce.

Instead of eating this snack in a shell, you may opt to wrap your fixings and shrimp in lettuce. Romaine lettuce is a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate and potassium. It also contains dietary fiber, which may help improve your gut health.² However, quality is also important when it comes to this popular salad ingredient. In November 2018, the CDC issued a food safety alert for romaine lettuce,³ after dozens of individuals reportedly fell ill from consuming E. coli-contaminated varieties of this vegetable.⁴

To avoid this dilemma, be sure to purchase high-quality organic romaine lettuce from a local farmer or farmers market near you. Avoid chopped and prepackaged ones, as they may be contaminated with chemicals, waste from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) or bacteria. Better yet, try growing your own lettuce in your garden. These greens are among the easiest garden vegetables to grow, and they are prolific.

What health benefits does this dish have to offer?

Cilantro, garlic and mushrooms play a vital supporting role in this dish, giving it a variety of flavors and textures. But there’s more to these ingredients than meets the taste buds, as they also provide outstanding health benefits. For example, cilantro (also called coriander) is a low-calorie, no-cholesterol herb that contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium and vitamins A, C, K and B.⁵ Studies have also shown that it provides the following pharmacological activities:^6,7

• Antimicrobial
• Hypoglycemic
• Anxiolytic
• Antiepileptic
• Antidepressant
• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antihypertensive
• Neuroprotective
• Diuretic
• Hypolipidemic
• Anticancer

Garlic, on the other hand, has long been used for medicinal purposes. It provides antitumor, hypoglycemic, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial and liver-protective properties. Modern studies also show that it may aid in improving cardiovascular health, as it helps reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure levels, inhibit atherosclerosis and platelet aggregation and improve fibrinolytic activity.⁸

Mushrooms are not to be outshined in terms of health benefits, as they contain potent nutrients too, including vitamin D, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, potassium and selenium, among others.⁹ In fact, mushrooms are now gaining the superfood status. They act as a prebiotic to help promote healthy gut microbiome. Plus, they help support a healthy immune system and protect against cancer and pathogens like viruses and bacteria.¹⁰

How to find the best shrimp

Much of the shrimp available today are imported from aquafarms, which are the water-based equivalent of CAFOs. As with CAFOs, shrimp farms and aqua farms promote unnatural diets, environmental pollution and disease-promoting overcrowding. Even the communities around shrimp farms are negatively affected, as aquaculture depletes the fish stocks for human consumption.

One of the ways you can help reverse the consequences of the farmed seafood industry is by not buying shrimp or any other seafood from these producers. Instead, buy shrimp that have been responsibly harvested. Since the Country of Origin Labeling Law does not require fresh seafood to disclose whether it was farmed or caught, one of the ways to make sure that you’re buying “wild” shrimp is by looking for the certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).