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eggs with onions, peppers, and pepperjack cheese! 

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eggs with onions, peppers, and pepperjack cheese! 

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I want to try this

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This recipe for cilantro lime shrimp with mango avocado salsa is a quick yet impressive dinner or appetizer that's full of flavor and color. Best of all, it's ready in just 20 minutes!
You can never go wrong with shrimp, especially when it's topped with a vibrant fruit salsa!

Two out of my three kids are now eating shrimp, which means it's on the dinner table much more often than before. Usually I go for the mid-priced medium shrimp, but for these cilantro lime shrimp I splurged and bought the giant ones. This is a super easy recipe that works as a main course or an appetizer. The shrimp are simply seasoned with garlic, lime juice and cilantro and served with a bright and colorful salsa.

How do you make cilantro lime shrimp?

This recipe starts with peeled shrimp. You can either leave the tails on for a little fancier presentation, or remove them. It's totally up to you! The shrimp are seared in olive oil and flavored with garlic, fresh cilantro and lime juice.

I'll be the first to admit that I have a weakness for fruit based salsas - the sweetness goes so well with many types of protein, including these succulent shrimp. I went with a mango-bell pepper-avocado combination here that's as colorful as it is delicious.

HOW DO YOU KNOW SHRIMP IS COOKED?

Despite the type of shrimp you buy, you'll want to make sure your shrimp is cooked properly for safety's sake. All shrimp should appear pink with red tails. They should appear slightly white as well but too much white means you've overcooked your shrimp.

Tips for Cilantro Lime Shrimp

You can serve the salsa on the side as a dip, or spooned over the top of your cilantro lime shrimp. Sometimes when I'm serving this dish as an appetizer I include a basket of chips to use for scooping up any leftover salsa.

If you're serving these cilantro lime shrimp as a main course, I recommend a side of coconut rice.

This dish is best served immediately.

You can make the mango salsa in advance, just omit the avocado and add it in right before you serve your meal.

Whether you're looking for a summery party appetizer or a quick dinner, these cilantro lime shrimp fit the bill. You could even serve them with tortillas to make tacos, the possibilities are endless!

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

More great shrimp recipes

Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Mango Avocado Salsa

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This recipe for cilantro lime shrimp with mango avocado salsa is a quick yet impressive dinner or appetizer that's full of flavor and color. Best of all, it's ready in just 20 minutes! You can never go wrong with shrimp, especially when it's topped with a vibrant fruit salsa!

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Left overs are the only thing I can think of that takes me less than 20 min.

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Left overs are the only thing I can think of that takes me less than 20 min.

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This recipe makes great sweet potato black bean burgers and if you microwave the sweet potatoes it saves time =)

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It's about time I told you all about my friend Bill. I've mentioned him before, but never by name. Bill is a badass. He's a cancer survivor, a true fighter. Bill has survived leukemia, rhizopus (a horrific fungal infection) and a stem cell transplant. After all that, he endured a total knee replacement surgery and taught himself to walk again. Oh and he managed to graduate from college in the process. Total badass.

Bill lives near Seattle; we've never met in person. We have a unique relationship. I know him now because I donated my stem cells to him a little over two years ago. He was a sick 21-year-old then, the same age as my brother, a stranger whose antigens matched mine on a perfect 10 out of 10 scale. Since then, my immune system has taken over his and I'm so pleased that it's working well for him. I'm glad to be a part of this guy's recovery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Want to hear something crazy about stem cell transplants? Along with my immune system, Bill "inherited" my seasonal allergies. He texted me for advice on how to stop the sneezing last fall. Even crazier, we like to think that some of my food preferences transferred over to him along with the stem cells. Bill started craving spicy Thai food (I LOVE spicy Thai food) after the transplant, which he had not cared much for before treatment. He was shocked to read on my blog that I prefer my food "extra spicy." Maybe it was the chemo, but it still seems like quite the coincidence!

I'm not sharing a spicy Thai recipe today, though my stomach growls at the prospect. I'm sharing a spicy sweet potato and black bean burger that I found in a cookbook recommended by Bill, the Cafe Flora Cookbook. Cafe Flora is a popular vegetarian restaurant in Seattle that specializes in beautiful, creative vegetarian meals that aren't full of meat substitutes. I'd love to go there someday, but for now, I have a copy of their cookbook. The book contains very few photos but the names of the recipes speak for themselves. I'm eager to cook more from it now that these veggie burgers turned out so wonderfully.

These burgers are better than any restaurant veggie burger I've ever tasted, and not one patty fell apart during the cooking process. They contain sweet potatoes (my favorite) and some smoky spice to impart a hint of grill flavor. As an added bonus, they are vegan (eggless!) and gluten free. They'd be perfect to serve at a get-together with friends who follow special diets. I'm not sure how well they would hold up on an outdoor grill, though, since I've only tried panfrying them. Although the recipe is a long one, I promise that the ingredients are common and the steps are simple. Hope you love them as much as I do (I bet Bill would!).

You can join the registry here (I'm so glad I did). It's as simple as swabbing your cheek and mailing it back. Odds are you'll never be asked to donate, but you can be there in case someone needs you.
In case you would like to learn more about stem cell donation, I've written about the process both before and after.
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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Author: Cookie and Kate

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Yield: 8 burger patties 1x

Category: Main

Method: Stovetop

Cuisine: American

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

4.9 from 192 reviews

These sweet and spicy veggie burgers are both vegan and gluten free. For best results, prepare the burger mixture in advance and let it chill in the refrigerator (you can let it chill overnight or longer if you'd like). These veggie burgers don't have to be served as traditional burgers-the patties are good on their own with toppings like guacamole and pico de gallo or in a salad with Southwestern flavors. Try serving them with corn on the cob in the summer (they grill well, too). Recipe yields 8 patties.

Scale 1x 2x 3x

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (smaller potatoes cook faster)

⅓ cup uncooked millet or quinoa (or 1 cup cooked)

1 cup old fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats if you are avoiding gluten)

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked black beans)

½ small red onion, diced

½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked hot paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne powder (optional, to taste)

½ teaspoon salt

High quality vegetable oil for cooking burgers (or coconut oil, if you don't mind the coconut taste, olive oil may burn)

8 whole wheat hamburger buns (optional)

your favorite burger fixings (avocado or guacamole, tomato or pico de gallo, lettuce, sprouts, ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, pickles, cheese)

Instructions

1. Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the sweet potatoes down the center lengthwise. Place the sweet potatoes cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until they yield to a gentle squeeze, 30 to 40 minutes or longer. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin (it should pull off easily) and roughly chop the insides. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Cook the millet: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Stir in the millet, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender (about 25 minutes). Drain off any remaining liquid and set aside to cool. OR cook the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander, then combine with ⅔ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to boil, then cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let the quinoa steam with the lid on for 5 minutes. Then drain off any excess water and set aside to cool.

3. Grind the oats: Use a food processor or blender to grind the oats until the flakes are broken up, but not as fine as flour.

4. Mix the burgers: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cooled sweet potatoes and millet, black beans, onion, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, chipotle or paprika, cayenne (optional, add to taste for spicier burgers) and salt. Use a potato masher, big mixing spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer to mix really well. It's ok if the black beans get smashed in the process.

5. Mix in the oats: Sprinkle the ground oats over the mixture and mix well with a big spoon until the mixture holds together when you shape a portion into a patty. If possible, cover and refrigerate the mixture for best results (the patties will hold together better during cooking if they are chilled first).

6. Shape the burgers: Use a measuring cup to measure out ½ cup of the mixture. Gently shape it into a patty about 3 ½ inches in diameter. Use your hands to gently flatten the burgers and smooth out any jagged edges. Repeat the process for each patty; you should end up with 8. If you would like to toast your hamburger buns, preheat the oven to 350 degrees now.

7. Pan fry the burgers: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, place several burgers in the pan, leaving enough room to flip them. Cook each patty until browned and heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet for each pan of burgers you fry.

8. Toast the buns (optional): Place the buns on a baking sheet, cut sides up, and bake until lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Notes
Adapted from the Cafe Flora Cookbook.
If you'd rather bake the burgers: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the patties liberally with extra-virgin olive oil, then place them on the baking sheet and bake until the patties are deeply golden on the outside, about 35 minutes, flipping halfway.
Freezer storage: These burgers freeze well in a sealed freezer bag. To defrost, thaw in the microwave for about 1 minutes or in a 400-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until warmed through.

▸ Nutrition Information

P.s. Learn how you can help here.

&rtrif; Categories &rtrif; Ingredients budget friendly, black beans, millet, oats, sandwiches, sweet potatoes, veggie burgers dairy free, egg free, fall, favorites, gluten free, Independence Day, main dishes, nut free, recipes, soy free, summer, tomato free, vegan

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Burgers Recipe

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It's about time I told you all about my friend Bill. I've mentioned him before, but never by name. Bill is a badass. He's a cancer survivor, a true fighter. Bill has survived leukemia, rhizopus (a horrific fungal infection) and a stem cell transplant.

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arugula-fennel salad with home-made orange-lemon dressing!

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arugula-fennel salad with home-made orange-lemon dressing!

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Dessert is easier to come up with answers for:  pistachio pudding made with cool whip, layers of graham crackers and topped with chocolate sprinkles or crunchies

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Dessert is easier to come up with answers for:  pistachio pudding made with cool whip, layers of graham crackers and topped with chocolate sprinkles or crunchies

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Worth every calorie :)

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Zuccini noodles with parm garlic and butter! 

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Zuccini noodles with parm garlic and butter! 

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I also made tacos for my fiancé last night 😬❤️

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bacon/egg whites/white American on a bagel!

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bacon/egg whites/white American on a bagel!

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- A sear and some salt!

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Shrimp with zoodles in a white wine and garlic sauce

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Egg white sandwich with tomato, spinach and avocado on toasted whole wheat. 

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Egg white sandwich with tomato, spinach and avocado on toasted whole wheat. 

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Mac & Cheese

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hm, possibly some sort of pasta or tacos 

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hm, possibly some sort of pasta or tacos 

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Mashed plantains with scrambled eggs and onions

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Mashed plantains with scrambled eggs and onions

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https://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/spaghetti-crushed-black-pepper-pecorino-cheese/

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Corn, Tomato, and bean salad with lime and cilantro

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Corn, Tomato, and bean salad with lime and cilantro

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🤷🏼‍♂️I can't cook

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Whatever my husband makes because I absolutely despise cooking

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If I have to cook (because I strongly dislike cooking)

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If I have to cook (because I strongly dislike cooking)

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Spicy mango mustard shrimp

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Serve with sautéed sliced zucchini and orzo tossed with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

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shout out to Crescent Gourmet Deli, miss you friend

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If I cook, it takes a while...

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Can always go for tacos!

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(Alfina, not sure why it says anonymous)

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This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

This Tuscan White Bean Pasta is definitely my type of recipe. It's quick, uses a lot of fresh ingredients, is very filling, and flavorful. This pasta packs protein (white beans and parmesan), veggies (tomatoes and spinach), and carbohydrates (pasta), making it a great one-dish meal. You can serve it up as is for a lighter main dish, or add some sliced grilled chicken to make it a bit more filling.

Can I Substitute the Tomatoes?

If you can't find fresh tomatoes and spinach for a good price, you can substitute one can of diced tomatoes (with juices) in their place. Make sure to let them simmer a bit so the juices reduce and concentrate in flavor.

Can I Use Frozen Spinach?

Yes, if needed, you can use frozen chopped spinach, although the texture of fresh spinach is far better for this recipe. Kale can also be substituted for the spinach, just make sure to tear it into very small pieces and it will take slightly more time to wilt down in the skillet.

What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

I prefer a long pasta for this dish, like fettuccine or linguine, but you could also easily do this with a shorter pasta like penne or bowtie pasta.

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

Scroll down for the step by step photos!

How to Make Tuscan White Bean Pasta - Step By Step Photos

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add 8 oz. fettuccine or linguine and cook according to the package directions. Drain the pasta in a colander. As the water is heating, mince 3 cloves of garlic. Add the minced garlic to a large skillet along with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Sauté over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is soft and fragrant.

Add 1 pint grape tomatoes, 1/2 tsp dried basil, some freshly cracked pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Continue to sauté until the tomatoes pop open and begin to break down. The juices will begin to create a thick, almost jam-like sauce. The garlic will caramelize and turn a bit brown, just make sure the heat is not so high that it begins to burn before the tomatoes begin to pop open and release their juices.

Add 4 oz. fresh spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes, or until it's mostly wilted.

Rinse and drain one 15oz. can of cannellini beans and add them to the skillet. Continue to sauté until they are heated through. Taste the mixture at this point and add a bit of salt if needed. You want it to be slightly on the salty side in order to flavor all the pasta.

Add the cooked and drained pasta, then toss until everything is coated in the tomato juices.

Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

This Tuscan White Bean Pasta is hearty enough to stand alone as a one dish meal, or you can pair it with some grilled chicken and maybe some homemade garlic bread. Enjoy!
See this recipe in my weekly meal prep!

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Easy Tuscan White Bean Pasta Recipe - Budget Bytes

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This Tuscan White Bean Pasta is a fast and flavorful dish that is perfect for weeknight dinners. Caramelized garlic, basil, and Parmesan add BIG flavor!

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Thank you for clarifying our questions!

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I don't cook much. Sorry, but good morning!