Shrimp Po'Boys

Hello, March! It's 73 degrees and sunny out, which automatically makes my brain scream, "Happy hour! Margarita! Barbecue!" 

We didn't have any tequila in the house, but we did have white wine in the fridge and all the fixings for a summertime classic - Shrimp Po'Boys! So I opened the windows, poured Matt and I each a glass of Pinot, cranked my Matisyahu CD and split up the cooking duties.

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Traditional po'boy sandwiches are typically topped with lettuce and tomatoes, but I think that's a little boring, so we top ours with a coleslaw instead...and not just any coleslaw. I'll admit I'm not a fan of the deli case, mayo-laden variety, but this 'slaw tastes fresh, vinegary, creamy and peppery. It adds the perfect amount of crunch to this sandwich.

Crispy Shrimp

And these sandwiches have 38 grams of protein - woo!

We had roasted asparagus on the side. Since I already had the oven going for the shrimp, I just tossed the asparagus with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and garlic powder, and baked them on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray for about 15 minutes.

Shrimp Po'Boys with Crunchy Slaw

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 hard rolls (Portuguese or Ciabatta rolls work best)
6 oz. shrimp
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (make sure to check the label; I use Sushi Chef, which has all natural ingredients and a lot of fiber and protein)
2 cups crunchy slaw (recipe below)
Hot sauce and lemon juice for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together; set aside. Dry the shrimp on paper towels and season them with salt and pepper, then dip them in the egg mixture and dredge them in the panko breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until pink.

While the shrimp are baking, cut rolls in half and toast until golden brown. Place half the shrimp on each roll, then top with veggie slaw; add a few dashes of hot sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon before serving.

Nutrition Facts**(One Serving, Including 1 cup coleslaw): 451 calories; 6.5 grams fat; 57.5 grams carbs; 5 grams fiber; 38 grams protein

Crunchy Slaw
Adapted from "Cheryl's Coleslaw" in Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Cookbook

Makes 6 cups

Ingredients
1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

Toss the cabbage, onion and bell pepper together in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix all other ingredients. Toss the slaw mixture with the dressing. Slaw may be eaten right away, but is best if left to marinate covered in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Nutrition Facts**(1 cup): 79 calories; 5.5 grams fat; 5 grams carbs; 2 grams fiber; 7 grams protein