Coconutty Pan Seared Sea Scallops

For years I have had a serious foodie love affair with sea scallops—yep, the big ones. And I’m so excited about this dish because it allows me to carry on my tasty affair without feeling guilty the next morning.

In this Coconutty Pan Seared Sea Scallops recipe, the coconut is definitely the star.  Coconut flakes, coconut oil, and coconut aminos perfectly complement the scallops creating one satisfying mouthful after another. Try them. Guaranteed to make you go, "Yum!"

Coconutty Pan Seared Sea Scallops

Ingredients:

Makes about 3 servings

1 dozen Trader Joe’s wild caught sea scallops (thawed & rinsed)

1 tablespoon coconut aminos

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons of coconut flakes

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1/8 cup of oat flour

Seasoned salt to desired taste

2 tablespoons of olive oil (not extra virgin)

Gently water-wash the scallops.  Pat them dry with a paper towel.  Place the dried scallops in a glass bowl.  Add the coconut aminos and distribute evenly.  Let the scallops sit for five minutes.

Mix the coconut oil with the parsley and coconut flakes. Set aside. Put the oat flour on a separate plate and blend in the seasoned salt. Set aside. In a skillet, heat the olive oil. 

Drain the coconut aminos off of the scallops. Use a paper towel to pat the scallops as dry as possible.  Season scallops with onion and garlic powder and then quickly roll each scallop in the flour (the breading should be very thin).  Roll the breaded scallops in the coconut flake mixture (you may have to hand place the flakes onto the scallops if they don’t stick readily). Immediately put the scallops in the pan and sear in medium hot oil for about 2 minutes on each side or until the scallops are white and moist inside with a crispy golden brown crust on the outside (about 4-5 minutes total cook time for each scallop).  Serve with a spoonful of Trader Joe’s Peach Salsa or Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter

Disclaimer: I'm an amateur cook whose skills were learned from and honed by my mama, an amazing cook of old school southern fare. And because I'm no expert, recipes featured in my blog will NOT include caloric or nutritional information

Argentinian Shrimp Marinara with Linguini

As I told you before, I am an absolute seafood fanatic and I love shrimp any way I can get them.  Remember Bubba from the movie Forrest Gump?  Fried shrimp, shrimp dip, shrimp gumbo, shrimp fried rice, shrimp salad, shrimp sandwich, shrimp cocktail, baked shrimp, barbecue shrimp, boiled shrimp—you name it, I love it!  Yep.  It’s like that. 

So why should I deprive myself of something I love so dearly, just because I’m on a diet? Exactly. This delectable dish gives me a way to eat shrimp that totally excites my taste buds without throwing me into dieter’s remorse when I’m done eating. And all I can say to that is YUM!

Argentinian Shrimp Marinara with Linguini

Ingredients:

Makes 3 servings

Quinoa or brown rice linguini or spaghetti

½ teaspoon olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Sauce

2 crushed garlic cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin)

½ jar Whole Foods 365 Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons Coconut Secret coconut amines

¼ cup coconut water

1 large basil leaf

½ teaspoon Xylitol (optional)

1 dried bay leaf

Shrimp

1 dozen Trader Joe’s wild caught Argentinian shrimp (thawed & cleaned)

Sea salt and pepper to desired taste

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 tablespoon olive oil (not extra virgin)

1 tablespoon ghee

½ bell pepper sliced

½ sweet onion sliced

Directions:

Cook quinoa or brown rice linguini or spaghetti as directed on package.  While pasta is cooking prepare marinara as follows. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients in the order shown above.  Bring to a slow boil, turn down the heat, and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove bay and basil leaves.

Gently water-wash shrimp.  Pat dry with paper towel.  In a skillet, heat olive oil and ghee.  Blend basil, oregano, and onion powder in a plastic bag.  Add shrimp and shake the bag to ensure even herb coverage.  Pan sear shrimp in oil/ghee mixture for about 1 ½ minutes on each side or until the shrimp are slightly curled and pink with light golden brown crusting (about 3 to 3 ½ minutes total cook time).  Remove shrimp from skillet and quickly sear bell pepper and onion strips (about 1-2 minutes).

Drain cooked pasta, toss in olive oil, and lightly salt to desired taste (keeping in mind the sauce and shrimp are already seasoned).

To serve, pour the marinara sauce over a serving of pasta, add onions and bell peppers, and top with shrimp.  Drizzle with marinara sauce.

Disclaimer: I'm an amateur cook whose skills were learned from and honed by my mama, an amazing cook of old school southern fare. And because I'm no expert, recipes featured in my blog will NOT include caloric or nutritional information.