: shrimp quesadillas :

Growing up, I was always under the impression that certain foods were a no-no when it came to eating a cholesterol-free diets. My mum in particular suffers from high blood cholesterol, so has always tried to shy away (or at least limit) her intake of what she perceived as "high cholesterol foods". One of these foods is shrimp, which I happen to love!

In one of my Nutrition classes this past year, my professor (who is a registered dietitian) actually told us that despite the fact that eating shrimp does raise your LDL cholesterol level slightly, it will also raise your HDL cholesterol (this is the GOOD cholesterol which removes LDL/bad cholesterol from your body). Coupled with the fact that shrimp is low in fat officially makes this seafood quite a healthy treat after all!

To show my appreciation for my low-fat shrimp friends, I decided to try incorporating them in a mexican dish, and this awesome shrimp quesadilla did not disappoint!!! Perfect for a summer meal out on the patio with a couple beers, this can also be grilled up on your barbecue!

You can also add cilantro to the quesadilla filling, but I served this with my mango salsa (which already contains cilantro) so I didn't feel it required any more.

Enjoy!!



Shrimp Quesadillas (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
325g shrimps (about 40 medium), shelled, de-veined
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup bell pepper, diced (I used green, but you can use any colour)
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 small red bird's eye chili, minced (you can also substitute with 1/2 a jalapeno pepper)
2 tsp canola oil
4 x 10" Whole Wheat tortillas
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
Black pepper
Salt

Directions:
1. In a hot pan, add 1 tsp of oil and saute shrimp for 2-3 minutes, or until mostly cooked through. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, add the remaining oil and saute onion, bell pepper, garlic and chili for 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
3. Spread veggie mixture on half a tortilla and layer with shrimp and cheese.



4. Fold the other half of tortilla skin over the filling, and bake in 400F oven for 7 minutes (or until tortilla is lightly browned and crisp).
5. Remove from oven and serve with mango salsa!

: simple mango salsa :

Spring not only brings balmier weather to us in eastern Canada, but also an abundance of fruits that have been hibernating since last Fall!

Seeing as I am from the tropics, it's not suprising that one of my favourite fruits is mango. While technically mango is available year round, I am especially fond of the Ataulfo mango, which only makes an appearance in the Spring/Summer season. The Ataulfo mango is yellow-skinned with a non-fibrous, sweet, silky and meaty texture. In other words - delicious! I remember eating these as a wee child back in Asia, and the red/green varieties has just never cut it for me.

I make plenty of dishes with mangoes, but to start off, I'd like to share a very simple dish that really highlights the essence of mango. A very simple mango salsa using just three ingredients! This healthy snack is packed with vitamin C, A and other antioxidants and you can use it as a relish with fish and chicken, or simply as a dip for chips and crackers!


My Simple Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
4 cups mangoes, diced (I dice mine really small, but you can dice them whatever size you see fit!)
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced

Directions:
1. Dice mangoes and chop cilantro.
2. Combine all in a bowl and let sit and macerate for 30 minutes prior to serving.

**You can also add a little bit of chopped red chilli for a kick, or 1/2 cup of diced red onions!