Crunchy Coconut Shrimp Appetizer – Whoot! Whoot! Happy Hour Friday!

This is my 15th Happy Hour Friday post. Time passes far too quickly! Wasn’t Monday just yesterday? How did it get to be another Happy Hour Friday in a blink of the eye?

This week’s recipe comes from Weight Watchers Momentum, Healthy & Happy Celebrations cookbook and is contributed by Debbie Hough. There were so many appetizing recipes in this cookbook, I bought it myself.

Debbie is a Weight Watchers buddy. I’ve tried to convince to write a guest post, but she’d prefer to stick with cooking. I can’t say as I blame her – the writing takes more time than cooking!

With life as busy as it’s been these past few weeks, I’ve appreciated my recipe contributors, Debbie Hough, Kieran Worrell and Karen Bernsee. Thanks guys! I love your creativity and the variety you add to this blog.

Back to this Weight Watchers recipe for coconut shrimp.

As usual, you can count on Panko bread crumbs to create a crunch when you’re baking instead of frying. Debbie served a lively pineapple salsa on the side, and her picture brings out the best in this dish.

I can’t wait to try it myself with a spicy Mango salsa.

Happy, Happy Hour Friday!

Coconut Shrimp, adapted from Weight Watchers Healthy & Happy Celebrations

Serves 4

Shrimp

6 tablespoons coconut, unsweetened and flaked
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons flour
4 large egg whites
24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pineapple Salsa

2 cups canned unsweetened pineapple, drained and diced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

To make shrimp:

1. Heat the oven to 450, and spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
2. In a shallow dish combine coconut, panko and flour.
3. Beat egg whites until they are light and frothy and add shrimp to coat with egg whites.
4. Dip the shrimp in the coconut mixture and place on the cookie sheet.
5. Spray shrimp with cooking spray and then bake 8 – 10 minutes until shrimp is opaque on the inside and brown on the outside. Do not overcook, or your shrimp will be tough.

To make salsa:

1. In a serving bowl combine the pineapple, jalapeno and cilantro and serve with the shrimp.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Shrimp is low in fat, and higher in cholesterol. Studies show that it can raise HDL and triglyceride levels, good for heart health. It also contains B12, omega-3 fatty acids for anti-inflammatory effects, and selenium, copper and zinc.

Pineapple is a great source of manganese, a trace mineral important for energy and antioxidant benefits. Add a significant amount of vitamin C and you have a sweet fruit that provides terrific immune support.

Amount per serving: 128 calories, 4 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 84 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 14 g protein, Weight Watchers Points 2 – plus 1 point for the salsa.

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

Last updated by Kristi Rimkus at June 5, 2010.

Tagged as: coconut shrimp recipes, cooking light, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, light coconut shrimp recipes, Light Recipes, Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right, pineapple salsa recipes, Recipes, salsa recipes, Weight Watchers Points