Baked Coconut Shrimp with Mango Salsa

Since Cinco De Mayo is this weekend, I decided to make one of my favorite salsas. I love salsas because they are so simple to make and they are great to share. They are also super healthy for you which I love. I have been making this salsa for a couple of years now and it is definitely a crowd pleaser. As I mention a lot in my blog, I love the combination of sweet and salty. The mango pairs so perfectly in this dip because it adds the perfect texture and just enough sweetness. You can make this for dipping purposes or add it as a side to your main dish. I decided to make coconut shrimp to pair with this dish because mango and coconut go so well together. If you don't like shrimp, you can use chicken and if you are a vegetarian, you can make a killer coconut rice dish.

Here is how I did it:

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Mango Salsa

Baked Coconut Shrimp: 
- 1/2 unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 tbs whole wheat flour
- 2 egg whites
- 2 dashes of hot sauce
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper

Mango Salsa: 
- 2 mangos peeled and diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbs cilantro
- 1 hot pepper (add more or less depending on how hot you want it)
- Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In a shallow bowl, combine coconut, panko and whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, add the egg whites and hot sauce and beat until frothy. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the egg whites and then place in the coconut mixture. Once the shrimp are coated, place on a baking dish and bake for 8-10 minutes until shrimp or fully cooked and the coating is toasted.

For the salsa, dice the mango, red pepper and red onion into small pieces like you would see for regular salsa. Add the juice of 1 lime. Finely chop cilantro and hot pepper and add to the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

The longer you let your salsa set, the more the flavors develop.

Anne