I know that’s saying kind of a lot, but honestly, these are really good. So much flavor, so many textures, and actually pretty good for us too, for real. Instead of breading and frying the shrimp, like in a traditional po boy, I seared them in a skillet with lots of spices and a little olive oil. Sure, they’re not breaded and fried, but I swear all the favor is still there and I actually think I prefer the shrimp minus the bread. I mean, you can really taste all the spices this way. And then as if the shrimp was not enough, I of course had to add a slaw. But a sweeter one to balance out the spices, because you know that’s the way I like to do things. Sweet and spicy. Always and forever.
I feel like I have been excited to share these po boys with you for weeks. I mean, I only made them a week ago, but I’ve been thinking them up for a while now, and with Mardi Gras approaching I figured now was the time to share! Plus, it’s Wednesday, and Wednesdays usually need a sandwich like this one. I mean, what’s not to love about a loaded, healthified shrimp po boy mid-week?! I know I’m all about it. Obviously. Normally, I’m not big on making sandwiches, but only because I always have such a hard time photographing them. I dunno why, but they’re just really tricky for me. BUT, I decided these po boys were worth the stress of trying to make the photos work. As it turned out, they actually weren’t that bad…bonus! I blame the pretty avocado and mango slaw. They made my day a lot easier…and more delicious! Sidenote: I also avoid hamburger recipes because oh my gosh, I cannot take a pretty photo of a burger for the life of me. Plus, my thought on the burger is that it’s pretty good as is. Bun, meat, plenty of cheese, hopefully an avocado, and finish with a bun. Some things just don’t need to be messed with…although I do…and I’m sure will continue to do so. 🙂
Anyway, back to these yummy po boys. The shrimp is seasoned up with a little creole seasoning, which I think is probably the star of the spices, that and the smoked paprika. The two together add an insane amount of flavor. I also add a lot of cayenne for an extra hit of heat, so be warned, the shrimp is spicy. If you’re not into spicy, just tone down the amount of cayenne in the shrimp. Seeing as I made the shrimp spicy, I wanted to balance the heat with a sweet slaw. You guys know that I am mango obsessed and the combo of shrimp + mango + avocado, was just too good to pass up. It might not be classic southern style, but hey, it’s really freaking good. To keep things on the light and healthy side, I like to used greek yogurt in place of mayo. Again, not traditional, but you really cannot tell the difference, and if I’m being honest, I really hate mayo…but my brother, who may or may not be reading this, loves mayo and begs me to make him YUM YUM sauce to eat with this Korean BBQ every time he’s in town. <– I am determined to fool him one day with a mayo-less YUM YUM sauce. Hee, hee, hee…hope he’s not reading!
Possibly the best part about this recipe though…the fact that it is SO easy. I’m talking dinner in under thirty minutes. YESSS. If you want, you can prep the shrimp in the morning and let it marinate all day for added flavor, but it’s definitely not necessary. So, what do you think? After yesterday’s pizza on Facebook Live, healthy Po Boys tonight? Yes, yes, let’s!
ps. My brother is majorly shaking his head at me for using yogurt in place of mayo. <–sorry not sorry.
