Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

& the liminal stage!

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more on Fridays — right now I’m doing a 30-minute budget meal series! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

I was telling Grant the other day that I feel like I’m in a very strange liminal space right now — not in a negative way, but I feel like I’m floating in time between two lives. My hospital bags are packed, the nursery is organized, but I’m also still operating life as normal. I’m shooting recipes, going to dinner, exercising, but life is about to change at the drop of a hat, and I don’t know when. I can already feel my world narrowing.

This past weekend, I tried to do fun, leisure things instead of just being a preparation freak, and it was a welcome change. Grant and I drove down to the South Bay to pick up a Fuji x100vi — it’s hard to get your hands on one of these cameras, but I saw a Reddit tip that a camera store in Torrance was getting them in stock. I joined the waitlist, and a couple of days later, I had one in my hands!

I’ve been relying soley on my iPhone for content for the past few years now, which really began at the start of Reels and video. I used to shoot on a DSLR, but with the format switch, I dropped my more formal photography process in favor of just the phone. I do miss photography though, and I wanted something new that I could play around with that was also low maintenance, both for work and baby!

We also went to Hatchet Hall over the weekend, a go-to restaurant of ours. And Sunday, we went over to my parents’ house, and I did a big grocery shop with my brother for hospital snacks. I also swimming with the whole family, and it was lovely. I’ve been ITCHING to be in water, which is my usual state pre-pregnancy, but with the beaches still iffy from the fires, I haven’t felt comfortable swimming in the ocean yet. May have to take a trip down to Orange County so I can get my fix.

So that’s that! A full and busy time that’s both exciting and foreign. I’m trying my hardest to soak up every moment.

THINGS I’M LOVING!

Anyone who has wavy or curly hair knows that every day is different and the journey to satisfactory hair never ends. I’ve purchased many products, but only so many stick around. I’ve been trying to go back to drying my hair naturally, and I’ve been doing a routine of Ouai Curl Creme and Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Frizz Control Gel on wash day, and then I refresh using the Ouai Wave Spray, which is a new product for me. I love how lightweight it is! It does have a strong scent, but depending on how you feel about fragrance, you might enjoy it — Grant loves it.

I love me a boyish, striped, oversized tee, and this one from J-Crew has an incredible fit. It’s a thick cotton that’s also cropped, but I sized up to a large to make it even more oversized. I love the red, which gives a bit of a retro feel. I am a little bitter because it’s now an extra 40% off — I’m happy for you though!

I’ve been wearing my Sezane pearl earrings to death this summer, but I just got a new pair that have more of a funky feel. I love that they’re hoops but have a natural, sculptural shape. They aren’t too big either, making them perfect for everyday wear!

DISCOUNT CODES!

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RECIPE!

When I made this recipe a month or so ago, I placed an online delivery for groceries, and they ended up sending me 5 boxes of pineapple chunks — way more than I ever could need. Since that time, I’ve discovered that cutting a pineapple is not hard or scary. So, I will be doing that myself from now on.

I love to make fruit salsas in the summertime, and they especially pair well with seafood. I went through a huge shrimp phase in 2020, and sometimes I forget that it’s an option. But there’s nothing like a good shrimp taco, and this one is paired with a pineapple salsa where the pineapple gets slightly charred and caramelized, giving it a unique flavor.

I used Siete tortillas for this one, but flour or corn work just as well. The crema is made from Greek yogurt and lime, and it’s just all in all a refreshing summer meal that’s protein-filled, light, and fun.

Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients (serves 2-3; makes 6 tacos)

Tacos

• Olive oil

• 1 lb jumbo shrimp, tails removed and deveined

• 1 tbsp taco seasoning

• 2 avocados, mashed with a fork

• Chopped cilantro, to top

Crema

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I like the fullest fat you can find)

• Juice of 2 1/2 limes

• Pinch of salt

• Water (if needed to thin)

Salsa

• Olive oil

• 3/4 lb pineapple chunks (~1 1/2 cups)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

• 1 medium jalapeño, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

• Juice of 1/2 lime

1. Start by preparing the salsa. In a cast iron skillet, heat up a drizzle or two of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the pineapple chunks, and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until pineapple is just charred. Remove from pan and let cool, and then chop into smaller pieces.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together charred pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and lime, and set aside while you prep the rest of your ingredients.

3. Prepare your crema by mixing together Greek yogurt, lime juice, and a pinch of salt, in a small bowl. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of water to thin it down.

4. Prepare your shrimp by heating up 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the shrimp and taco seasoning, and cook for 4-5 minutes until shrimp is no longer translucent and has turned pink.

5. Heat up your tortillas by adding them to a hot skillet, cooking for 1-2 minutes on each side.

6. Top your tortillas with mashed avocado, shrimp, crema, and pineapple salsa. Serve topped with more fresh cilantro and lime!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

Last week, paid subscribers received another 30-minute budget meal recipe: Blueberry Mascarpone Oatmeal. So creamy and tastes like a healthy summer dessert! And so quick — less than 20 minutes.

Just a reminder!!! Anytime you become a paid subscriber, you get access to ALL of the past recipes in the archive, plus one exclusive recipe a week. You can always do a free 7-day trial as well.