Coconut Walnut “Baked not Fried” Shrimp

“Put the lime in the coconut and drank them both up…”

For some reason,  this was the song I was singing while in the kitchen whipping this bad boy up, and good thing I was the only one in the kitchen because I really can’t sing at all. 🙂  I had a great Paleo diet recipe for coconut fried shrimp, however I was in the mood for a baked version.  I really wanted something with a little less oil tonight, and more coconut! Don’t get me wrong, this meal has PLENTY of fat ( I would not dare deprive a fellow Paleo-er their fats!) but it does not have as much as the fried version. This left room for more fats in my side dish, cauliflower rice stir fry. MONEY SAVING TIP: I bought my shrimp frozen and in bulk. I also thawed them out in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. This will save you some coin instead of buying your shrimp fresh.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup of walnut flour or meal
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp of paprika
• dash of pepper
• 1 lb ( or 32 ) large raw uncooked shrimp ( with the tails removed – you can buy them without tails, or you can remove them yourself and save a few bucks at the market)
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 1/2 tablespoon of honey

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together your egg, coconut oil, coconut milk, and honey. This is your “wet mix”.
•  In a large bowl, mix together your shredded coconut, walnut flour/meal, and seasonings. This is your “dry mix”
• Take your thawed, de-tailed, raw shrimp and coat each shrimp your wet mix. Shake off excess batter  and drop into your dry mix breading. Cover each shrimp with the coconut breading and arrange on a large lightly greased baking sheet ( I just greased my sheet with coconut oil) Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and serve while hot – if more sweetness is desired, drizzle honey lightly on top of shrimp before serving.