Last week was my birthday. I always treat myself with specialty foods on my special day. This year I made my favorite dish, Coconut Shrimp! It’s always fun to experiment and make foods you love healthier. These turned out so good I don’t think I’ll ever miss the kind battered with white flour and fried in nasty vegetable oils!

Coconut Shrimp
{Grain Free/Gluten Free}

• 1 pound wild shrimp, deveined
• 1 organic egg, preferably pasture raised
• 3/4 cup organic shredded coconut, unsweetened {where to buy shredded coconut}
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon  coconut sugar (optional)*
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• dash of pepper
• refined organic coconut oil for frying {where to buy coconut oil}

*If you prefer you coconut shrimp to be sweet, add the coconut sugar. I personally enjoy coconut shrimp dipped in a sweet sauce, but with just a little added coconut sugar, I did not miss the sweet dipping sauce .

Step 1. Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan on low-medium heat. Rinse shrimp and pat dry. You can slice the shrimp from the top of the tail to the tip if you would like your shrimp to be butterflied.

Step 2. Beat egg and set aside. Mix shredded coconut, arrowroot powder, coconut sugar, sea salt and pepper together in a separate bowl.

Step 3. Dip shrimp in egg and coat in coconut mixture. Make sure to coat each shrimp well. Add one shrimp to the hot oil. The shrimp should take 3-5 minutes to cook and turn golden brown. If it turns brown too fast, turn the heat down and test another shrimp. Once the temperature of the oil is right, continue to fry the rest of the shrimp.

Serve and enjoy!

This recipe is linked to Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly The Kitchen Kop, Homemaking Link-Up @ Raising Homemakers, Simple Lives Thursday Hosted by GNOWFGLINS, A little Bit Of Spain In Iowa, Sustainable Eats & Culinary Bliss,