Lightened Up Shrimp Po'boy Sandwiches

We can't drive by a Popeyes without Nick trying (I'll be honest, begging) me to stop and let him feast on fried shrimp and chicken with a side of biscuits. I will undoubtedly turn up my nose and start lecturing him about the insane about of fat, calories and sodium in the food. Just call me the fast food cop - saving the world one Bacon Double Cheeseburger at a time.

Cooking Light magazine's "Recipe Makeover" section may just keep me from turning into a complete food nag. Each month, the magazine makes a healthier version of our favorite calorie-bomb foods that we just can't live without. This month's makeover is the Shrimp Po'boy sandwich. I had to try it given my husband's fried shrimp obsession.


We made these hearty (yet healthy) sandwiches on the Fourth of July, so I had a bit more time to mess around in the kitchen. They are relatively easy, but preparing the sandwiches will take you about an hour or so. Be sure to get the pre-packaged coleslaw mix to save some time as well (shredding your own cabbage is messy business). I used pre-cooked shrimp to make these, but I think raw would be better. The extra cooking time would allow for a crunchier cornmeal coating on the shrimp.


After an intense morning spin class, we tore into the po'boys like there was no tomorrow (I was even practicing my Guy Fieri "hunch" to get the entire baguette into my mouth). The spicy Cajun flavor from the slaw was balanced by the crusty French bread and juicy tomato slices.  Grated lemon rind adds a nice brightness to the shrimp as well.

Serve the po'boys alongside some baked chips and a fruit salad, and you've got yourself a delicious and guilt-free meal, y'all. I'm collecting recipes for our family vacation in the Outer Banks, and I think this one will definitely be in the running for lunch or a light dinner!


Lightened-Up Shrimp Po'boys
Adapted from Cooking Light (July 2012 issue)
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Rémoulade slaw -

• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat canola mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 1/2 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw

For the Po'boys -

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 large egg white
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 (2 1/2-ounce) pieces French bread baguette, split and toasted
• 3 tablespoons stone-ground cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato

To prepare rémoulade slaw, combine first 9 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add coleslaw; toss to coat. Cover and chill.

To prepare po'boys, combine cornstarch and next 4 ingredients (through egg white) in a medium bowl; whisk until blended. Add shrimp; toss well. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, stirring once.

Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Place torn bread in a food processor; process until very fine crumbs form. Set aside 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; reserve remaining breadcrumbs for another use. Combine 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, cornmeal, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to combine.

Remove shrimp from bowl; discard marinade. Add shrimp to breadcrumb mixture. Seal and shake to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.

Arrange tomato slice on bottom half of bread. Top with 1/2 cup slaw and one quarter of shrimp. Cover with top half of bread.

Lighter Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

I adore a pulled-pork sandwich topped with creamy coleslaw. The best one I've ever had is from Corolla Village Barbecue on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It's a tiny shack tucked away in the woods, but boy is it worth a stop. The smokey melt-in-your-mouth pork covered in tangy vinegar-based sauce tastes even divine sitting on a picnic table in a shade after a day at the beach. We also enjoy the pulled pork at Rocklands, our local barbecue place right here in Arlington.

Traditional pulled-pork sandwiches aren't too horrible for you, but pork shoulder can be high in fat, and I'm sure the sodium content is off the charts. I was a little skeptical about trying this lighter version but the recipe looked simple, and you can't really go wrong with shredded pork tenderloin.

Nick bought some jalapeno peppers to add to the coleslaw. I think this addition totally made the dish. It adds some heat and crunch to the coleslaw but is not overpowering because of the creamy mayo dressing. The pork is wonderfully tender, and the sauce has a light tang balanced by the sweetness of the brown sugar. The sauce has a bit more body than a traditional vinegar-based sauce which means it won't make your bun soggy.

First step is to make the barbecue sauce base. I used Dijon mustard, but you could also use spicy brown mustard if you have that on hand. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Bring the sauce to a boil. 

Add in the chunks of pork tenderloin.

Cover and simmer over medium-low heat.

Meanwhile, make the dressing for the coleslaw. Whisk the mixture together until smooth.

Add in the shredded cabbage (use the pre-shredded bagged coleslaw mix to save time) and the jalapenos. Mix it together with the dressing. Add more cabbage if you think you have too much dressing. Refrigerate the slaw to let the flavors meld. 

The pork will probably be ready to remove from the sauce once you are finished with the coleslaw. 

Simmer the sauce over medium heat until reduced. Mine was pretty thick by the time I turned off the heat. 

Shred the pork (I used my fingers) and then add it to the sauce. 

Take the slaw out of the fridge and begin to assemble your sandwiches. 

Serve the pork with some roasted sweet potato wedges to make it a hearty and healthy meal (great for the weekend when you have some extra time to make lunch or dinner). I think this sandwich might just hold me over until we head out to the Banks this summer. Thankfully it won't do too much damage to my waist line!

Lighter Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Adapted from Everyday Food Light
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 pork tenderloin (about one pound), cut into four pieces
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds (I used herbes de provence)
• 1/4 small head green cabbage, shredded (or you could use the bagged coleslaw mix to save time)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 whole wheat rolls, split

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, stir together tomatoes, sugar, garlic, mustard, chili flakes, and 1/2 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; add pork, cover and simmer until tender, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate to cool. Continue to simmer sauce (uncovered) over medium heat until reduced by half, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon vinegar, seeds or herbs, jalapeno, and remaining 1 tablespoon water; season with salt and pepper. Add cabbage, and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shred pork with fingers or two forks, and return to sauce; stir in remaining teaspoon vinegar. Serve pork on rolls, topped with cabbage mixture.

Per Serving: 369 calories; 11.2 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat); 30.2 grams protein; 38.2 carbohydrates; 6.7 grams fiber.