Banging Good Shrimp Salad

It's been hot here lately, so I've been making a lot of salads. Not having air conditioning, I've got to do everything I can to not add heat to the house, but turning on the oven for example. No way!! I'd roast!

This salad was very simple and the dressing it a fun new twist that's slightly spicy but creamy and kinda sweet too. *Note: I did not name this recipe.*

Banging Good Shrimp Salad

Adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

Ingredients for 4 servings (5 WW+ points per serving)

Sauce:

5 tbsp mayo

3 tbsp Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

1 tsp Siracha (to taste)

Shrimp:

1 lb shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails on

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp canola oil

Salad Stuff (lettuce, cucumber, onion, shrooms, asparagus, etc)

Directions

Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large pan til very hot. Mix the cornstarch and shrimp until evenly coated. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and cook 2 minutes on each side.

Remove from pan and mix with sauce. Add shrimp to your salad and you're done! Enjoy!

Mexican Cobb Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro LIme Dressing

A great low maintenance meal for when it's hot! It's been 90 degrees around here and my house is toasty (no AC). This was a perfect light meal and easy to prepare. Plus, the dressing is great and I can use it on something else, I'm sure!

Mexican Cobb Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro Lime Dressing

Adapted from SkinnyTaste

Ingredients

(makes 1 salad with extra shrimp and dressing)

Shrimp Marinade:

12 frozen, peeled, deveined shrimp

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lime, juiced and zested

1 clove of garlic, minced

Salad

1 c spinach

1/4 c cucumber, diced

1/4 c avocado, diced

1/4 c canned black beans, rinsed

1/4 c corn, frozen and thawed

1 tbsp red onion, diced

Dressing

1/4 c low fat buttermilk

1 tbsp mayo

2 tbsp light sour cream

1/4 c cilantro

1 clove garlic

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Combine marinade ingredients and let the shrimp sit for 30 minutes.

Chop your veggies and prepare your salad.

Mix all dressing ingredients together in a blender and let whirl until its a smooth dressing.

Heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side.

Assemble your salad with half of the shrimp (or so) and 1 tbsp of dressing (or so). Enjoy immensely!

Coconut Chicken, Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

My sister turned me on to this awesome food blog, www.skinnytaste.com. It is excellent!!! Her recipes are easy and the photography makes me hungry every time! I highly suggest you check it out because I'm sure you're going to love it. (by the way, it's a Weight Watchers website and she does all the points for you!)

This was the first recipe I made from her and I was blown away by its simplicity and how delicious it was!!

Coconut Chicken, Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Adapted from SkinnyTaste

Ingredients

6 chicken tenders

6 tbsp shredded coconut

1/2 c bread crumbs

1/3 c egg whites

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil spray

6 cups spinach

3/4 c carrots, sliced

3/4 c mushrooms, sliced

3/4 c cucumber, sliced

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp white vinegar

2 tsp dijon mustard

Directions

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients, set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine coconut, bread crumbs, and salt in a bowl. Put egg whites in a another bowl.

Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture. Place chicken on the baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray and bake for 30 minutes turning halfway, until chicken is cooked through.

Place 2 cups greens on each plate. Divide carrots, cucumber and mushrooms evenly between each plate. Slice chicken on the diagonal and place with the greens. Divide dressing between each salad, about 1 tbsp each.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Parmesan Breadcrumbs and Sundried Tomato Dressing

Guys... remember how I said that steak salad was amazing? Well, this one is A-mazing! I cannot even describe how delicious the dressing is and how easy it is to bring together. And the breadcrumbs... ugh... I died and went to delicious crunchy breadcrumb heaven. Try this one!!! Do it. Go ahead. I'll wait...

This was another of those lighten up comfort food meals they were doing. This is they healthier take on Chicken Parmesan. Don't get me wrong, I love cheesy delicious chicken in marinara, but this is actually way better than the real thing!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Parmesan Breadcrumbs and Sun dried Tomato Dressing

Adapted from the Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 plum tomato, halved

4 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 2 tbsp of the oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp dried oregano (I had fresh from my cute herb garden so I used that. It's about twice the dried)

1 bunch fresh basil, torn

1/2 c grated Parmesan

Salt and pepper

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 c breadcrumbs (I had frozen left over french bread which I just threw into the food processor to make my own, but you can use store bought too)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

8 c greens (Italian salad blend, arugula, or whatever. I used spinach)

8 oz bocconicini (small mozzarella balls), quartered

Directions *this is supposed to be done on the grill. I will write it that way and then tell you how I did it on the stove*

Preheat grill to high. Puree the plum tomato, sun dried tomatoes and oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, a few basil leaves, and 2 tbsp Parmesan in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add 2-3 tbsp water, if needed to thin. Season with salt and pepper.

Halve the chicken breasts horizontally to make 4 1/4inch thick cutlets. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until marked on the bottom, about 4 min, then turn and grill until cooked through, another 4 min. Transfer to a cutting board.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden (2min). Add the remaining 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp Parmesan and the parsley. Cook until toasted, about 1 more min.

Toss the salad greens and the remaining basil in a large bowl. Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the green along with the mozzarella. Toss with the dressing, then sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.

*Non-grill method: put 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a heavy bottom pan (I used cast-iron) and bring to medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts. Sear on one side (4 minutes or so) then flip and let cook through (another 4-5 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board to rest, then slice.*

Merlot Salad

This is a fruit salad and cole slaw hybrid. Since we are girls, I knew my ladies would appreciate a salad or at least something with nutritious content. It was really tasty and refreshing and easy to pull together. I'm sure the longer it sits in the dressing, the more delicious it becomes too.

Merlot Salad

Adapted from www.barefootwine.com

Ingredients

1 c shredded carrots

2 c shredded green cabbage

1 c green apple, cut into small pieces

1/2 c cranberries, rehydrate in merlot

2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted

Dressing

1/4 c light sour cream

1 green onion, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

3 tbsp Merlot (from cranberries)

1 tsp orange zest

1-2 tsp agave nectar (or honey), as needed to sweeten dressing

Directions

Reconstitute cranberries by adding 3 tbsp merlot and letting sit 5 minutes or so. Prepare fruit and veggies. Make dressing in the bottom of your serving bowl. Combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Melon Salad with Lemon Mint Dressing

When I asked my aunt what she wanted on her menu, she said something melon. Because she's a vegetarian, I couldn't do melon wrapped in prosciutto and didn't want to serve wedges of cantaloupe or honeydew. I found this in my old binder of recipes that I must have printed years ago. This is so refreshing and came out really delicious. The plus side is that you use a simple syrup, so even if you didn't get the ripest melon it'll be sweetened up with the dressing.

Melon Salad with Lemon Mint Dressing

Ingredients

4 cups melon (I used 2 c each cantaloupe and honeydew), remove using a melon baller
1 bunch mint
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c water
1/4 c lemon juice

Directions

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat till just boiling and sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

In a blender, combine mint, lemon juice, 1/4c of cooled syrup. Blend and top melon with desired amount of dressing. I didn't use all of it, so add some, taste it, add some, taste it, etc.