Summer Shrimp Salad
Summertime is all about fresh produce in my mind. Everything just tastes better when it’s freshly picked and you’re eating it on a warm sunny afternoon. Hubby and I have been eating this salad for weeks now. We make a big batch on Sunday night and it feeds us both for 3 days worth of lunches.
Neither of us have gotten sick of it yet, because we tend to tweak it based on what looks good at the store that week and what we have on hand. In general the flavors and textures are all the same but one week we had a half of a can of leftover black beans in the fridge. We threw those into the salad and it was still amazing. One week we subbed cilantro for the mint. It definitely gave the salad a different spin, but it was still amazing. One week I threw in some pumpkin seeds as well.
One of the best things about this salad is that it encouraged me to try a new food. Radishes. Growing up, my dad always had them in our garden, but I never liked them (not even sure if I had ever tried them). I took my first bite of a sliced radish a couple weeks ago and found out that I like them! Hooray for trying new things!
Now I have to tell you about this recipe. The original recipe is pretty complicated for a salad. Well, maybe not complicated, but definitely involved. Hubby and I have streamlined this process by taking a few short cuts. The major one being that we buy pre-cooked shrimp. Does the salad taste better when you cook the shrimp after marinating it? Yes. But is it a noticeable difference for the amount of time it takes? No.
The other major change that I made was the addition of quinoa. It’s just so hearty and good for you, that it really helps keep you full all afternoon after eating this salad. I’m printing the recipe how we make the salad below. Be sure to click through to get the original recipe if you’re interested. I also cut the oil out of the dressing to cut some calories. Feel free to throw some olive oil in with the other dressing ingredients if you’d like, but we really don’t miss it.
One Year Ago: Pita Bread
Three Years Ago: Layered Cookie Cake and Monster Cookies
Summer Shrimp Salad
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup lime juice
3 Tbsp honey
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lb large cooked shrimp, peeled and cut in 1/2
12 oz snap peas, diced
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cooked quinoa
12 radishes, sliced
4 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. Divide into 6 small tupperware containers.
Layer the remaining ingredients into 6 tupperware bowls. When ready to eat lunch, add the dressing to salad. Place lid on container and shake to coat everything with the dressing.
Recipe adapted from Cheeky Kitchen
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Caramelized onions. I would always snarl at them until I actually tried them and realized they are delicious!
Love Fish Taco’s! We like ours with: fish fingers, cabbage and ranch sauce w/ taco seasoning…ummm..
Try the true Mexican way: with shredded, crispy cabbage, it’s so good.
I tried something I thought I wouldn’t like (that’s a very small percentage of the foods in the world!) and I was right, I totally disliked it – and that’s octopus!
Brussel sprouts. I split them in half, and saute them with olive oil, butter, and garlic. They’re my new favorite vegetable, and my wife and I make them once a week.
On a fish taco note, I had always wanted to try them, finally did, and they were terrible. Turns out I tried them at a bad Mexican restaurant, even though the place was always packed. It was sort of a tourist trap, and eventually went out of business. I’d never thought to try them home, that sounds like a great idea.
I just had to comment…I was the same way with fish tacos and then i tried them and LOVED them. I can’t get enough! Glad I’m not the only one
Oh boy fish tacos… when I first heard of them I thought the concept was a terrible idea. I finally let my husband convince me to try them and I of course loved them. Like Nancy said, we eat them the Mexican/Baja way with cabbage. So good!
Now have you tried shrimp tacos?!
I have not tried shrimp tacos. I will have to look into that.
So true!! I always giggle about them too lol. I had this sandwich that sounded so gross I wanted nothing to do with it, then a friend ordered it and made me try it… it was AMAZING!
roasted corn seasoned, mashed and mixed with diced red bell pepper, topped with cheddar, apricotjam and mixed greens, on wheat
The use of sprouts in your tacos is a great idea! I’m going to have to try that!
I’m not a big fan of fish but these look very delicious:) I used to turn my nose up to deep fried pickles but then I finally tried them…they are delicious!!!
I was skeptical of fish tacos until I tried them. Now they are probably one of my top 5 foods. I love mine with cabbage, lime, and pico de gallo
Also used to turned my nose up at fish tacos! Had them again tonight, this time with swordfish nuggets (Hey the bits and pieces were only 4.99 per lb!) DELISH 🙂
Jen, I too was a fish taco “snob” Couldn’t imagine whoever would think to do such a thing. You actually opened my mind up to trying them. I made salmon with taco seasoning ones and we really loved them, thanks to you. I told a friend whose husband goes to Alaska fishing and always brings home lots of salmon and halibut. They are coming over tonight and guess what we are having? SALMON TACOS!! Thanks.
So glad to hear it!