Colorful Shrimp and Quinoa Salad
I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again. Hubby spoils me. He packs my lunch every morning before work while I’m getting ready. It works out well since we ride to work together. So every morning, he packs me all sorts of healthy snacks to keep me full throughout the day.
I love eating salads for lunch. I usually go with this Massaged Kale Salad with Pear and Pumpkin Seeds. But sometimes I like to mix things up. I was browsing foodgawker and this recipe caught my eye. Lucky for me, we had all of the ingredients on hand!
This Colorful Shrimp and Quinoa Salad kept well in the fridge and did a good job of keeping me full in to the afternoon. I loved the punch of sweetness provided by the pomegranate arils.
One Year Ago: Short Rib Ragu
Three Years Ago: Chicken Sausage, Spinach, Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche
Colorful Shrimp and Quinoa Salad
Shrimp, black beans, and quinoa mixed up to make a great healthy salad
Yield: Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
For the Salad
1 lb steamed shrimp
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate worth)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper
For the Dressing
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sugar
salt & pepper
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
For the Salad
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
Combine cooled quinoa with shrimp, red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, pomegranate arils, cilantro, salt and pepper.
For the Dressing
Add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.
Pour dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
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. 
Finally, a picnic salad that goes with my low-carb diet that I keep cheating on! Hehe. Seriously, I am stuck with so many pasta or potato salads. One that’s totally veggie based is a godsend. And I love sugar snap peas!
beantownbaker — July 19th, 2013 @ 2:20 pm
I try to eat low carb as much as possible and it can be so tough in the summer. With all the buns for grilled food and pasta/potato salads – it just gets to be too much.
Oh how tasty!! I love sugar snap peas 🙂 this salad looks wonderful!
Yum, this salad looks great. I would love this as a side for a summer BBQ
I’m a huge lover of sugar snap peas – I come home with a jumbo bag of them everytime I go to Costco! Will have to try this next time, looks so delicious!