Mexicali Shrimp/Seafood Salad ~ A Lean & Green Meal 🍤

Fresh, Delicious & Satisfying❣
(This is my version of a recipe
originally published by: The
 Culinary Institute of America)

Ingredients:

2 quarts (8 cups) water

2 pounds small - medium frozen shrimp (peeled, deveined & tails removed), or seafood blend*

3 cups cucumber, peeled, halved & sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

3/4 cup radishes, halved & thinly sliced

1/2 cup halved & thinly sliced shallots, or chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper

1/2 cup chopped orange pepper

2 avocados (12 ounces) cut into bite sized chunks

Salad Dressing Ingredients:

6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice**

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chopped & seeded fresh jalapeno

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

immersion or bullet blender 

Method:

Bring the water to a boil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add the seafood and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. (If using fresh seafood, cook for 2 minutes.) Drain in a colander, rinse and set aside.

Prepare the dressing: Use an immersion, or bullet blender, to puree the juice, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno salt & pepper until smooth. Makes about 7 tablespoons of dressing.***

Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Add the cilantro dressing and stir to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill. 

Prepare and combine the cucumber, tomatoes, radishes and scallions. Toss together with the seasoned seafood. Add 2 5/8 cups of the salad mixture to a serving plate. Garnish each serving with half of a chopped avocado. Makes 4 servings.

*I used 1 pound of raw medium shrimp and a 1 pound bag of shrimp, scallop and calamari (seafood blend) from Trader Joe's market.

**When I purchase a bag of limes, I make ice cubes from the juice so that I have fresh lime juice whenever a recipe calls for it. (I also finely grate the peel and freeze for later use.)

***This homemade dressing can be used on other salads. Each tablespoon has approximately: 6.2 calories ~ .04 grams fat ~ 1.75 grams carbs ~ 1.5 grams net carbs ~ .2 grams protein     

Trader Joe's Green Goddess Dressing (found in the refrigerated section with the salads) may be substituted for the homemade dressing.

Equals: 1 leanest, 3 greens, 3 condiments & 2 healthy fats

Nutritional info per serving, approximately: 418.26 calories ~ 15.8 grams fat ~ 23 grams carbs ~ 15 grams net carbs ~ 42 grams protein

Note: This delicious salad is restaurant quality and reminds me of salads prepared by my favorite seafood restaurant❣