Quinoa Bowl with Kale and Chickpeas

August is here, and the dead of summer is upon us!  While it's definitely my favorite time of year, the heat can be a bit de-motivating when it comes to the kitchen.  It's even too hot to grill (yesterday, it was 107)!  So tonight, I turned to a quick salad that only required cooking a batch of quinoa on the stove.  Everything else is just tossed into a bowl as-is! I loved the heartiness of the greens, grains, and chickpeas along with the crunch from the pepitas, the sweetness from the golden raisins, and the vibrancy of the vinaigrette and feta.  Now it's time to put my feet up and enjoy the AC for the rest of the evening.  Stay cool, everyone!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

3 Tb olive oil

1.5 Tb white balsamic vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced (roughly)

1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped

1 can chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup golden raisins (roughly)

1/2 cup pepitas (roughly)

2 oz feta, crumbled (roughly)

1 tsp salt

Directions

Add quinoa and water to a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook for 15 minutes, and then remove from the heat. The water should be absorbed, and the quinoa should be tender.

While the quinoa cooks, make your vinaigrette. Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, and salt until the salt is dissolved. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined. 

"Massage" the chopped kale a bit by squeezing it firmly with your fingers a few times, until you notice that the leaves are a bit more tender. Toss the kale, chickpeas, and golden raisins with the vinaigrette, and let sit until the quinoa is done. 

When the quinoa is finished, toss it immediately with the vinaigrette, kale, chickpeas, and golden raisins. Then toss in the feta cheese, and stir to combine. Taste, and add more salt or lemon juice if desired. 

Serve topped with a good handful of pepitas.

One Pot Chicken Orzo Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Can I tell you how long I've been wanting to share this recipe with you? It's been months since we improvised this little dinner number (you know, back when blood oranges were in season), and yet here I am, only just now letting you in on the secret. I love a warm pasta salad, and this one can be pulled together using just one pan. Orzo is tossed with a citrusy vinaigrette, shredded chicken, cilantro, toasted almonds, and sweet little pomegranate seeds, and the results are pretty darn good.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 cup orzo

1 large chicken breast

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup juice from a blood orange juice
(regular orange would work fine too I bet)

2 Tb balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a dry saucepan over medium heat. Once heated, toss in slivered almonds and toast for a few minutes, stirring and tossing occasionally, until the almonds begin to turn golden brown. Once toasted, remove the almonds to a bowl, and wipe out the saucepan.

Place the chicken breast in the same saucepan, season with salt, and cover with enough water to cover the chicken by about two inches.

Place the saucepan on a burner over high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil reduce the heat, and let simmer for 10 minutes or so, until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the water to a cutting board. Return the water in the saucepan to a boil. Once boiling, add in the orzo and another pinch of salt. Cook the orzo according to package directions (about 8 minutes).

While the orzo cooks, whisk together the blood orange juice, the balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt until the salt is dissolved. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil to make your dressing. You can also shred your chicken breast once it's cool enough to handle.

When the orzo is done, strain and return to the saucepan. Pour in about half of the salad dressing and toss in the shredded chicken. With the burner on medium-low, toss the orzo, chicken, and dressing and cook until the orzo has absorbed some of the dressing and the chicken is warm. Taste and add more dressing as desired.

Once warmed through and dressed to your liking, remove from the heat and toss with the chopped cilantro, about half of the pomegranate seeds, and a couple cracks of black pepper.

Serve warm (though I imagine that it would be good cold as well), topped with the remaining pomegranate seeds and almonds.

Pan-Seared Salmon over Arugula Salad

As much as I miss Boston, can I tell you how thrilled I am that warmer weather has arrived in Texas while winter lingers long past its welcome in New England? Hopefully this post finds you enjoying warmer weather as well, but if not, I'll try sending a little Texas sunshine your way, because Spring has arrived. And with the arrival of spring, so returns my excitement for making salads again!

One of the first meals we cooked in our new house was this beautiful recipe from Serious Eats. While perfect without a single tweak, I couldn't help myself from throwing in a few more things here and there. I've added a splash of soy sauce for the pan-seared salmon. And into the salad, I tossed cucumber slices for a little extra crunch and mandarin oranges for a little sweetness to balance out the bite of the arugula. I feel like mandarin oranges are a little "un-cool," but you know what? They taste good, and they add a pretty pop of color as well.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 4-6 oz salmon fillets, skin on

2 tsp soy sauce

3-4 cups baby arugula

1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 can of mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 avocado, diced

1 Tb lemon juice

2 Tb olive oil + 1 Tb olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in a tablespoon or so of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, place the salmon in the pan, skin side-down.

Cook for about 6 minutes, until the skin has crisped nicely. About 1-2 minutes into the cooking process, pour a good splash of soy sauce over the top of each fillet.

While the fish cooks, make the dressing by whisking together lemon juice and a pinch of salt until the salt is dissolved. Then whisk in the remaining 2 Tb of olive oil.

Once the salmon skin is nice and crisp and the fish is cooked about halfway through, gently flip the fillets, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until a thermometer inserted reads 130-140 degrees (130 is medium).

While the fish finishes, toss the arugula, cucumber, and avocado with the dressing. Divide onto two plates and scatter with the mandarin oranges.

Once the fish is done, remove from the pan, and place on top of the salad, skin side-up. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Barley Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp

So there's this salad I really love from the gorgeous blog What Katie Ate. It's absolutely perfect, and I won't judge you if you want to go make her recipe instead of mine. But if you're like me and have the hardest time finding Spanish chorizo, please consider my recipe as a humble substitute. You see, when I was in Boston, I could find Spanish chorizo but never Mexican chorizo. Now that I'm back in Texas, I have the opposite problem. What's the difference between the two? To vastly oversimplify it, Mexican chorizo is crumbly while Spanish chorizo slices into pretty rounds. Both are delicious and wonderful, but in this instance only one will do.

Instead of chorizo, I opted for lovely gulf shrimp seared in bacon grease. I also left out the Puy lentils. This salad is light and refreshing but plenty filling. If baby heirloom tomatoes are still popping up at your grocery store in their pretty reds and yellows and oranges, toss those in, but I'm sure cherry tomatoes would work just as well. Maybe try lime juice instead of lemon. Skip the radishes if those aren't your bag. Or go for different fresh herbs. It's a salad after all, so it's perfectly tweakable. Enjoy!

(based on What Katie Ate's Pearl Barley and Puy Lentil Salad with Roasted Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, Chorizo, Green Beans, and Baby Radish)

Serves 2-3

 

Ingredients

1 cup pearl barley

1 lb of baby heirloom tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), halved

Handful of radishes, very thinly sliced

Handful of green beans, ends trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

1 Tb bacon grease

1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and patted dry

2 lemons, juiced

1 Tb olive oil

2 Tb cilantro, minced

2 Tb mint, minced

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 280F.

 

Spread the halved tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast them for 1.5 hours, until soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove from the oven when done.

 

While the tomatoes roast, blanch the green beans by bringing a saucepan of water to boil. When boiling, dump in the green beans, and lower the heat to a simmer and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the green beans, and plunge into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and set aside.

 

Next, add the barley and 3 cups of water to a saucepan (I use the same one I used for the green beans to cut back on dirty dishes), and bring the water to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, until the barley is chewy and tender.

 

When the barley is almost done, whisk together the juice from one of the lemons with the olive oil, and season with some salt and black pepper.

Then heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon grease, allowing it to melt and warm up. When hot, add the shrimp to the pan, searing them for about 2 minutes per side. When done, remove the shrimp to a plate with a slotted spoon.

 

Pour the juice of the remaining lemon into the pan with the remaining bacon grease, stirring to combine. Let cook for a minute or so, until heated.

 

When the barley is done, drain off any remaining water, and toss it with the lemon and olive oil mixture.

 

In a large bowl, toss the barley, roasted tomatoes, blanched green beans, radish slices, and the warm lemon juice and bacon grease mixture.

 

Serve topped with the shrimp and with a good scattering of cilantro and mint.

 

Cucumber Salad

'Tis the season of garden overflow which means it's also the season for piles of vegetables to show up in the break room at work for folks to take as they please. Since we didn't get to plant a garden this year, I'm sure glad my coworkers did, as that's how I came to have a beautiful and quite large Armenian cucumber in my possession this week. Which naturally begged the question, what to do with an Armenian cucumber?? Well, I opted for a citrusy, spicy salad. Since there's no oven required, it's a perfect hot weather side dish!

(Based on The Food Charlatan's Cilantro-Lime Cucumber Salad)

Serves 4-6
 

Ingredients

1 large cucumber, peeled
(I used an Armenian cucumber, but any ol' cucumber will do)

1/2 jalapeno, seeded

1 large lime, juiced (or 1 1/2 smaller limes)

2 Tb olive oil

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tb mint, finely chopped

a good pinch of salt

 

Directions

Thinly slice the cucumber using a mandoline or your fantastic knife skills.

Again with a mandoline, shave thin slices of jalapeno (or use a knife to slices as thin as possible).

In a small bowl, whisk together a good pinch of salt and the lime juice until the salt dissolves. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil.

In a larger bowl, combine the cucumber, jalapeno, and chopped cilantro and mint.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the mixture, and toss to combine.

Ideally, let the salad sit for at least an hour before serving. Or refrigerate it overnight, and serve it the next day. It only gets better if the flavors have some time to mingle.

Warm Chicken and Rice Salad with Potatoes and Green Beans

Sometimes for lunch I want something warm instead of another turkey sandwich (I get in a rut and eat a lot of turkey sandwiches). Enter this chicken and rice salad tossed with potatoes, green beans, tangy feta cheese, briny capers, and a bright red wine vinaigrette. It's warm and satisfying but not too heavy. It would also be perfect for a light summer dinner served on the back porch with a chilled bottle of rose wine. After all, most things are made better when served out on the back porch with a chilled bottle of rose! Here's to looking forward to the long summer evenings that are right around the corner!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice or rice and red quinoa blend (I used Rice Select Royal Blend with light brown rice, red quinoa, and freekeh)
~2 cups water, divided
1 Tb butter

4-6 small multi-color new potatoes, washed and diced

1/4 lb green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

1 10 oz can chunk chicken breast in water, drained 
(feel free to substitute grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken)

1 1/2 Tb red wine vinegar

1 tsp whole grain dijon mustard

3 Tb olive oil

2 tsp capers, drained and roughly chopped

~3 oz feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper

Directions

In a saucepan, add 1 cup water, 1 Tb butter, and 1/2 cup Rice Select Royal Blend (or any rice or rice blend) along with a good pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, and give it a stir. Cover and reduce heat, and let the rice blend simmer for 18 minutes (for a different rice blend, cook according to package directions).

In a separate saucepan, add the diced potatoes, enough water to cover them by about 1/2 inch, and about 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce to a low boil and let cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife. About 5 minutes into the cooking process, toss in the green beans. Drain when done.

While the rice and vegetables cook, whisk together the red wine vinegar, the dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper until the salt is dissolved. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar and mustard mixture, whisking continuously to emulsify. Finally, stir in the capers. 

When the rice, potatoes, and green beans are cooked, toss them with the chunk chicken meat, the vinaigrette, and the feta cheese. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Smoked Salmon Salad with Rice, Red Quinoa, and Toasted Pecans

Alright folks, are you ready for this? Two smoked salmon recipes in a row! This is still a relatively novel ingredient to me, as I used to assume it was gross (I know better now). I actually have a very distinct memory of my first meal in France as study abroad student. My French was shaky at best, but I recognized the word "saumon" on the menu. I ordered it, assuming it was a safe option.  When a salad arrived generously draped with what, to me, looked like raw fish, I think my face turned paper-white. I smiled weakly and thanked the waiter, but I was too scared to eat it. Thankfully my gallant friend Joseph came to my rescue, kindly offering to trade plates with me. Now 8 years later, this Smoked Salmon, Rice, and Red Quinoa Salad is one that I'm not allowing anyone to eat for me! I'll take care of my portion all by myself, thank you very much!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

3 celery stalks, diced

1 Tb butter

1 cup water

1/2 chicken bouillon cube (optional)

1/2 cup rice and red quinoa blend (I used Rice Select Royal Blend with light brown rice, red quinoa, and freekeh)

4 oz smoked salmon, broken into large flakes (I used Matt's Amazing Smokehouse Ragin' Cajun)

2 Tb lemon

3 Tb olive oil

salt and pepper

handful of pecans, roughly chopped

Directions

Heat a medium-size sauce pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 Tb of butter.

Once the butter is melted and hot, toss in the diced celery, and let cook for about 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften.

In the same pan, cook your grains according to the package directions. For mine, I heated the water in the microwave until almost boiling. I then poured the water into the pan along with the rice blend and the half chicken bouillon cube.

Raise the heat to high, and once the water is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook according to the package directions, until done and the water is absorbed (about 18 minutes for me).

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice with a pinch of salt until it dissolves. Add a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper; then slowly whisk in the olive oil to form the dressing.

To toast the pecans, heat a small skillet over medium heat with no butter or oil. When hot, toss in the pecans and toast, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until warm and fragrant. When toasted, remove from the pan.

When there's about 1 minute of cooking time left on the rice, add in the flaked smoked salmon and about half of the dressing, stirring to combine. Re-cover the pan, and once the minute is up, remove from the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. 

Remove the lid, fluff the rice mixture with a fork, and taste. Add the pecans and more dressing if desired (I used almost all of mine), stir to combine, and serve immediately.

Kale Salad with Pecorino and Pecans

For those of you who don't know, Texas is famous for its pecans. Though now that I think about it, if people don't know about our pecans, are we actually famous for them?? Either way, if Texas pecans aren't world famous, they should be. I have fond childhood memories of sitting around bulging bags of foraged nuts and shelling them with my family. A few weeks ago when a large box arrived in the mail from my amazing mother-in-law, I squealed with delight when I saw two large bags of pecans. I've been tossing them in almost everything: arugula salad, warm grain salad, chopped fall salad, roasted brussels sprouts, pecan pie, pecan cookies, you name it.

This weekend I made one of my favorite recipes, a simple kale salad from The Kitchn.  It's a great salad to bring to a picnic, a holiday potluck, or in your lunch at work. And it's versatile! This time I threw in some of my pecans and a little whole grain dijon mustard in the dressing. One day I topped it with a handful of dried cranberries, and another day I tossed it with diced pear, both adding a little bit of sweetness that was great with the tangy dressing and salty cheese. If you don't have pecans, try almonds or walnuts. It's easy peasy!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 large bunch of kale, stemmed (I used purple kale this time, but lacinato or good ol' curly kale work too)

~4 Tb lemon juice
1 Tb whole grain dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

~1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

4 oz pecorino, finely grated

Optional: dried cranberries, diced pear

Directions

Stack and roll the kale leaves together (similar to how you prepare to chiffonade basil) and slice into thin ribbons. Place into a large bowl and "massage" the leaves a little bit with your hands to help make the leaves more tender. 

Add the pecans and pecorino to the bowl, and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, add the lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, and whisk until the salt is dissolved. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously, until the dressing is emulsified.

Taste the dressing and adjust according to your taste (If it's too tart, add in a little more oil. Not tart enough? Squeeze in a little more lemon juice. Add more salt and pepper if necessary)

Pour the dressing, little by little, into the bowl with the salad, tossing to coat, until the salad is dressed how you like it. (You may not need all of the dressing.)

Let the salad sit at least an hour at room temperature before serving.

Optional: Serve topped with dried cranberries or diced pear.

Summer Salad Duo

This weekend, I wanted something light for dinner that didn't require a trip to the store. We had just returned from a trip to Buffalo where we indulged in some pretty heavy (but delicious) food (read: chicken wings three times in one day. It was glorious!). After scrounging around, I came up with two salads using the same dressing: one earthy and warm while the other was peppery, bright, and tangy.  It's plenty satisfying thanks to the protein from the lentils and chickpeas, it's simple to throw together, and served alongside some fruit or good bread, it's a great summertime dinner. I also think the arugula and goat cheese would be great tossed with the warm lentil-chickpea salad, the warmth wilting the arugula just a bit.

The leftover lentil-chickpea salad is versatile as well. It would be great for a picnic, perfect with grilled meats, or served chilled alongside a different salad, as I did the next day. I simply tossed spinach with crumbled feta, toasted pecans, a few strips of grilled chicken, and a simple vinaigrette of lemon, red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil. 

Red Wine-Lemon Vinaigrette

(enough for both the lentil-chickpea and the arugula salad below)

Ingredients

 2 Tb red wine vinegar

1 Tb lemon juice

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp whole-grain mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, and salt.

Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously until emulsified.

Warm Lentil-Chickpea Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 Tb olive oil

1 cup dried lentils

2 cups water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

zest from 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp salt

1 can chickpeas, drained

~2 Tb parsley, roughly chopped,

1-2 Tb capers, roughly chopped

~1/2 vinaigrette recipe, above

Directions

Heat sauce pan over medium heat. When hot, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic, stirring for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Add the lentils, bay leaf, and lemon zest, and cover with water. Raise the heat to high, and bring the lentils to a boil. 

Once boiling, lower heat and simmer the lentils uncovered for about 25 minutes, until tender.

When done, drain the lentils and toss in a bowl with the salt, dressing, capers, and parsley.

Serve warm (or if you prepare in advance, it can be stored in the refrigerator and served chilled).

Simple Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese and Pepitas

Serves 2

Ingredients

3-4 oz arugula

~2 Tb roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

~2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

~1/2 vinaigrette recipe, above

Directions

In a salad bowl, combine arugula, goat cheese, and pumpkin seeds.

Add dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Pepitas, and Honey Clementine Dressing

We made our "post-Christmas restocking" grocery store run last night, so our fridge and pantry are no longer bare after two weeks in Texas. Wanting to cook something lighter yet still satisfying, I came across a beautiful recipe for butternut squash and quinoa salad that sounded perfect. I had some brussels sprouts from the Medford Winter Farmer's Market just begging to be roasted, so I decided to  throw those in as well A few brussels sprouts never hurt anybody.

Granted, as my cattle rancher dad would probably say, "You know, this would go really great with a steak." So if vegetarian meals aren't your thing, this would make a great side dish as well. Either way, it's a winning combination of roasted vegetables, just enough sweet from the cranberries and Honey Clementine Dressing, a little crunch from the pepitas, and quinoa to help it stick to your ribs.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2-in cubes

1 lb brussels sprouts, stems and outer leaves removed and halved

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 c quinoa

2 c water

1/2 c dried cranberries

1/2 cup pepitas

Honey Clementine Dressing:

2 large clementines, zested and juiced

2 Tb olive oil

1/2 Tb honey 

(If you live in MA, the local Carlisle Raw Spring Blossom Honey is wonderful)

salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Drizzle the butternut squash and brussels sprouts with olive oil, toss to coat. Spread them out on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender

While the butternut squash and brussels sprouts are roasting, cook the quinoa. Bring the water and 1/4 tsp salt to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, until water is absorbed (or cook according to package directions). Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the clementine juice, zest, olive oil, and honey and then season with salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, and pepitas. Drizzle dressing over the salad (I used about half of the dressing above, but you can use more or less depending on your preference). Toss until ingredients are well dressed. Season with more salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

A Whole Lotta Chicken

As I mentioned earlier, I roasted a chicken this weekend using Pioneer Woman's Lemon Rosemary Chicken recipe. It was a fairly gigantic bird for just the two of us, so we had quite a bit of meat leftover, which is fantastic.  With just a couple hours of effort on Sunday (most of which was spent on the couch waiting for the chicken to roast anyway), it has made planning dinner and lunches for the week a breeze.  If you find yourself with a whole chicken on your hands, here are a few of my favorite ways to keep from wasting all of those leftovers. 

1. For the first evening, do the obvious "Meat and Three" plate (or Meat and Two in this case). Roast your chicken, carve a serving for each of you, and serve it alongside a few vegetables. We opted for steamed green beans and mashed potatoes.

2. We bring a sandwich to work for lunch most days, and a real roasted chicken sandwich is a very welcome change to processed lunch meats. I've been using whole wheat bread, thinly sliced chicken, arugula, provolone, and Miracle Whip (Yeah, I use Miracle Whip sometimes. I make no apologies for my East Texas upbringing).

3. For dinner another night, dice it up and toss it with a green salad, using whatever you can find in your fridge or pantry. I used arugula, carrot, grated parmesan, sunflower seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette.  I served it with some mini pitas and roasted red pepper hummus.

4. Make a batch of chicken salad for another lunch option. I think these two sound fabulous: Italian  Chicken Salad or Wild Rice Chicken Salad

(photo from The Kitchn)

5. Cook up a big pot of chicken noodle soup, using the "extra-easy chicken noodle soup" instructions in the "Additional Notes" at the bottom of this recipe. Already cooked chicken takes this from a fairly quick recipe to a very quick recipe.

Seriously Good Suppers: Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad

My husband and I have been trying to eat a little lighter over the last few months which has led to including more hearty salads in our supper repertoire. This salad brought a little bit of summer to our plates, even on a chilly September evening. The spicy shrimp, the sweet tomatoes, the bite of the arugula, the creamy avocado, and bright citrus dressing complement each other so well and were so flavorful that we didn't feel like we were watching our calories or our waist lines at all.

Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad

(based on original recipe from Serious Eats)

Serves 2

Ingredients

7 Tb olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

2 Tb lemon juice, about 1 lemon

1 bag of pre-washed baby arugula

1/2 small shallot, thinly sliced

1 ripe avocado, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

2 tsp lime juice, about one lime

Directions

In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cayenne, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

While the shrimp marinates, whisk together the lemon juice and 4 tablespoons olive oil for the dressing. Set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (any skillet will work, really) over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until just cooked through. Transfer to a bowl, and toss with the lime juice.

In a large bowl, combine the arugula, shallot, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro. Add dressing (be careful not to overdress -- I didn't use all of mine. I put the leftover in a jar in the fridge to use later), and toss to combine. Serve topped with shrimp.

P.S. I think this would also be really good sprinkled with some toasted slivered almonds or pecans.