Sautéed Shrimp Salad

Happy Wednesday!

We are officially halfway through the week! Jaxie starts school next week and he is so excited!!! As a former teacher I get super giddy about all the things school related..I have a special school themed breakfast planned for him and I have his lunch box, back pack, and nap mat ready to go!! He thinks he is such a big boy getting to eat his lunch at school this year!!! I am definitely going to be making a highlight of bento box lunches to give other mamas some helpful and healthy lunch ideas!

The other day we had meet the teacher and I was pressed for time. I really didn't plan out dinner but saw that we had shrimp in the freezer so I just pulled it out. When it comes to shrimp I am really picky.. Shrimp should always be WILD caught!! I prefer to buy the whole shrimp and then just peel and devein them myself. I also love going to my local seafood monger and buying the shrimp from there too! 

I decided a salad would be easy but I wanted to elevate it just a bit..so I pulled out a few veggies, a shallot, and my FAVORITE Tesse mae poppy seed dressing! I love this brand of dressing so much because it works as an actual marinade AND dressing. So flavorful and also very clean. 

It turned out phenomenal! I had a few friends message me for the recipe and they loved it!! I have been asked to make a blog post so here we are!! I hope y'all enjoy!

Ingredients: this recipe serves two. Double for more.

1 lb wild caught gulf shrimp

1 lemon

4 garlic cloves minced

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 shallot

1 yellow squash

handful of grape tomatoes

1 red bell pepper sliced 

feta cheese

salt and pepper

romaine lettuce

spinach

Method:

Start by setting half of the spinach and romaine in a salad bowl then set aside in the fridge. Make sure lettuce is rinsed and dried..if you are making it for a crowd go ahead and use all of your romaine and spinach.

Meanwhile-devein and peel your shrimp. ( you CAN Buy it deveined and peeled so you can skip this step)  pat your shrimp dry and set inside another bowl. Salt and pepper the shrimp and add the minced garlic and juice of 1/2 lemon. Add about 4 large tablespoons of the Tesse Mae marinade and mix together well. Set in fridge for 15 minutes.

In a large pan over medium high heat start heating up some olive oil or avocado oil ( both work well with this!) add in the sliced squash, shallot, red bell pepper and grape tomatoes. Cook down until almost caramelized and then add the shrimp in!! Take care to dump all of the shrimp ( with the marinade) into the pan. Cook until shrimp are pink and tails are curled!!!!

Next assemble your salad

On top of the lettuce add in the quinoa, and top with the sautéed shrimp and veggies. Add some feta and some extra dressing if desired. I also added some marcona almonds and they were phenomenal!!!! Squeeze extra lemon juice on top if desired as well!!

I am so sorry I don't have a picture of this! I was not planning on making this into a post!! So you may just have to make it yourselves and snap a picture :)

Happy cooking!!!!!

Grilled Caesar Salad

Grilling lettuce may seem pretty interesting, however if it is done correctly a grilled salad is so yummy and brings out lots of summer flavors!!! We chose to grill a romaine heart ( which is the grilling lettuce of choice) and put a spin on the plain ole' caesar salad.  Due to the fact that I am OVER cooking, Brandon has been stepping up and grilling up!! :) I love everything grilled in the summer!!! 

Shopping List

(for two)

Two Romaine Hearts

One cup grape tomatoes/ sliced in half

olive oil

S&P

the " good parm"-  I say this because I mean the parm. cheese that you find in a block at your cheese section of the grocery store. Not the kind you pack on your pizza :)

Two chicken Breasts

Caesar dressing of your choice

Procedure

Start by marinating your chicken breasts. We do a simple seasoning of Olive oil, S&P, and a little lemon pepper. Set these aside

prep your lettuce- Start by cutting each romaine heart in half...Salt and pepper it and drizzle a good amount of olive oil over it. Squeeze a little lemon on top for some extra zing!

light your grill up and grill your chicken first...once your chicken is done you can start by grilling your romaine. The trick to grilling lettuce is not to char it. You simply want to almost wilt it..allowing that smokey flavor to take over. About one minute per side over a medium high heat grill. Watch for the edges to crips  a little and for your lettuce to almost "wilt". Take off the grill and head inside.

You have two options when you assemble your salad

1. Leave the romaine hearts how they are and add your toppings

2. cut up your lettuce and make a "warm salad"

I like number 1.

lay your lettuce on a plate, slice your chicken and assemble on top of the lettuce, finally add your halved tomatoes,  shave some yummy parm. on top, and drizzle with some dressing! 

so so so simple yet so different and healthy for a summer spin on a salad!!!