Honey Chili-Lime Shrimp Salad

This tangy, smoky, subtly sweet dressing is everything! Mixed with greens of your choice, this salad is topped with colorful corn, tomatoes, and avocado, and finished with tender, flavorful shrimp! This dairy-free salad is naturally gluten-free, easily made vegetarian or vegan, and is packed with good-for-you deliciousness.

WHAT’S NEW?

Happy Easter! We are celebrating Easter with an atypical holiday celebration (as in, we’re doing nothing other than our usual of church, errands, and hockey) and we’re ringing in a stretch of weather that is atypical for Easter and early April here in Michigan. Every Easter in recent memory includes jackets. And sure, the 50’s is jacket weather for many people, but for Michiganders, it borders on swimsuit weather. If the sun is out, anyway. And, it is. And will be. For the next week plus according to the forecast. GLORIUS!

As the seasons officially transition, I look forward to some lighter fare, utilizing markets, farm stands, and possibly a CSA. As in, hello, vegetables! Not that we don’t eat vegetables year-round (I am a dietitian!), but spring vegetables are the abundance of produce in the coming 6 months? Heck-to-the-YES! This salad is the perfect kick off to the lighter fare and colorful meals ahead!

ROLL CALL FOR THIS RECIPE

• Meal in Minutes. This recipe is ready QUICKLY. Shrimp cook (and thaw!) incredibly fast and stores sell prewashed greens that you can hop right in with. The short ingredient list and easy prep, along with a dressing that doubles as a quick marinade, makes this meal one that is truly ON THE TABLE in under 20 minutes!
• Honey Chili-Lime Dressing. Equal parts fresh lime juice, honey, and olive oil is a nice little starting point for a salad dressing. Add to it the chipotle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and lime zest? MONEY. This honey-lime dressing enhances the fresh flavors and turns raw shrimp into an epic little salad component!
• Hot Days. This quick-cook, lighter fare meal is perfect for the warmer days ahead. Yesssssss!!! Simple ingredients that are abundant and best in the spring and summer – finally!

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Shrimp: A skillet keeps the cook time at a minimum but the shrimp can be grilled or baked, if preferred! If grilling, you can skewer the shrimp or cook in a grill basket. The cook time will vary based on the size of your shrimp, the temperature you’re cooking at, and the heat source you use. Be sure to use raw shrimp that are peeled and deveined shrimp so that they soak up the shrimp marinade, don’t over-cook, and are easy to eat on the salad! Medium or large shrimp will work great!
• Greens: I used mixed greens, but any type of butter lettuce, spinach, romaine, or other lettuce or spring mix will work great. Use what you have on hand or like best!
• Honey: Use pure maple syrup or agave in place of the honey, if you prefer. You can use more or less honey depending on your preference for tart versus sweet.
• Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes or any other tomato variety (diced) works great in place of grape tomatoes.
• Corn: Fresh cooked corn-on-the-cob or frozen work great and canned corn that has been drained can be used in a pinch! I love the look of fresh corn cut from the cob, but truly any will do! Fresh corn, while abundant in those hot summer days is not always available depending on the time of year you’re making this recipe. Nothing beats good sweet corn!
• Veggies: Feel free to add or omit other veggies. Red onion or sweet bell peppers would be fun ones to add for the color and the taste would go great with the tangy shrimp and tangy honey lime vinaigrette.
• Chipotle Chili Powder: This mildly spicy chili powder is made from jalapenos that have been smoked and dried. If you prefer less heat, use less or substitute sweet chili powder, or a combination of sweet chili powder and chipotle chili powder.

NUTRITIONAL MERITS

• Balanced: This salad is moderately low in carbohydrates while offering healthy fats from the olive oil and avocado, along with ample protein from the shrimp.
• Dairy-Free: This salad and shrimp are naturally dairy-free.
• Vegetarian: Omit the shrimp or swap in your favorite meat substitute, such as tofu or tempeh.
• Vegan: Omit the shrimp or use a vegan meat substitute, as well as a swap of syrup or agave for the honey to make this recipe vegan!
• Light fare: Coming in under 400 calories, this is a very light meal and can serve as such or be accompanied with another meal element of your choosing. Or dessert 😉

VARIATIONS, STORAGE, AND TIPS

• The dressing/marinade can be prepped ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before serving as the olive oil will harden in the fridge.
• The shrimp are not meant to marinade for an extended period of time – under 30 minutes is best. Citrus juice, especially lime and lemon juice, denatures the proteins which can cause the shrimp to become firm and opaque.
• This salad is best served shortly after dressing and assembling. If you don’t plan to consume or serve all of it at once, keep the greens separate from the other components, including the dressing.
• Thaw shrimp from frozen in cold water, not hot! You can’t rush this process much!

Weekly Menu: April 9th – 13th

• Sunday: carry-out/leftovers
• Monday: Fresh Spring Rolls with pot stickers
• Tuesday: Aldi’s red bag chicken made into Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, brussels sprouts
• Wednesday: Chipotle Chicken Tostadas
• Thursday: Tortellini with Homemade Roasted Marinara Sauce, broccoli, and garlic bread

Love epic salads? Me too!

• Blackened Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Citrus-Herb Dressing
• Grilled BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad
• Chicken Caesar with a Twist & Shrimp Caesar Salad with a Twist
• Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
• Crispy Italian Chicken and Bacon Salads with Tahini Pesto Dressing and Sourdough Croutons
• Tex-Mex Chicken Chopped Salad
• Chimichurri Steak and Vegetable Salad

Be well,