Shrimp and Avocado Salad

This is a salad in the same way one can eat chicken salad. My friend and coworker brought in a very similar Chilean avocado salad for lunch one day; this is my version of her dish. Not terribly full of roughage but still very pretty and healthy and tasty! Avocado are high in lutein and beta carotene (good for eye health, especially for all of us who stare at a computer screen for hours), and have "healthy fats." Shrimp are a protein powerhouse, high in omega-3s, low in fat and have "good" cholesterol (the kind that takes bad cholesterol from cells to the liver and out of the body) and (What more can you really ask for?). And let's face it, avocado and shrimp are two of my favorite foods at the moment.

Ingredients:
2 avocados, ripe but still firm to the touch
1/2 lb medium de-veined cooked shrimp, with heads & tails removed
1 lemon
1/4 cup cilantro
2 tablespoons mayo (okay, this is not good for you, but is a vital part of the yummy-ness)
Salt
Pepper

Wash avocados and slice in half vertically. Remove pits and peels from both avocados.

Wash cilantro and let dry. Mince cilantro and mix with mayo. Juice lemon and mix into mayo mixture (lazy woman's aioli).

Chop up shrimp into quarters. Mix shrimp into aioli.

Place avocado halves onto 4 plates, pit-side up. Scoop shrimp salad equally into avocado halves. Salt and pepper to taste.

This is a great summer alternative to a typical salad.

A Modern Caprese Salad

Slow roasted tomatoes and a fresh basil dressing update this classic Italian salad.

Ingredients:

1 lb slow roasted tomatoes
1 lb fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Prepare slow roasted tomatoes 6 hours prior to serving this salad (preferably overnight). Drain liquid from tomatoes after cooking. Reserve olive oil.

Slice fresh mozzarella into circles about 1/3 inch thick. Arrange overlapping slices of mozzarella on serving plate.

Chop garlic clove. Blend with reserved olive oil from tomatoes, extra olive oil, vinegar and fresh basil leaves.

Place roasted tomatoes over mozzarella slices.

Drizzle salad with fresh basil dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Strawberry, Goat Cheese & Spinach Salad

This is a classic early summer salad. Pair with a frittata and some crusty bread, and you have an easy, flavorful Mother's Day brunch!

Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
8oz baby spinach
Balsamic vinaigrette

Wash strawberries well and remove stems. Slice in half vertically.

Wash spinach and let dry.

Divide spinach among 4 plates. Top each with 1 oz goat cheese and 1/2 cup sliced berries. Drizzle vinaigrette over salads.

Blood Orange, Ricotta Salata and Fennel Salad

Do you ever come up with a recipe in your head and feel totally bad ass about it, only to realize that someone already thought of it? That's what happened with this salad. I was all cocky about my culinary creation until I googled blood orange salad and found a very similar recipe. It's a great salad, although I remain a bit bitter over its pre-existence.

Ingredients:
3 small blood oranges
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoons evoo
4 oz baby spinach
1/2 of 1 small fennel bulb
1 tablespoon ricotta salata
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Juice one blood orange. Add the champagne vinegar, freshly ground pepper and whisk in olive. Salt to taste.

Wash spinach thoroughly and dry in colander.

Slice oranges in half vertically. Cut into 8 wedges and carefully cut away from peel. Place in bowl.

Cut off the fennel bulb's stalk. Cut in half lengthwise, removing the core. Shave 1/2 of the fennel with a vegetable peeler to form long fennel strips.

Whisk vinaigrette. Toss fennel, spinach and vinaigrette together. Plate salad, adding blood orange wedges to the tops of the salad greens. Crumble the ricotta salata over each salad.

Jicama, Avocado, Bell Pepper and Black Bean Salad

This recipe is quite healthy for you! It is high in protein, fiber and vitamins and low in fat.

Ingredients:
1 jicama
1 avocado
1 can black beans
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper
1/2 Vidalia onion
1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro
Cumin
Paprika

Open beans and pour into colander. Rinse beans well and let dry. (Rinsing the beans removes the mysterious substance that makes people gassy. I know that isn't polite to talk about, but it's good to avoid being gassy).

Wash and peel onion. Dice as small as your patience allows. Mix with black beans in medium sized bowl. Rinse and mince cilantro, add to bean mixture. Add about 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon paprika to beans. Wash bell peppers and cut into slender pieces about 1 1/2 inches long. Wash jicama and cut in half. Peel and cut into sticks that resemble french fries. Cut avocado into small chunks before serving.

Scoop bean mixture onto plates. Place jicama sticks and bell peppers and avocado on top of beans. Squeeze lime over salads.

*A grilled chicken breast would be a nice addition to this salad. I'd add a light splash of olive oil to add more moisture if using chicken.