Paleo/Whole30 Dinner: Coconut Shrimp on Spinach Mango Salad

This Coconut Shrimp recipe from Paleo Leap...

...on top of this Asian Spinach Salad recipe from Love and Olive Oil (with some mangos added)...

...got us this deeelicious dinner tonight!

I made the shrimp without any changes, and added mango to the salad. (Any eagle-eyed readers might also notice sunflower seeds in the bowl, but I think they were unnecessary.) Taste- and texture-wise, the avocado got lost in the mix, I think, but it adds a nice color to the visual experience. And, of course, some healthy fats!

Tasting the dressing as the recipe calls it, I was worried it would be too sour, so I added some fresh-squeezed orange juice and a bit of date paste, but once I tasted it mixed into the whole salad, with the sweetness of the mangoes and oranges, I'm not sure that was necessary. 

The contrast between the delicately crunchy shrimp and the smooth mangoes, between the tart dressing and the sweet fruit -- mmmwah!

This is Whole30 compliant! If I weren't avoiding processed foods, I'd be tempted to buy ready-breaded coconut shrimp to speed the process. It wasn't hard; just kinda time consuming. Might go a little quicker if you had a two-person assembly team.

Spinach salad with strawberries

This is my second-favorite salad of all time, a close second to quinoa and spinach salad -- and no surprise there, since they contain many of the same ingredients.

I think a big part of what keeps this one at the top of my list over other green salads is that I only buy strawberries when they're in season. (My test for whether they're good and ripe? If there's a box of them at table height and I can smell them when standing over them, they're good!) And since here in Kansas, good strawberries are only available April through June, this salad is a rare treat.

(SO jealous of my niece who lives in California, and can get amazing ripened-in-the-field strawberries year-round!)

It's good with or without chicken, and all ingredients can be adjusted to your taste.

Recipe: Spinach salad with strawberries

For each individual salad:
2.5 oz. baby spinach (or thereabouts)
sliced fresh strawberries, to your taste (maybe 1/2 a cup?)
1 - 3 T. feta cheese, seasoned or plain
red onion, sliced thin; amount to taste
1.4 c. pecan halves (or to taste)
half of a seasoned, cooked chicken breast (about 3 oz.) - optional
balsamic vinaigrette or onion poppyseed dressing, to taste

Combine all ingredients; toss; enjoy!
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Nutrition info, according to myfitnesspal.com:
Calories: 444
Carbs: 17
Fat: 32
Protein: 24
Sodium:  780
Sugar: 9

Quinoa and spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette

or...

The best quinoa salad EVER!

This salad is so addictive! Inspired by a salad I had at a Kansas City "wine dive," as well as a spinach and orzo salad I used to make, I created this healthy and delicious cold quinoa salad, and it's always a big hit at parties and potlucks. I love the contrast of all the different ingredients, as well as the sharp taste of the feta balanced by the sweet-and-sour of the vinaigrette, and the subtle spinach and nutty quinoa.

Quinoa is a healthier alternative to pasta like orzo, because it's a complete protein in and of itself, plus it's fairly low-glycemic for a grain. And, for those who care, it's gluten-free.

It's best made a few hours ahead, I think. I don't know if it keeps longer than 24 hours, because if there are any leftovers in the fridge that night, I'm likely to I always polish them off as a midnight snack!

If I were making this just for myself, I would use the full amount of feta, but when I'm serving a crowd, I usually put in half the feta, and serve some alongside for those who would like to add more. If you're serving a nut-sensitive crowd, you could also leave out the nuts and provide them as a garnish.

Spinach and quinoa salad with balsamic vinaigrette

2 c. thoroughly rinsed quinoa  (a 12-oz. package of pre-rinsed)
2 T. butter
3 c. chicken stock
1/2 of a medium red onion, finely diced
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. rice vinegar, or a mix
1 - 2 T. maple syrup
1/2 c. olive oil
5 - 6 oz. baby spinach, chopped
2 - 4 T. crumbled feta cheese, to taste
1-1/3 c. craisins, chopped apple, or a combination
2 - 3 T. fresh basil (optional)
pecan and/or walnut pieces, to taste - maybe 1/2 cup

Make sure your quinoa is thoroughly rinsed, until the water runs clean. If not, it will be bitter. More info here.

Melt butter in a large skillet, and saute the quinoa till it just starts turning golden brown. (This step is optional. If you're pressed for time, feel free to skip it.)

Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer, cover and let cook for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and let it sit -- still covered -- for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the red onion and put it in the bottom of a large mixing/serving bowl. Combine the vinegar, sweetener and olive oil in a small jar and shake to combine. Set aside.

Once the quinoa is done, and if there's any excess liquid, drain that off. Pour the quinoa over the onions and place that mixture in the fridge to cool off. The reason: subjecting the onions to the heat of the cooked quinoa will mellow them a bit, and start them releasing their flavors into the mixture.

Once the quinoa is cooled, pour the vinegar mixture over the salad. Stir gently till well combined. If you have more than 2 hours to serving time, cover and place back in the fridge.

An hour or two before serving, add the spinach, feta, and craisins or apple. Taste and adjust ingredients if needed. More feta for a sharper taste; more Splenda and/or fruit for a sweeter taste.

Add the fresh basil and nuts just before serving.

Serves 10-12

Nutrition data from myfitnesspal.com:

Nutrition Facts
Servings 12.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 400
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25 g	38 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	24 %
Monounsaturated Fat 9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 9 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 12 g	4 %
Sodium 188 mg	8 %
Potassium 428 mg	12 %
Total Carbohydrate 39 g	13 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	16 %
Sugars 13 g
Protein 9 g	18 %
Vitamin A	1 %
Vitamin C	12 %
Calcium	1 %
Iron	112 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Quick and easy avocado salad: the perfect last-minute potluck food

This is a repost, but it's worth it. This is the recipe I turn to every summer when tomatoes are ripe, and I need a quick, easy side dish. Also, my version has evolved, both in ingredients and method, so I'm including my up-to-date version in this post.

Looking for a quick, easy dish to take to a Fourth of July party today? This is it! You can whip it up in about 10 minutes, and although it might taste better if it sits for a bit, you can serve it right away. And because it has no mayo, you don't need to worry about it sitting at room temp for a few hours. Perfect for a potluck, barbeque or picnic! Plus, it's just chock full of healthy stuff, and has no sugar in the dressing! Just a minimal bit of honey -- which you could leave out, if you want.

The original recipe is from Ina Garten, although she calls it "Guacamole Salad".

I do make a few minor tweaks. Being the spice wimp I am, I leave out the jalapeno and cut back on the cayenne. But I also add in some chopped cilantro, and as I said, I've altered the method.

Avocado Salad

    2 limes

    1/2 t. honey

    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    1 clove garlic, minced

    1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

    1/4 cup good olive oil

---

    1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (or 1 lb. large tomatoes, chopped*)

    1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/4-inch diced

    1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

    1/2 cup diced red onion  

---

    2 (or more) ripe Hass avocados,  diced at the last minute

    chopped cilantro, to taste

    additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed

Grate the zest of the two limes (just the green part!) into the large bowl you'll be using for your salad; set aside. 

Juice the limes and measure 1/4 cup of the juice. In a small bowl, whisk together the measured lime juice, honey, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper; then add the olive oil and set aside.

Place the tomatoes*, yellow pepper, black beans, and red onion into the large bowl with the lime zest. Re-whisk the dressing and pour it over the vegetables. Toss well, and store till ready to serve. Keep at room temp if you will be serving within an hour or so; refrigerate for longer storage. If refrigerating, remove about 30 minutes before serving time.

Just before you're ready to serve the salad, dice the avocados and chop the cilantro, and fold them both into the salad. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

*If using large tomatoes rather than grape tomatoes, don't include them at the beginning; add them with the avocado. You may chop the tomatoes ahead of time and store at room temperature.

Quinoa salad recipes to try

Here are a half-dozen, beautiful, easy, healthy quinoa salads to try this summer...

Quinoa and chickpea salad, "inspired by the flavors of tabbouleh, a classic Mediterranean salad." From Ask Georgie.

Quinoa salad with zucchini and feta, from Nutrition Facts Info.

Quinoa with arugula, cranberries and balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! From Queen Bee Coupons.

Quinoa salad with salmon and lemon-soy dressing, from What's Gabby Cooking.

Zesty quinoa salad, with Mexican flavors; can be served hot or cold. Via All Recipes.

Quinoa with currants, dill, and zucchini, from 101 Cookbooks. The recipe is for serving hot, but I think it would be great cold, too.

Recipe Roundup: 12 Things to Do With Avocado

Just rounding up a few avocado recipes. Because they're so good for you!

Here are a few of my own, followed by others by trusted sources.

Salmon with Fresh Avocado Salsa

BLT's without the bread

Ancho-crusted Salmon with Avocado Crema

Ina Garten's Guacamole Salad, with my variations. 

(Note: it's not the texture of guacamole; just the ingredients.)

Turkey-Bacon-Avocado Sandwich. The photo is from Pioneer Woman, and her recipe includes some fancyin'-up, like pesto, but really, I think a simple sandwich of turkey, bacon, avocado, Swiss or provolone cheese, tomato if you like, and a bit of mayo on some crusty whole-wheat toast doesn't need a recipe -- and is just the best sandwich ever! 

Hint: When eating at Jason's Deli, order the California Club on whole wheat toast (instead of the standard croissant). Order it with steamed veggies on the side, and that is one guilt-free lunch!

And here are some others I've found around the web...

Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Chopped Salad (Can you tell I love avocado with bacon?) This looks so amazing! And inspired by a dish from a Salina, KS restaurant -- Go, Kansas!

Avocado-Tomato-Mango Salsa, from AllRecipes: 5 stars and almost 700 reviews! This sounds like it would be great on fish, pork -- or chips!

Kiwi Salsa from Simply Recipes

The top-rated Avocado Smoothie from AllRecipes.

Avocado Ranch Dressing, also via AllRecipes. (I like that site because you're getting the opinion of not just one person, but hundreds.)

Avocado Egg Salad, from Pioneer Woman. (I've been meaning to try this forever. Gotta make it happen soon.)

And to finish off our avocado buffet: Chocolate (Avocado) Pudding, anyone? from HowSweetEats.

12 Mediterranean Diet Recipes to Try

With more and more evidence pointing to the Mediterranean Diet as both good for you and easy to live with, I'll be exploring more of these recipes. Here are a few I've got my sights on...

Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken, from Eating Well.

Grilled Rosemary Salmon, also from Eating Well

Insalata Caprese II, via AllRecipes

Greek Island Chicken Shish Kebabs, via AllRecipes

Spinach and Feta Pita Bake -- sort of a 15-minute pizza; via AllRecipes (400+ reviews; 4.5 stars)

Mediterranean Chicken, made entirely stove-top; via AllRecipes

Fattoush Salad is ubiquitous in Wichita, and with good reason: Lebanese is our strongest ethnic influence here -- plus, it's delicious. Here's Kalyn's Fattoush recipe.

Greek Feta Yogurt Dip, from Jeanette's Healthy Living

Chicken Breast with Prosciuto, from Tobias Cooks

Zaatar and Lemon Grilled Chicken, from Sunset

------------

And a couple bean salads to try (no good pics):

Mediterranean Inspired Kidney Bean Salad, from Delectably Healthy

Bean Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, from the Mayo Clinic

Crazy for quinoa? 14 quinoa dishes to try.

If you're into healthy eating at all -- or Pinterest -- you're probably seeing quinoa everywhere. If you've tried it once before and been unimpressed, try it again. The first dish I had was leftovers from a homemade dish, and was mushy and bland. The second was at a great bistro: the texture was like perfectly-done, nutty brown rice, and the flavor was amped up with some other great ingredients such as sweet potato and balsamic vinaigrette.

And why is it so hot? A dietition on FitDay says that, compared to rice, quinoa "has many more nutrients: it is a complete protein (contains an essential amino acid lysine, which is good for tissue repair and growth), high in iron and fiber, and contains Vitamin E, zinc, and selenium." She also says that quinoa is related to spinach. Huh! I didn't know that. Texture-wise, it makes a great, higher-protein substitute for not only rice, but also orzo pasta and couscous.

 I've created a quinoa salad inspired by that yummy restaurant dish, and also made a simple pilaf by adding sauteed onion and mushrooms. Loved them both; now I want more!

So I'm on the lookout for great quinoa recipes. Because I'm compiling this list for myself, I thought I'd share it here. But to make this a quick post, I'm not including pics of each one. (The photo above is of "super berry quinoa salad," by Angela Simpson, via Eat Spin Run Repeat.)

But trust me: they're all lovely and colorful!

I started this list with 12, but I keep finding more. So far I'm up to 14...

Super berry quinoa salad  (pictured above)

Quinoa with toasted pine nuts

Quinoa pilaf

Colorful quick quinoa Greek salad

Black bean quinoa with basil-lemon dressing

Warm and nutty cinnamon quinoa

Avocado quinoa salad

BLT quinoa salad

Cilantro-lime quinoa

And some orzo dishes to try with quinoa...

Spinach and orzo salad

Sun-dried tomato orzo

Mexican orzo salad

I'd like to try making this wheat-based salad with quinoa...

Strawberry Wheatberry Salad

And a rice dish from Kalyn's Kitchen...

Christmas Rice with Bell Peppers, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts

Have you tried quinoa yet? If not, here's a primer on how to cook it.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe

Looking for things to do with summer's last abundance of garden tomatoes? When you're tired of BLT's (is that possible?), this is one delicious way to serve up the same flavors with a twist.

This recipe is based on Ina Garten's (aka Barefoot Contessa) buttermilk ranch dressing. I'm not saying I could improve on her: these changes were just made to accommodate my being short on fresh basil, my husband's aversion to too much mustard flavor, and our taste for less salt in things. Also, I prefer the taste of yogurt to that of mayo, so I tweaked that proportion a bit.

I loved how it came out! I ate this salad or some variation of it for four days straight! I hope you'll love it, too.

Recipe: Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

2 T. chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed (or 2 t. dried)

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 t. Dijon mustard

1 T. good olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 t. kosher salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 cup Greek-style yogurt

1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken

----

3 small Bibb lettuces, cut in half through the core

   (or 6 hearts of romaine, cut in half through the core, or equivalent loose-leaf chopped)

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut in large cubes, or smaller tomatoes thickly sliced

1 red onion, sliced (optional)

bacon, amount to your liking (optional, but highly recommended)

Place the green onions, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for 15 to 20 seconds to make a smooth mixture. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, and buttermilk and blend until smooth. Transfer the dressing to a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, for the flavors to develop.

Arrange the salad ingredients on salad plates and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper if desired, and serve.

Serves 6.

Ina Garten's "guacamole" salad

The recipe is Ina's; the photo is mine!

Looking for a quick, easy dish to take to a Fourth of July party today? This is it! You can whip it up in about 10 minutes, and although it might taste better if it sits for a bit, you can serve it right away. And because it has no mayo, you don't need to worry about it sitting at room temp for a few hours. Perfect for a potluck, barbeque or picnic! Plus, it's just chock full of healthy stuff, and has no sugar in the dressing!

The recipe is from Ina Garten, and although she calls it "Guacamole Salad," I think of it as avocado salad.

I do make a few minor tweaks. Being the spice wimp I am, I leave out the jalapeno and cut back on the cayenne. But I also add in some chopped cilantro. And after making it the first time, I think I'll double the avocado next time.

It's so yummy, I could eat it straight out of the bowl. For lunch. And I have!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad - sugar free, gluten free, without CoolWhip!

Ever since I saw the recipe for Strawberry Pretzel Salad at MyBakingAddiction, I've wanted to create a sugar-free, lower-carb version. It took a couple tries to get the proportions right, but here it is!

Why is it called Strawberry Pretzel Salad instead of Strawberry Pretzel Dessert, or Strawberry Pretzel Pie? It seems that back in the days when Jello was a new-fangled thing, anything that combined jello with fruit was labeled "salad." And this is an old-timey recipe. The fact that it's survived tells you it's good! (Unlike one of my mom's favorite jello salads, which featured grated carrots in orange jello, topped with cream cheese and grated cheddar cheese. Bleck!)

To imitate the crunchy, salty crust without using actual pretzels, I went with a combination of chopped nuts. Specifically, pecans and salted pepitas. Pepitas are pumpkin seeds that have been dehulled and roasted. All of the pepitas and some of the pecans get a coarse chop, while the rest of the pecans get finely ground. The large nut pieces provide the kind of crunch you'd get from the larger chunks of pretzel, while the finely ground pecans serve as the butter that helps everything stick together. The pepitas have a more delicate crunch, while the pecans provide a sort of buttery flavor like the crust of pretzels. You could make this with just pecans, but if you want that salty kick, you'd need to add extra salt to the recipe.

You can use either 4-oz. Mazon jars -- or any other 4-oz. dish -- or 7-oz. ramekins; your serving number will vary accordingly. The neat thing about using Mason jars is that if a guest is too full for dessert, you can pop a lid on their jar and send it home with them! Lidding all the jars would also be handy if you're transporting your dessert somewhere and need to stack them. Perfect for a picnic or potluck!

Update: Thanks to questions by readers, I've now included the nutrition count at the end of this post. This dessert is certainly not NO-carb, and it does have far more carbs than protein, but it's still a lower carb recipe than the traditional strawberry pretzel salad. And sugar-free and grain-free!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad/Dessert

Fills 21 4-oz Mason jars, or 10-12 ramekins.


2/3 c. salted pepitas, chopped coarsely
2/3 c. pecan pieces, chopped coarsely
1 c. pecan pieces, ground fine
1/4 t. kosher salt
30 pkts. Splenda (or 1.25 c. granular Splenda) (OR LESS)
2  8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 c. whipping cream
1  0.6-oz. package sugar-free strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1  16-oz. package frozen sliced strawberries - no sugar added

Chop the pepitas and the smaller portion of pecans until they are mostly pea-sized and smaller. Grind the larger portion of pecans until they are beginning to stick together. (For method, see my recipe for lime cheesecake shooters.)

The pepitas, before and after:

And the pecans, finely ground and coarsely chopped:

Combine the nuts and salt, and stir until well mixed. 

Place 2 T. into each 4 oz. mason jar (or 1/4 c. into each 7 oz. ramekin). Tamp down lightly using a clean bottle or jar that's smaller than the opening of your serving dishes. (This photo is recycled from a shooter recipe.)

In a medium bowl, beat the Splenda, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. 

Whip the cream till soft peaks form. Using the lowest setting on your mixer, gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, just until even in color. (Overbeating will turn the cream to butter.) 

Spoon this filling into a gallon-sized baggie and snip off the tip of the bag. You may want to do this in two batches to make it easier to handle. 

A side note... The first time I made these, I thought I'd skip the hassle of using a baggie and just carefully spoon the filling into the jars. Here's the result: on the left is the jar I spooned filling into; on the right is the jar where I piped the filling in. Much neater!

Evenly divide the filling between each jar. Place the jars into the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Placing all the jars in a large cake pan will make transporting them to and from the fridge easier.

After the cream filling is chilled, make the jello. In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water. Stir in frozen strawberries. Place the bowl into the refrigerator for three or four minutes. This will allow the gelatin to firm up a bit. 

Evenly spoon the gelatin between each the jars. A small gravy ladle works well for this. 

Also, having the jars in a cake pan while you fill them will save your counter tops from jello stains if, like me, you spill a little.

Place jars back into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Here's the nutrition count, based on 21 servings, erythritol for the sweetener, (via myfitnesspal.com):

Amount Per Serving; % Daily Value *
Calories 205
Total Fat 19 g	29 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	7 %
Monounsaturated Fat 6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 29 mg	10 %
Sodium 111 mg	5 %
Potassium 124 mg	4 %
Total Carbohydrate 14 g	5 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	5 %
Sugars 3 g
Protein 5 g	11 %
Vitamin A	8 %
Vitamin C	31 %
Calcium	5 %
Iron	8 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet,