Avocado Shrimp Salad

I can't believe it's been almost a year since the last blog post! I haven't stopped trying out new recipes, just haven't posted them.  Life just gets busy I guess.  Anyway...on to the salad.  This Avocado Shrimp salad  is the perfect meal when I have a little extra time to prepare lunch (longer than it takes to make a protein shake) and want to eat something delicious, hearty, and healthy! I love the cajun seasoning on the shrimp! It gives it just the right amount of kick, and when mixed with the citrus dressing is so yummy.  If you aren't a shrimp fan, this could definitely be made with chicken instead!  I didn't add any fresh grilled corn, because it's winter her, but I'll definitely try that in the summer.  I also left out some onion, and cilantro but if you like those go ahead on throw them in.  Just try it out and adjust it to your liking. 




Avocado Shrimp Salad
slightly modified from Natasha's Kitchen

Serves 6 as a side salad or 2 for a dinner salad.

Ingredients for Cajun Shrimp:
1 lb medium shrimp (31-40 Count), peeled and deveined
1 1/2 tsp cajun spice
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Ingredients for Salad:

1 medium romaine lettuce (5-6 cups chopped) * I like to do half lettuce, half baby spinach

½ lb (2 medium) Roma tomatoes, sliced
½  cucumber, sliced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 cup corn kernels (from 2 freshly cooked cobs)

Ingredients for Lemon Dressing:

Juice of 1 large lemon (3 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Drizzle of honey
1 tsp sea salt or ¾ tsp table salt
⅛ tsp black pepper


Instructions
How to make Avocado Shrimp Salad:
Pat dry shrimp with paper towels and place in a medium bowl. Add 1 tsp cajun spice, 2 pressed garlic cloves, a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
Place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp butter and once its melted and hot, add shrimp in a single layer. Sauté 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Chop, rinse and spin dry 1 medium head of romaine lettuce. You should end up with about 6 cups lettuce. Transfer that to a large mixing bowl. Now add 3 sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, 2 sliced avocados and 1 cup cooked corn.
To make the dressing, start with 3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice.  Add 3 Tbsp of olive oil and a drizzle of honey.  Season with 1 tsp salt and a generous pinch of black pepper and stir that together.