Southwestern shrimp salad

When I was growing up, my mom would make this bean salad called Texas caviar. It had all the usual suspects of Tex-Mex cuisine—corn, bell pepper, onion, tomato, etc. We would eat it with Fritos Scoops by the vat (or so it felt). It was an awesome summertime eat because it didn’t require a heat source to make. Midwest summers don’t mix well with the oven. Or the stove. Or even a toaster. Ninety-degree days with 90% humidity and no air conditioner? No thanks, I’ll eat my Eggo frozen.

Here, I have made a slightly sexier version of my mom’s Texas caviar. I should probably call if California caviar because if living in LA has taught me anything, it’s that adding avocado to something makes it “Californian.”  But, I won’t do that to you guys.  

This salad is hearty, fresh, and light. You can eat it by itself, over greens, or my personal fav—with tortilla chips. The lime and cilantro lend a brightness that really wakes up the shrimp and cuts through the richness of the avocado. The black beans give it some substance, so it’s easy to fill up on. I like to keep my knife cuts rough and rustic and the best part about making this dish is that the measurements don’t need to be precise. Add as many or as little of the ingredients as you like. You can also eliminate anything you don’t jive with or add an all-star ingredient I may have left out.

Ingredients

• 1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2-1 can corn, drained (or fresh or frozen)
• 1/2-1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• juice of 2 limes
• cilantro, chopped (to taste)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Peel your shrimp (if they haven’t been) and chop into bite size pieces. Prepare all vegetables by dicing into similar sized chunks.

In a small bowl combine lime juice, onion, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Let sit for about 5 minutes to allow the juices to mellow out the flavor of the onion.

In a large mixing bowl combine corn, beans, avocado, tomato, jalapeño, shrimp, and cilantro. Add onion mixture and stir to coat. Add more oil or lime juice if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 30 mins. Serve with tortilla chips, over greens, or just by itself!

Chili lime shrimp and veggie kebabs

The air is getting warmer, the sun is shining brighter, and the shorts are getting shorter—this can only mean one thing—summer is right around the corner! When I think about summer cuisine I think bright, fresh, and light. Herbs, citrus, and seafood are among my favorite summertime foods, and they pair so well together to create light, refreshing meals.

One of my best friends from high school, who’s now living in Vancouver (miss you!!), posted a photo of some grilled skewers she and her fiancé made last week, and it inspired me to make my own. I prefer using an outdoor grill for this to get a nice smoky flavor, but if you are like me and don’t have access to one, don’t fret—you can achieve the same effect using an indoor grill pan.

Chili and lime is a famous flavor combo, especially near the border. It pairs well with proteins such as chicken, seafood, and even nuts. I’ve been craving shrimp lately, so I opted for the seafood route with these kebabs. Another good alternative would be chicken or a nice, meaty fish such as halibut or tuna. I like to cook the meat on separate skewers than the vegetables to ensure a more even cook throughout. I also baked the veggies, rather than grilling them so I could cook them at the same time as the shrimp.

This meal is super light and healthy (and pretty!) making it perfect for summer. For a little more substance, serve kebabs with a side of rice perfumed with herbs like cilantro or parsley. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm, I should’ve done that! Next time.

Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• cherry tomatoes
• bell peppers (any color)
• red onion
• zucchini (yellow/green)
• cilantro (chopped)
• chili powder
• granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
• Sriracha
• Lime juice (2-3 limes + extra for garnish)
• avocado oil (or canola, olive oil, etc)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel shrimp if not already peeled and place in a large bowl. Combine juice of 2 small limes, oil, granulated garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper, cilantro, and Sriracha to coat shrimp. Let marinate in the fridge for half an hour.

Chop veggies (as many as you’d like) into bite-size chunks (keep cherry tomatoes whole) and toss in a bowl with juice of a lime, oil, chili powder, granulated garlic, Sriracha , and salt and pepper to taste.

Skewer the veggies onto a metal skewer (if using wood, make sure to soak in water beforehand) in any order you like. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet lined in foil for easier clean up. Place the skewers on the rack and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Preheat your grill pan to med-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Skewer the shrimp. During the last 5-10 minutes of bake time for the vegetables, start grilling the shrimp. They only take a couple minutes on each side, so the shrimp and vegetables should get done at the same time.

Grill shrimp on one side for about 2 minutes, flip, and grill for another 1-2 minutes until shrimp are completely opaque. Make sure not to overcook the shrimp as they will get tough and rubbery.

Serve with lime wedges and chopped cilantro to garnish.

*This amount of shrimp makes approximately 3 skewers.