Summer salads are one of my favorite foods, you guys. Summertime means long, hot days full of sunshine and outdoor activities – picnics, swimming, lawn games, hiking, you know the drill. You don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen making complicated dinners and heating up your house anymore than you need to – which is why this barbecue salad is perfect.
The lovely people over at Rootz gave us a sample of their new Pineapple Barbecue Sauce to try and I must say – I am in love! I love the sweet and smoky flavor, I love that it’s made locally to Los Angeles, and I love that it isn’t full of weird ingredients I cannot say. You can get their Sweet + Spicy Sauce here if you’re interested, and I hope to see this BBQ Sauce out soon (support their kickstarter here!)…but this recipe will work with either sauce, so without further ado, here’s what you need to make this easy dinner salad.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
10-15 shrimp, defrosted if originally frozen
6 oz barbecue sauce
olive oil
1 bag mixed greens
1 avocado, sliced
1 can black beans
1 red onion, diced or thinly sliced
1 cucumber, diced
1 ear of corn, sliced off cob (either raw or cooked)
1 lemon, juiced
Directions:
1. Put shrimp and barbecue sauce in a bag or shallow container, and allow to marinate for about fifteen minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toss together mixed greens, black beans, fresh corn, cucumbers, and onion.
3. Over medium heat, heat about a half tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron pan. Using a spoon, add shrimp (and some of that delicious BBQ!) and cook until pink, about four to five minutes.
4. Serve salad, topping with avocado and shrimp, and, if desired, squeeze lemon juice over top!
If you want, go ahead and add cheese (I would recommend feta or goat) but this was amazing with the addition, so I kept it plain. I used the frozen shrimp from Trader Joe’s to make this for myself, since Jeff isn’t too keen on seafood, and just half everything above – it’s a great lunch or dinner. For lunch, keep your shrimp separate until just before you eat so nothing gets soggy. AND if you have a grill, try grilling your shrimp on kebabs first!
[addtoany] Yum