Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Meet your new summer go-to meal. 
In an effort to recreate a dream salad that I noshed on in Austin, I whipped up this recipe for Justin and I to enjoy during nap time/al fresco today. Full of crisp summer veggies, quick cooking shrimp in an easy marinade and not so good for you but oh so delicious add ons, this salad is as simple as it is delicious. To top it off, the dressing is homemade, fresh and has a bit of zest – a perfect topping for a rich and flavorful salad. This recipe serves 4 adults but this could easily feed a crowd or a couple – and will certainly impress with it’s gorgeous colors and crunch. 
Pair it with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc and a fresh baguette and you’ll be good to go! 
Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
For the shrimp
peeled, deveined shrimp, 5 per person
(I keep a bag of frozen peeled and deveined shrimp from Trader Joe’s in my freezer at all times to add to salads or pasta dishes – it’s a great deal, too!)
1/4 cup lime juice
1 clove crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning 
Method:
Defrost the shrimp by running under warm water
In a bowl combine:
 lime juice, crushed garlic and Old Bay Seasoning 
Add defrosted shrimp, toss to cover shrimp in marinade, cover, pop in fridge to marinate
(let marinate while you make the dressing and assemble the salad, the longer it sits, the more lime you will taste in the grilled shrimp)
Once marinated, skewer using wood skewers that have been soaked in water or use metal kebab skewers, cook on grill or grill pan until cooked through 
Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
For the Salad:
3 Hearts of Romain, chopped
1/2 of an English cucumber, chopped
5 San Marzano tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup Red Onion, sliced thin
1/3 Gorgonzola cheese
4 pieces cooked thick cut bacon, chopped
1 Hard Boiled egg, sliced or chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped 
Method:
 For a pretty presentation, place lettuce in bowl, layer on ingredients in sections, leaving room for the grilled shrimp in the middle 
Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Once shrimp is grilled, place immediately in the center of the salad and serve, either with dressing drizzled on top or on the side! 
Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Creamy Avocado Dressing 
adapted from this recipe 
1 Ripe avocado
Juice of one large lemon (Meyer lemons are my preference) 
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste (we like a lot but at least use 1/4 teaspoon)
1/4 cup Low Fat Sour Cream 
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Method
Combine all ingredients in food processor – blend until smooth, slowly adding water as you pulse to thin out the texture (I used maybe 1/3 cup). Yields about a cup, depending on how much water you add/thin it out. The dressing will keep in the fridge, sealed, for a week or so.
Want to Pin either recipe? Go for it! 
Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing