Thai Shrimp Salad

While this salad isn't Hawaiian, it reminds me of the Hawaiian restaurant motto "eat until you're tired."  This is a true volume eating salad that'll have you nice and full while getting in all kinds of great protein, healthy fats and veggies.  (If anyone has a peanut allergy, sorry...this one isn't for you.)  This is quickly becoming a favorite of ours.  Technically, you could meal prep the whole thing by making the sauce ahead as well as cooking up the shrimp and putting them in the fridge so you just have to assemble if you need a quick meal.

Let's get to it!

Here's what you'll need for 2 big servings or 4 lunch portions:

For the sauce/dressing 

2 cups water

1 packet Herb-Ox Sodium free chicken bouillon (you can use 2 cups of no sodium bone broth if you prefer)

2 tbsp Sriracha sauce (I don't consider this spicy but knock down to 1 tbsp if you like it mild)

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp fresh ginger (save your sanity- get the squeeze kind from Aldi or jarred)

3/4 tsp Penzey's Now Curry seasoning (trust me, just get it.  It's the best blend of spices for curry ever!)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

For the salads

14 oz bag of coleslaw (or broccoli slaw if you prefer)

1 bag large shrimp

1 red/orange or yellow pepper

1/2 zucchini

2 oz red onion

Black sesame seeds (optional)

In a skillet (not saucepan or it takes forever) over medium heat, add all of the ingredients for the sauce except the cornstarch.  I like to keep stirring it with a high heat spatula or else it will stain any bamboo/wood products you might use.  Bring it to a light boil and stir occasionally.  

While that's bubblin' up, you start to assemble your bowls.  We have HUGE salad bowls I like to use for this.  Split the bag of coleslaw/broccoli slaw mix between the two bowls.

Grab your pepper, zucchini and red onion and cut them into your desired shapes.  I usually do strips of pepper cut in half, thin slices of zucchini cut in half and thin sliced of red onion, quartered and set them aside.  Back to the sauce.

Reduce the heat to low and in a small ramekin or cup, add about 2 tbsp cold water and the 1/2 tsp of cornstarch and stir to make a slurry.  Pour it in with the peanut dressing and stir.  It'll thicken as it cooks.  When it gets to this stage where you can run the spatula through the sauce and it make a disappearing trail across the skillet, it's done.

Remove from heat.  This is going to look like a LOT of sauce for two people but trust me, you want it to get in all of the crevices and crannies.  (You could also make this and divide it by 4 into little glass containers if you want dressing for your regular salads all week.)

I take two spatula fulls of sauce to drizzle over the slaw mix.

Grab some tongs and give it a good toss to coat the slaw.

Add two more spatula fulls of sauce over the top and then top with the veggies.

Get your big skillet ready and time to fry up the shrimp!  I put some Mrs Dash Lemon Pepper season in when it gets hot so it blackens the seasoning a little but honestly, you don't need it.  It's gonna be swimming in peanut sauce.

Divide the shrimp in half, add it to your salad and top with the final bit of peanut sauce.

If you like, hit it with a sprinkle or two of black sesame seeds or scallions for pizzazz.  

You can obviously use whatever veggies you prefer.  If you don't want slaw mix, use whatever lettuce you like.  Pineapple chunks are always a yummy addition to this as well.  You could easily divide the recipe by 4 for lunch sized portions and just put the dressing in small glass containers to add just before eating or it'll get soggy.  I have to say, after a big strength training sesh, this salad really hits the spot and refuels you with all the right stuff.  If you'd ever told me 10 years ago I'd be eating something like this, I'd have laughed in your face but now...yes, please!

Here's the estimated nutritional info per salad for two servings.

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