Pad Thai Salad with Ginger Lime Shrimp

How often do you get your “five a day”? Servings of fruit and vegetables, that is. We eat pretty darn healthy the majority of the time, but there are still days when I know we didn’t quite meet the mark. I start out almost every single day with a big green smoothie for breakfast which definitely starts things out on the right foot. But sometimes throughout the day, the best intentions deteriorate and it can be so easy to give in to an “easier” choice, even if it isn’t the healthiest option.

These pad thai salads are a great way to up your veggie intake. A heap of crisp, fresh veggies take place of the noodles normally included in pad thai. I topped our salads with a ginger-lime shrimp because the kids love anything involving shrimp (or most seafood, really) and this went over extremely well. This is a fresh and filling dinner that also happens to be light and healthy, quick and easy, and gets you a whole lot closer to meeting your five a day. What’s not to love?

Yield about 4 servings

Ingredients

For the dressing:

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
Juice of ½ a lime
½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
¼ tsp. sriracha
1 tbsp. water (if needed)

For the shrimp:

Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
Salt and pepper
1 lb. raw medium size shrimp, peeled and deveined

To assemble:

8-12 oz. salad greens of your choice (I used a blend of baby kale, chard, and spinach)
½ small head of red cabbage, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
4 carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
Bean sprouts (about 1½-2 cups)
½ cup coarsely chopped peanuts
½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions

01
To make the dressing, combine the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, ginger and sriracha in a jar. Close the jar and shake vigorously until a smooth dressing has formed. If the dressing is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of water to thin it slightly. Set aside.
02
To make the marinade, combine the lime juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss well to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
03
Meanwhile, combine the salad greens, cabbage, green onions, and carrots in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Divide portions of the salad onto serving plates. Top each serving with a layer of bean sprouts, a sprinkle of the chopped peanuts, and cilantro.
04
To cook the shrimp, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer and cook 30-60 seconds, until the shrimp are beginning to turn opaque. Flip once and cook about 30 seconds more, until completely opaque. Immediately remove from the heat and let cool briefly.
05
Place the cooked shrimp over the salads and drizzle with the salad dressing as desired. Serve immediately.

Source

adapted from A Couple Cooks