In their new book Good Food, Good Mood: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Support Mind and Body Wellness, certified nutritionists Tamara Green and Sarah Grossman present formulas that are guaranteed to deliver nutrients while tasting delicious. This salad recipe, in particular, is designed to balance blood sugar while delivering doses of fibre, healthy fats and prebiotics. “Fresh and colourful, this salad is a one-bowl meal with all the vegetables, protein and healthy fat you need for balanced blood sugar, to feel full, focused and energized,” Green and Grossman write. “The sweet-and-sour dressing brings everything together in this summery, uplifting meal that was inspired by our friend Sonia Wong, of the blog saltnpepperhere. We love the beautiful array of colours here, pastel orange and purple and our favourite, green – you can be sure that you’re eating a variety of micronutrients and minerals that support you in feeling more joyful.”
Melon, Poppyseed and Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lime halved
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 8 black peppercorns
- 1 lb large raw shrimp peeled and deveined (tails can be left on, if you prefer)
- ½ pkg thin rice noodles optional
- 2 radishes cut in matchsticks or half-moons
- ⅓ cucumber cut in matchsticks or half-moons
- 1 cup chopped snap peas or snow peas
- ½ cup cantaloupe cut in ½-inch cubes
- ¼ small red onion thinly sliced, or ¼ cup pickled red onion
- ½-1 avocado peeled, pitted and sliced
- ½-1 cup roughly torn mixed fresh herbs mint, basil and/ or cilantro
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Honey Lime Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- ½ tsp sea salt
- A few cracks of pepper
Instructions
- Pour 16 cups of water into a pot, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, and then put both lime halves in the pot, add the salt and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, cover the pot, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the shrimp to a sieve and run under cold water for 45 seconds to stop the cooking.
- If you’re using rice noodles, boil a pot of water, turn off the heat and add the noodles, giving them a quick stir. Let sit for 7 to 10 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the oil, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss together the shrimp, radishes, cucumber, snap peas, cantaloupe, red onion and noodles. Pour the vinaigrette overtop and toss to coat.
- Top with avocado, fresh herbs and poppy seeds. Give it all another gentle toss to incorporate the toppings. It’s best to enjoy this recipe right away.
