Tex-Mex Cobb Salad with Shrimp

I love this salad!  It's so light, refreshing and delicious.  Plus it's 21 day fix friendly and perfect for a clean eating lifestyle.  It's easy to put together and great for a quick weeknight meal.  I usually make extra shrimp and corn for the kids and give them some avocado, shredded cheese, and beans on the side.  Serve all that up with some fruit and my kids are super happy at dinner time!  And mommy's happy too because I'm not making 2-3 different meals at dinner time.  Woo-hoo!  

If you are doing this for the 21 day fix, just measure out what you want or need to eat for that meal (i.e. 1 red, 1 yellow, 2-3 green, 1 blue) and toss it with 1-2 T of dressing.  That way, people in your house on different calorie plans can portion out their allotment.  

So you have to give this one a try - I hope that you guys like it as much as we do!

Happy Cooking!

Sarah

Tex-Mex Cobb Salad with Shrimp
original recipe by Sarah that serves 2 very hungry adults for dinner

For the Cobb Salad:
12 shrimp, peeled, deveined, cooked and chilled (6-8 per person...I usually buy a big bag of cooked frozen shrimp, thaw them and lay them out on paper towels in fridge until I'm ready to eat.  That way I can avoid any special trips to the grocery store - I just always have frozen shrimp in my freezer).
6 cups of lettuce, chopped - use your favorites...I used romaine
1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup black beans (from a can, drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup of fresh corn, cooked on the cob and cut off - I like to grill mine
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 avocado, diced

For the Creamy Tomatillo Dressing:
1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt
2 T salsa verde
2 T fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 large lime
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4-1/2 small jalapeño, seeds removed (depending on how spicy you like it)

First combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small food processor or blender (I use my ninja).   Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.  Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.  This recipes makes way more dressing than you will need for the salad.  I found that it's also yummy as a sour cream substitute on Mexican favorites such as tacos or burritos.

Place all of your salad ingredients in a large bowl (except for the shrimp and avocado).

Add about 4 tablespoons of dressing (for 2 servings) or more if you desire.  Toss until well combined.  The trick here is to start with a little dressing and add more if you need to.  Top with the shrimp and avocado.  Serve immediately and enjoy!