Mango Watercress Salad with Jerk Shrimp

This salad is the second recipe in my "Summer of Salads" series.  It developed out of a strong yearning for a tropical fruit salad that was low-glycemic and well-balanced.  This salad delivers on both accounts and provides a fresh and exciting alternative to the ubiquitous garden salad.

Recipe development for this salad was a bit of a process.  I love mangoes so I knew that would be my key ingredient.  Then, I did a little research and found this recipe from Caribbean Pot that provided me with an excellent base for the salad.  I made a few modifications and ultimately decided that I prefer a 3:1 salad mixture of arugula and watercress.  Otherwise, the watercress is too strong for my personal liking.  To make the salad a little more complex, I added roasted cashew nuts, jerk shrimp, and raw green beans and tossed it in a homemade Allspice and Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing.

Mango Watercress Salad with Jerk Shrimp


Ingredients:

• 5-8 shrimp
• 1 container Grace Hot Jerk Seasoning
• 1 cup arugula
• 1/3 cup watercress
• 1/8 medium red onion, julienned
• 1/8 medium red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/4 cup raw green beans, snapped
• 1/4 ripe mango, cubed
• 1 tablespoon roasted cashew nuts

Directions:

Peel and devein shrimp.  Rub generously with jerk seasoning and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Remove shrimp from refrigerator and cook using your preferred method -- grill, broiler, or stovetop.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the flesh turns pink.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

In a large salad bowl, toss the remaining ingredients with 2 tablespoons of Allspice and Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing (recipe below).  Transfer salad to a serving plate and top with cooked jerk shrimp.  Enjoy!

Allspice and Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup tamari
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup safflower oil

Directions:

Place first nine ingredients in a blender and combine.  With blender running, slowly pour in oil to reach desired consistency.  

Note: This recipe yields about 2 cups of salad dressing, which will last approximately 2 weeks in the refrigerator.