Summer Solstice Strawberries with Grilled Shrimp Salad

With summer solstice 2008 fast upon us, I thought I would offer up this great New Orleans recipe that combines two of the best food gifts of Louisiana- strawberries and shrimp- to celebrate the first day of summer.

Makes 4 servings.

Salad:
2 cups baby spinach, rinsed and dried
2 cups arugula, rinsed and dried
2 cups strawberries (about 1 pt), hulled and sliced
2 oz crumbled goat cheese
3 tbsp pecans, toasted and chopped
2 small green onions, sliced
1 lb shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Dressing:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tbsp honey mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
Pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Combine all salad ingredients (except shrimp) in a large bowl. Toss gently.

2. Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl; slowly whisk in olive oil. Add basil and season with salt and pepper.

Grille the shrimp" Heat and oil and outdoor or stove-top grill. When hot, add shrimp and grill 3 to 4 minutes on each side until slightly charred and cooked through. Remove from heat.

4. Divide salad among 4 plates. Arrange grilled shrimp on top.

5. Drizzle dressing over each and serve.

Nutrition Per Serving: 251 calories, 23 g protein, 12.5 g carbohydrate, 12.8 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 177 mg cholesterol, 2.5 g fiber, 306 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 45%.

Source: Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD in WebMD the Magazine.