Shrimp and Israeli Couscous Salad with Mango and Avocado

Being the primary cook in our house, I have a lot of control over what's on the table. I prepare what I crave, and lately it's been salads. Often this is a green salad with vegetables and roasted salmon. However, when I'm in the mood for something heartier, I bust out the rice or couscous (I love my carbs). For this bowl, I pulled together a bunch of ingredients that make me sublimely happy: shrimp, mango, herbs, and avocado. It may not be the healthiest "salad," but its fresh and vibrant flavors are what I need to get me through these last weeks of winter.

Shrimp and Israeli Couscous Salad with Mango and Avocado

Servings: 4-6, as a side

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
3 cups vegetable broth
3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 mango, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup torn mint leaves
1/8 cup torn parsley leaves, stems removed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons minced ginger
Juice of 1 lime
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Paprika
Salt
Black pepper

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add couscous and stir continuously until the couscous gets a little color and smells toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. If there is any remaining liquid, drain through a colander. 

In a mixing bowl, toss shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer the couscous and shrimp to a large serving bowl and toss with the red pepper, mango, lime juice, parsley, mint, garlic, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spicy Squid and Mango Salad

Spicy Squid and Mango Salad

Spicy Mango and Squid Salad

Spicy Mango and Squid Salad

We closed on our house last week!!! (I think that deserved more than a single exclamation point) After we did the walk through and signed a gazillion documents, Eric and I went back and had a quiet moment together. There was Prosecco consumed out on the front porch. We got to meet a few of our neighbors, all of whom greeted us warmly. Now we begin the process of moving. We immediately started moving fragile items and the massive amounts of photography props just to make room for more boxes.  Next week, the movers come which, along with hiring a painter, was one of the smartest things we could have done in this whole process. Those cookbooks are heavy!

Despite having no furniture in our house, we managed to throw our first dinner party on Sunday. Ok, so we took in Thai food and ate on the kitchen floor, but it was still a lot of fun. And we drank some delicious wine (thanks to Eric's brother and sister-in-law). My heart melted a little when our niece came up to me and asked me if this was our new home. Seriously, precious.

This weekend will be spent in NJ hanging with my mom as she turns the big 6-0 (sorry, Mom, I had to share!). For months, she kept telling me that it was crazy to come down in the middle of the move. But celebrating this milestone... well, there's no way we are missing this.

Spicy Mango and Squid Salad

Spicy Squid and Mango Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small squid, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings and tentacles halved 1 mango, ripe but still firm, peeled and julienned 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup lightly packed mint leaves 4 basil leaves, chiffonade 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro Juice of one lime 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger 1 shallot, sliced thinly 1 tsp chopped habanero pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts Salt Black pepper

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a skillet and set over medium heat. Add the squid and cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until they become opaque. Season with 2 teaspoons Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Remove from heat and transfer squid, but not the cooking liquid, to a bowl to cool.

2. In a separate bowl, add the lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, shallot, and habanero. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and whisk to combine.

3. Add the mango, red pepper, mint, basil, and cilantro to the bowl with the squid. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.

4. Transfer salad to a serving bowl and top with peanuts. Season with salt, to taste.