Grilled Shrimp Summer Salad

Grilled shrimp summer salad is loaded with protein, antioxidants and summer produce that will quickly become a summer meal staple!

The grill is my kitchen during the spring and summer seasons. Grilling is a straightforward process -- it’s easy and quick. Plus who wouldn’t want to be outside with sun rays and the amazing aroma of grilled food in the air?

That’s why this grilled shrimp summer salad has been playing on repeat all summer long! When my husband and I come home after our evening workout, we usually just want to eat something light yet nutrient dense to replenish our bodies, but we don’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen while we are starving! A salad is a perfect solution to this dilemma.

What’s great about salads is that they are versatile so even if you do not have all the ingredients or the produce is no longer in season, you can add whatever you like.

Aside from the grilled shrimp, this recipe has three components: pineapple salsa, blueberries, and basil vinaigrette. So, for example, if pineapples are not in season, use another fruit like peaches or oranges. Have fun with the ingredients and customize this salad to YOUR preference!

Another great thing about salads is that if you make everything in bulk then it just takes minutes to prepare a salad each night. Just put everything in containers and add/take away things to your salad depending on what mood you are in!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!  

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Grilled shrimp summer salad is loaded with protein, antioxidants and summer produce that will quickly become a summer meal staple!

INGREDIENTS

Grilled Shrimp Marinade

• 12 oz large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)

• 1/2 tsp cayenne

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 2 dashes red pepper flakes

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

• 2 Tbsp EVOO

Pineapple Salsa

• 1 cup fresh pineapple

• 1 jalapeno

• 1 small bunch cilantro

• 1 large red tomato

• 1/2 red onion

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• S&P to taste

Blueberry and Basil Vinaigrette

• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries

• 4-8 basil leaves (depending on preference)

• 1/2 lemon

• 1 tsp dried minced onion

• 1-2 tsp honey

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup EVOO

• S&P to taste

Grilled Shrimp Marinade

1. Combine shrimp, seasonings, lemon, and oil to a Ziploc bag-making sure the shrimp is fully covered. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soak 6-10 small skewers in water.

2. From the shrimp from the fridge and thread 6-8 shrimp on each damp skewer.

3. Very lightly brush a cast iron griddle or grill grate with oil. Heat the grill to medium. Grill the shrimp for 5-7 minutes, turning over once halfway through.

4. Place the shrimp skewers on a plate to cool. Sprinkle additional red pepper flakes if you like!

Pineapple Salsa

1. Finely dice all ingredients and in a bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Blueberry and Basil Vinaigrette

1. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional oil or water if the mixture is too thick.

2. * Due to the natural pectin found in the blueberries, this dressing will quickly begin to gel. Use immediately or blend in additional liquid to make it pourable.

Directions:

1. Prepare your salad by adding greens, alfalfa sprouts, grilled shrimp skewers, pineapple salsa, vinaigrette and your favorite toppings! Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowls

Grilled chicken burrito bowls with Pico de Gallo made easy at the comfort of your own home!

This grilled chicken burrito bowl was inspired by the notable chain restaurants Chipotle and Moe’s. It can be so tempting to go through their lines and simply tell them what you want: Your choice of protein, black or brown beans, white or brown rice, and finish it off with toppings (hello, Pico de Gallo!). Well, this recipe is just like that -- tailor it exactly how you want it, or even add things that Chipotle/Moe’s, etc. may not have! With this recipe, I’m making it with my personal preferences and a special grilled chicken marinade recipe. I’ll even show you how easy it is to make Pico de Gallo.

My grilled chicken burrito bowl recipe is gluten and dairy-free using clean and simple ingredients that, in my opinion, is much healthier than eating out while saving you a lot of money!

As you know, a burrito bowl is complex in flavor because there are many components like veggies, protein, and carbs that each play a different role. I would say this recipe can take up to 40 minutes to make, but that’s only if you are making rice. You can cut some time off by using instant rice, or by preparing the ingredients ahead of time. I often tend to have my veggies already cut and ready to use in the fridge, so if you’re like me, then this burrito bowl can be made very quickly.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!  

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Grilled chicken burrito bowls with Pico de Gallo made easy at the comfort of your own home! 

INGREDIENTS

Grilled Chicken Marinade

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• juice of one lime

• 2 Tbsp EVOO

Pico de Gallo

• 1/2 white onion (diced)

• 2 roma tomatoes (diced)

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• juice of 1/2 lime

• 1 jalapeno diced ((spicy version))

Cilantro Lime Rice

• 1 cup sprouted brown rice

• 2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• juice of 1/2 lime

• S&P to season

Toppings

• grilled corn

• sliced avocados

• lime wedges

• hot sauce

• romaine lettuce

• black beans

• diced jalapenos

DIRECTIONS

Grilled Chicken

1. Combine seasonings, EVOO, lime, and chicken into a gallon size Ziploc bag and sit in the fridge to marinate for two hours or overnight (preferred).

2. Cook chicken on the grill on medium heat for 5-7 minutes and flip for an additional 5-7 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Let sit until you are ready to assemble the burrito bowl.

Pico de Gallo

1. Combine all ingredients and sit until ready to assemble.

Cilantro Lime Rice

1. Add rice and water (or broth) to a rice cooker and cook on the brown rice setting until fluffy and fully cooked. If you do not have a rice cooker then cook in a medium saucepan for about 30-35 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.

2. Toss in cilantro, lime, and seasonings until fully mixed and set aside.

Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowl

1. Meal prep - Divide chicken, pico de gallo, rice and toppings into meal prep containers.-Tip: separate cold toppings like avocado, lime wedges and lettuce into Ziploc bags or stasher bags to keep fresh before eating.

Pecan Crusted Spiced Salmon

Pecan crusted spiced salmon is loaded with flavor, juicy and oh so tasty! This salmon is great for a quick dinner or lunch meal prep!

Ever since Katie Lee from the Kitchen on Food Network made brown sugar spiced salmon, I have been obsessed with the concept! The salmon looks professional and complex yet super easy to make.

The only thing stopping me from eating it so much is that it calls for ½ cup of brown sugar! That’s why I recreated this recipe using coconut sugar instead of brown sugar while also adding pecans for texture and crunch.

I usually pair the salmon with sweet potatoes because the caramelized pecans complement the flavor and texture of the sweet potato. It’s also great to make this for lunch or for your meal prep as the dish is filled with healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates to keep you satisfied and full of energy!

If you are incorporating this recipe into your meal prep, I would recommend eating the salmon at least two days after it has been cooked. If you are anything like me, I like to have my salmon cooked on the raw side so fewer days in the fridge is best!

To make this into a lunch/dinner meal prep: simply boil two peeled sweet potatoes until mushy. Add salt and pepper to your potatoes. Next, saute the rest of your vegetables until halfway cooked through with salt and pepper. Assemble by adding mashed sweet potatoes, vegetables and salmon on top. Enjoy!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Pecan crusted spiced salmon is loaded with flavor, juicy and oh so tasty! This salmon is great for a quick dinner or lunch meal prep!

ingredients

• 1 lb fresh salmon

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp pepper

directions

1. Sprinkle seasonings on the pink side of the salmon.

2. Add oil to a pan on medium-high heat. When hot, place seasoning side down on the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add salt and pepper to season the skin part of the salmon and flip.

4. Mix sugar and pecans and sprinkle the mixture on top of the salmon. Cover with a lid and set the temperature to low-medium and cook for 5-10 minutes or until desired pink and the sugar has melted.

5. *If the coconut sugar has not caramelized, place the skillet in the oven with the broiler on low. Cook for 1-2 minutes but make sure you keep an eye on it!

6. Let cool and serve with mashed sweet potatoes and steamed vegetables!

Simple Steak Marinade with Chimichurri Sauce

No summer grill is complete without a good steak marinade and chimichurri sauce recipe! Easy, simple and super delicious!

When it comes to steak, you want to think of the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid!). When cooked right, a steak is super juicy and tender on its own with some simple salt and pepper. But to take it to the next level, well, I am all about that! Using marinades is a great way to kick up your steaks just a notch. This simple marinade infuses the steak with tons of flavor. Lime juice is used to break down the toughness of the meat while the garlic brings out the flavor. I highly recommend marinating the steak overnight but if you are pushed for time, 30 minutes should suffice. For this recipe, I used strip steak, but you can also use different cuts of steak like a skirt steak for instance.

My favorite way to cook a steak is on the grill (is there a better way!?). I like to set my grill over medium-high heat and cook each side for just 5 minutes to get a nice sear and to achieve the rare to medium-rare pinkness. You could also cook in a skillet if you do not have access to a grill.

(By the way, this steak marinade recipe can be used for my verde carne asada tostadas!!)

You could stop after grilling your steak, but wouldn’t you like to go an extra step? If you are interested in adding some green to your steak, try out adding a chimichurri sauce! Since you are marinating the steak with subtle ingredients, the sauce really takes the steak to the next level!

Everyday herbs like cilantro and parsley are used to provide a fresh clean flavor to the steak. The sauce is super easy to make with just a processor or blender. You could also use this sauce on different types of dishes like eggs, chicken, or used in pasta salad dishes.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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No summer grill is complete without a good steak marinade and chimichurri sauce recipe! Easy, simple and super delicious! 

INGREDIENTS

Steak Marinade

• 1 1/2 lb steak of choice

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 lime (squeezed)

• 2 Tbsp EVOO

Chimichurri Sauce

• 1 cup flat leaf parsley

• 1 cup cilantro

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1/2 medium onion

• 1 Tbsp lime juice

• 1/3 cup EVOO

• S&P to taste

• dash of chili pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

For the marinade and grilling

1. Coat the steak with salt and pepper on each side.

2. Whisk the garlic, lime, and EVOO together and pour into the Ziploc bag.

3. Add the steak to the bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight preferably.

4. Grill on medium-high heat and cook for 5-10 minutes per side or until desired pinkness.

5. Let the steak rest by placing aluminum foil over the steak for at least five minutes. Cut steak across the grain and serve with chimichurri sauce.

For the chimichurri saucE

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.

Slow Cooker Verde Carne Asada Tostadas

Verde carne asada tostadas that are slow cooked and served on a crisp cassava and coconut grain free tortilla! 

In honor of my husband’s favorite, I am sharing the recipe for my slow cooker carne asada tostadas with salsa verde. I have even used his favorite for this recipe -- steak! You can, of course, use whatever protein you desire, but the key ingredients are my homemade salsa verde, onions, garlic, and beef stock. This recipe is super versatile, easy, and delicious.I love this recipe because I get to use my slow cooker, so not only are you getting the juicy and tender meat you are saving time! Sundays are typically designated as my meal prep day so I will start a batch first thing in the morning. By the time dinner comes around, my husband and I will have dinner ready for that night and for the rest of the week!

Tostadas are a super fun way to enjoy carne asada. Who doesn’t like a good crispy fried or baked tortilla?! For this recipe, I love using Siete foods cassava and coconut flour tortillas. I pan fry them with a couple tablespoons of coconut oil. There is just something about these tortillas that just take the recipe to the next level!

Have fun with adding your favorite toppings! I like to keep it simple with cilantro, sliced radishes, avocado salsa verde, and a squeeze of lime.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo with #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Verde carne asada tostadas that are slow cooked and served on a crisp cassava and coconut grain free tortilla! 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs grass fed beef steak

• 2 cups salsa verde

• 1 medium white onion (sliced)

• 5 cloves garlic (mashed)

• 1 cup organic grass fed beef broth low-sodium

Toppings

Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sliced radishes and avocado salsa verde

Optional toppings

Cotija cheese, refried beans, sliced avocado, diced red onions, and sliced jalapenos

DIRECTIONS

1. Season beef steak with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp coconut oil. Once the pan is hot, add the steak to the pan. Sear the steak for a few minutes on each side. You just want a nice sear; not actually cooking the steak.

3. Turn your crockpot on high and add the seared steak, salsa verde, onions, garlic and beef broth until beef is fully submerged.

4. Cook on high for 5-6 hour or until beef steak is falling apart.

5. While the mixture is cooking, use this time to prep the toppings you will be using for the tostadas.

6. Turn the crockpot off and wait for the meat to cool.

7. As the beef mixture is cooling, in a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, drop one tortilla in until it starts to brown, flip and brown, cooks in about 1-2 minutes. Continue until all tortillas have been fried. Let rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil and sprinkle with salt.

8. Layer the tostadas with the verde carne asada, chopped cilantro, radishes, then drizzle with avocado salsa verde and squeeze of one lime wedge.

9. Layer with additional ingredients, serve and enjoy!

NOTES

1. Salsa verde and avocado salsa verde recipe