Heirloom Tomato Salad With Grilled Shrimp

Don't miss out on heirloom tomatoes, many of which are harvested in early September. Their rich flavor, unusual shapes and bright colors turn ordinary salads and sandwiches into something special. They're also filled with vitamins A and C, plus powerful phytonutrients that fight cancer and heart disease. Grill protein-rich shrimp for just a couple of minutes, and then combine them with your favorite mixed greens, tomatoes and tangy-tart goat cheese for a super-simple main-dish salad. A homemade buttermilk chive dressing adds a refreshing final touch.

Makes 4 large salads and 1 1/4 cups buttermilk dressing*

Ingredients

1 pound raw, peeled, deveined shrimp with the tail on (21 to 25 count size)

Dash of black pepper (optional)

12 cups assorted mixed greens (baby lettuces, spring mix, spinach and arugula)

3 to 4 heirloom tomatoes of assorted colors and shapes, sliced

4 ounces soft goat cheese

Creamy Chive Buttermilk Dressing

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely minced green onions

3 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives

1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, very finely minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

*You'll have leftover dressing; refrigerate in a tightly covered container.

Directions

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate until serving time.

2. Completely oil grill grates or grill rack. Heat grill to medium-high. Season shrimp with pepper if desired.

3. Grill shrimp until they turn opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning once while grilling.

4. Divide mixed greens between four serving plates or bowls. Top each salad with 3 to 4 slices of heirloom tomatoes and one-fourth of the grilled shrimp.

5. Using one-fourth for every salad, place tiny dollops of goat cheese over entire salad.

6. Drizzle with homemade dressing.

Nutrition information (per serving)

(1 salad with 3 tablespoons creamy dressing)

245 calories

33 g protein

8 g carbohydrates

9 g fat (4.5 g saturated)

235 mg cholesterol

574 mg sodium

717 mg potassium

219 mg calcium

5.4 mg iron

3927 IU vitamin A

22 mg vitamin C

2.5 g fiber

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Heirloom Tomato Salad With Grilled Shrimp

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