Cooking Done Light

Caesar salad has become vastly popular over the past few years, and I am amoung it’s many fans; I am not, however, a fan of it’s nutritional statistics! The dressing that normally adorns this salad packs a huge calorie count – and it doesn’t help that if it is ordered while at a restaurant, they tend to drench the whole thing with the dressing.

This version is much lighter – and the homemade garlic croutons and delectable grilled shrimp make it simply perfect in my opinion. You can substitute grilled chicken for the shrimp, if that is your preference – it will up the calorie count by a mere 23 calories per serving (if you use 1 chicken breast to top each salad).

(And I know that the recipe looks rather long, but it really takes very little time to prepare. There are just a few short steps to get it all together.)

1/4 cup egg substitute (such as egg beaters)

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

8 cups romaine lettuce, torn or cut into large chunky pieces

garlic croutons (see recipe below)

grilled shrimp (see recipe below)

salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk the egg substitute, garlic, anchovy paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl; slowly pour in the olive oil while constantly whisking. Then stir in the parmesan cheese,
and season the dressing with a little salt and pepper. Cover and put in the fridge until you are finished making the shrimp and croutons.

To Make the Croutons:
8 slices whole wheat french (or another “crusty”) bread

1 teaspoon olive oil (or use olive oil spray to make it even lighter)

1 garlic clove

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of the bread with the olive oil (or lightly mist it with the olive oil spray). Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut half on both sides of the bread; lightly sprinkle with the salt.

Cut the bread into cubes and spread it in one layer on a baking sheet; bake for about 10 minutes (giving the pan a good shake half way through) or until the cubes are crispy and lightly golden brown.

To Make the Shrimp:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 24 to 32 total) peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons blackened (or Cajun) seasoning

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat a grill (or countertop grill, or stovetop grill pan) over medium-high heat. Toss the shrimp with the olive oil in a small bowl and coat it very well, then sprinkle it with the seasoning, and place it on the grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, transfer to a plate and drizzle with the lemon juice.

To Serve:

In a large bowl, toss the dressing with the lettuce until it is well coated. Add the croutons and lightly toss again. Divide the salad mixture between 4 plates and top each plate with 6 – 8 shrimp.

Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 322 calories, 11 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 13 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 29 g protein, 123 mg sodium, 107 mg cholesterol