Eat Your Greens!

My new favorite lunch salad

Two of my 2011 new year's resolutions were: (1) be able to run the Warrior race wearing shorts & a sports bra (so really: eating healthy and working out) and (2) save more money/become better at managing my money.  One way I hope to accomplish both of those goals is by bringing a healthy lunch to work everyday.  I'm actually one of the few people I know my age that brings my lunch to work.  Working in Times Square, buying lunch can cost anywhere from $5 (Subway footlong) to $15, and it's crazy to think of what you can spend if you buy it everyday.  So usually, I brown bag it - either leftovers from dinner, a salad, a sandwich, and sometimes, when I overspend on the weekends, a good ol' pb&j.  And usually, I'm satisfied with that.  But sometimes I get bored with that and just feel like having something different, which is how I felt last Monday - the very first day I was putting my resolution into effect.  Also, I hadn't gone food shopping, I was too busy celebrating 2011!  So I had to go buy my lunch.

I went to Pret A Manger near my office and got my favorite wrap, the spicy shrimp and cilantro wrap.  It's delicious and is only 290 calories!  I kept thinking that the wrap is so good and does not have a lot of calories, so it's worth buying.  But it's about $8, which is more than what I would like to spend daily on my lunch.  So I decided, I will take this wrap and make a salad inspired from it.  Then I can have it for lunch or even with my dinner if I desire.  So that's what I did.  And I've eaten about 3 times for lunch so far (not bad for 6 days!). 

Making the shrimp for this salad is what took me the longest time to do.  I, in a rush, bought the frozen shrimp that was on sale, with out really realizing that it was still shelled and raw.  Usually, I prefer the one where they're all ready to go and just have to be defrosted (which is what I would recommend).  So I removed the shells from my shrimp, and then seasoned them with some salt and pepper and tossed them into a frying pan.  I simply used a non-stick frying pan, so I didn't add any oil/butter/spray to it.  I let them cook on the stove on a med-low to heat until they looked done (all pink, shaped like a "C"), not too long.  I then let them cool.  In the mean time, I gathered my other items: baby spinach, cilantro, a red pepper and a cucumber.  The baby spinach I simply opened and took out the amount I needed (I trust that it was washed, but give it a rinse if it looks suspect).  I then rinsed and chopped my cilantro.  I didn't chop it too well, because I wanted some bigger pieces in my salad, but you can use your discretion.  Then I cut the cucumber and red pepper into bite size pieces.  What I like to do, to save time during the week, is cut up everything and put them in separate tupperware.  Then when you're making your salad, you simply have to just reach into different containers and throw them in your bowl - super easy!  For dressing, I was able to find sweet chili sauce in the Asian section of my supermarket.  I found that even though it's not a dressing, you can use a tablespoon or less (depending on the size of your salad) and it will lightly coat everything.  I pack my dressing separately from my salad, so I just brought a lot the first time and I brought my salad to work and leave it in the refrigerator here.  It makes it much easier and then I can put some on right before I eat. 

This salad is my new favorite lunch to eat.  It's delicious, refreshing and healthy - perfect for keeping up with resolutions!