Blood Orange Avocado Pico with Chili Lime Shrimp Quinoa Salad

What a weather week this has been! Last week started with the Blizzard of 2015, which ended up being less than a foot of snow (a manageable amount) here in NYC. It has stayed cold the rest of the week and ended today with more snow. We've been beaten down with highs in the teens.

Whenever the winter weather gets really miserable, I crave either comfort food or tropical flavors that take my taste buds right to summer. Fortunately, the depths of winter are also blood orange season, and, with the beauty of a global economy, we can get avocados and tomatoes in NY even in January.

Blood Orange Avocado Pico
Serves 4-6

• 2 blood oranges, segmented and chopped
• 1 large yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 dry pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Chili Lime Shrimp Quinoa Salad
Serves 4

• 1 cup red quinoa
• 1 tsp plus 1 heaping tsp garlic salt, separated
• 3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 c arugula

Add quinoa, 1 tsp garlic salt and 2 c water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, until water is evaporated and quinoa is cooked. Allow to cool.

Add shrimp, chili powder, lime juice, olive oil and remaining garlic salt to a bowl. 

Mix and allow to marinate 1-2 hours.

Heat griddle or large saute pan to medium high heat. Cook shrimp 7 to 9 minutes, turning once, until pink and cooked through.

Add 2 c arugula to each bowl. Top with 1/2 c. cooked quinoa, several shrimp and a healthy serving of Blood Orange Avocado Pico.