Flavorful ingredients of the Caribbean — avocado, grapefruit, allspice* and ginger root — combine to make a refreshing side salad. Add grilled shrimp or scallops and the salad becomes a warm-weather, main dish entrée. Two fruits in this salad deliver uniquely different nutrient benefits: avocados with their heart healthy monounsaturated fats, and vitamin C-rich grapefruit!
Ingredients
2 large pink grapefruits
2 medium ripe avocados
1 tablespoon minced shallots or green onion
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon allspice
Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
2 cups watercress or shredded lettuce
¼ cup chopped roasted, salted cashews
Candied ginger, for garnish
Directions
Before you begin: Wash your hands.
- Remove the peel from the grapefruits. Segment the grapefruit, removing the membrane. Squeeze any juice from the membrane and set juice aside.
- Slice the avocados in half lengthwise, starting from the narrower end. Remove the seed by slipping a spoon between the seed and fruit, and gently remove the seed. Remove the peel by slipping the spoon between the peel and the green flesh of the avocado. If ripe, the peel will remove easily. Slice avocados.**
- To make vinaigrette, combine shallots with reserved grapefruit juice, vinegar, lime juice, honey and allspice. Season with black pepper and salt to taste. Whisk well to blend ingredients.
- Divide watercress between four salad plates. Layer the grapefruit segments and avocado slices over the watercress. Drizzle vinaigrette on top. Sprinkle with cashews and, if desired, candied ginger.
Cooking Notes
*Allspice is sometimes called Jamaican pepper.
**If you peel and slice the avocados ahead of time, toss in lime juice to prevent browning.
Nutrition Information
Serves 4
Calories: 400; Calories from fat: 290; Total fat: 33g; Saturated fat: 4g; Trans fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium 40mg; Total carbohydrate: 28g; Dietary fiber: 9g; Sugars: 15g; Protein: 5g
