Vegetable Shrimp Salad with Lemon

Ingredients:

I do believe that this is my favorite food of all time. It is so unbelievably delicious (especially if you're a fan of fresh vegetables) that I really don't have the words to describe it! It's called a "summer" salad, but what with modern agriculture being what it is, you can pretty much make it any time of the year. And bonus: your colon will thank you! This is one of those dishes that really makes you feel like you've done your body a favor after you eat it.

You will need:
4 large lemons (or 6 small ones)
1 each red, yellow and green bell peppers
1 head cauliflower
1 head broccoli
2 bunches green onions
1 lb shrimp (preferably fresh)
Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Salt/pepper/sugar (or substitute)

The broccoli in the picture looks frozen, but it isn't - it's just water droplets catching the light.

Step 1:

Remove the cap and clean out the insides of your peppers, then wash them.

Start the shrimp to boiling, then cut your peppers into thin strips

Step 2:

Sliced up:

Step 3:

Watch that shrimp - it cooks quite fast, be careful to take it out of the boil as soon as you notice no more transparency.

Step 4:

Make sure you run the shrimp under cold water or it will continue to cook and end up rubbery!

Step 5:

Remove the tails on the shrimp and de-vein if needed (I prefer buying shrimp that has already been de-veined mechanically), then let them chill out while you finish with your cutting.

Step 6:

Put your cut up peppers into a large salad bowl.

Step 7:

Cut your broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized morsels. Be careful about this, nobody likes big old honking clumps.

Step 8:

Throw it in the bowl with the peppers.

Step 9:

Chop your onion.

Step 10:

Add it to the mix.

Step 11:

And now to make the dressing, which I promise you, makes the dish! Squeeze your lemons.

Step 12:

When you're done, you want about a cup of lemon juice. I was a little short this time, oh well - this is really fast and loose, it's hard to go wrong.

Step 13:

Add about a half as much olive oil as you have lemon juice.

Step 14:

Add about half as much dijon mustard as you have olive oil.

Step 15:

Adding the dijon:

Step 16:

Add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon of each, but I use Sweet&Low and just add a very little bit of a dash. The sweet should just barely be noticeable and balance out the tart. Whisk it all up.

Step 17:

Add the now chilled shrimp to the veggies.

Step 18:

Pour on the dressing.

Step 19:

Mix it all up.

Step 20:

Garnish with a lemon, and you're good to go!