Clean Out Refrigerator Day Salad

Clean Out Refrigerator Day (CORD) Salad

I made this salad for an orientation day of new hires at the company. I don't do fast food, so I always make myself, the educators, the new crews, and the office guys a healthy alternative. (They still ordered pizza and Chinese), but I was bombarded with requests for the recipe. Which I didn't have, because I just made it up as I emptied out the fridge. Here's my best attempt at re-creation.

• 1 lb Israeli Cous Cous cooked in chicken stock (you could use orzo, brown rice, or quinoa. As with all grains, cook them in chicken stock, as they have no flavor, or cook them in really salty water, if you prefer a vegetarian version. Use anything  (grain or pasta) you have leftover in your fridge.)
• 1 lb peeled and de-veined shrimp, (roasted in a 400 degree oven, seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice), and split in half lengthwise. Cool.
• 1 cup (or so) marinated artichoke hearts, (from a jar) drained and sliced
• 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped, salted and drained on paper towels
• 1 (or so) cups roasted red pepper strips from a jar, drained
• Several cups Arugula, whatever you have. Could sub baby spinach
• 1 bag broccoli slaw. Could sub cole slaw, no dressing, or leave it out altogether.
• 2 small avocados, chopped.
• 1 handful toasted almonds or pine nuts. (Pine nuts were my first choice, but I burned them and resorted to sliced almonds).
• Almost forgot! I chopped up a leftover grilled zucchini half and threw that in, as well.
• Fresh herbs: 1/2 - 1 cup chopped dill and parsley. Use whatever you have. Dill goes well with shrimp. Parsley brightens the whole dish up.
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• Dressing:
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tsp (or so) white wine vinegar (I used Pinot grigio, but Champagne vinegar would work equally well).
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• About 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, maybe more, depending on taste
• 1 Tbls good Mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 Tbls light Agave nectar or honey, to taste

Directions:

• Cook, drain, and cool grains or pasta, or use what you have in your fridge.
• Peel, de-vein, and roast shrimp. Cool and halve. (Use leftover chicken pork, or beef, if you have it).
• Combine grains, pasta, shrimp. artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, Arugula, broccoli slaw toasted nuts.
• Toss with dressing.
• Serve chilled