Grilled Pesto Shrimp Salad

  We've become obsessed with grilling things lately. Last night we combined several Pinterest recipes into one and came out with an amazing Grilled Pesto Shrimp Salad. And it looks like we have a lot of shrimp meals in our future because I stocked up at the Teeter when I found fresh peeled shrimp is on sale for $5.99 lb!

Grilled Pesto Shrimp Salad
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven & Skinny Taste

Salad Ingredients:
2 ears of sweet corn, shaved off the cob
3 strips of bacon, cooked & diced {I used bacon bits}
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese {optional}

Skewers

Buttermilk Pesto Dressing Ingredients: 
1/2 cup buttermilk 
1/2 cup Greek yogurt {plain}
1/4 cup pesto, homemade or store bought
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
pinch of salt and pepper, to taste

Marinate shrimp in pesto for 20 minutes {or longer}. If using wood skewers, soak for approximately 20 minutes in water. Meanwhile make the salad dressing by whisking together all ingredients until blended. Set aside. Assemble your salads by tossing together the Romaine, corn, bacon, shrimp and avocado. Thread shrimp on skewers and place on hot grill and cook until shrimp turns pink on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes; turn and continue cooking until shrimp is opaque and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Top salad with shrimp, drizzle with dressing and serve

Using some of the leftover grilled shrimp, I recreated my favorite shrimp wrap {from Leroy Fox} for our lunches today! Matt's gonna be so surprised when he opens his lunch to find the usual PBJ replaced with this amazing wrap.

 

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30 Minute Summer Butt Elliptical Challenge

If you are anything like me, your most productive time at the gym is the first 7 minutes on the elliptical. After that, it all goes down hill, especially if I've forgotten to bring my Us Weekly or my headphones. And since it is bikini season and I just so happen to have multiple beach vacations this summer, I decided it was time to get serious about my gym attendance. So on the days I go during lunch, I try and squeeze in 30 minutes of cardio, followed by a 10 minute arm workout (below).   I've found that unless I have a workout prepared for the day, I will just jump on the elliptical or treadmill and stare at the timer for 30 minutes. So I've been scouring the internet for good elliptical and treadmill HIIT workouts and found a few that looked interesting, combined and tweaked them into my new 30 Minute Summer Butt Elliptical Workout!

The colors designate which area of the legs & booty you're workin. 
Blue = Glutes Red = Hamstring & Glutes Green = Calves, Hamstring & Glutes Purple = Hamstring & Glutes   I am quite proud of this crazy HIIT challenge I put together and it is definitely harder than it looks. Plus it keeps you super busy and distracted since you are constantly changing the settings on the machine. I couldn't even read a magazine during this workout but the time flew by!
After that, if I am still motivated, I love doing this quick 10 Minute Arm Workout by Fit Sugar.

{CLICK HERE for "Sexy Sculpted Arms"}

And just like that, you've crammed in a meaningful 40 minute workout! 

Now it's your turn! Fill me in on how you keep your workouts fun and challenging? I need variety!
 

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2013 Beachfest

Well, we survived beachfest {aka family vacation} in Cocoa Beach, FL. We jammed in so much in just 3 short days that I feel like I need a vacation from vacation! Whew! As soon as I got home, mom and I ran to the store and bought all of the important food items for the trip. You know, like tequila and cookie cake. Then we rewarded ourselves with mani/pedis.

First vacation meal? A Mexican feast, followed by a food coma.

 The next morning we woke up, had coffee and everyone piled in the car for Cocoa Beach.

 Our first stop in Cocoa Beach was Grandpa's favorite place - Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar. No joke, we ate {and drank} here each day while on vacation, some days we even came twice. Grandpa refuses to go anywhere else. Plus he is a celebrity here - all the waitresses love him and expect him at the same time each day. They even have his order memorized - Fish Tacos with a Whiskey & Diet Coke. Famous.

{Brother, Sister, Me, Husband, Bro-in-Law}

 {Cheers}

 We also rented Scoot Coups which was hilarious, dangerous and super fun all at the same time.

 

 {seesters}    We had perfect beach weather all weekend. We were so lucky!  

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