Mediterranean Potato Salad with 'Shrimp' and 'Feta'

This entree salad seemed like a great way to use up the package of frozen vegan shrimp in my freezer. Available from a company called Vegetarian Plus, these adorable little 'shrimp' are easy to cook: just boil one whole package (10.5 ounces) of vegan shrimp in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then drain and add to the recipe below. You can order the product online at cosmosveganshoppe.com

First, prepare the dressing: whisk together 1 and 1/2 tablespoons chopped basil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 3/4 tsp. raw sugar, 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard; set aside.

Slice 5 cups of small red potatoes into quarters - although I actually had a couple of potatoes so small I only cut them in half! Place the potatoes in a microwave safe dish, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper, tossing to coat. Microwave until tender - the original recipe said 15 minutes, but I have quite a strong microwave, so only needed 10 minutes. Cooking the potatoes this way is much faster than in the oven, making the recipe ideal for a busy night, but of course you could roast them in the oven, too.

Place the potatoes in a large bowl; add the cooked 'shrimp' and 1 tablespoon of the dressing, tossing to combine.

Add the rest of the dressing, along with 3 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce, 1 cup red bell pepper strips, 1 cup yellow bell pepper strips, 1 cup thinly sliced red onion, and 1/2 cup crumbled vegan feta (such as Sunergia).

Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates (about 2 and 1/2 cups per plate). Top each serving with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped and pitted kalamata olives. Each serving is 370 calories.

Cost:
basil $2.99
small red potatoes $4.99
romaine lettuce $3.99
red bell pepper $1.76
yellow bell pepper $1.72
vegan feta $3.69
kalamata olives $5.99