Alaskan Crab Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado

I found this Alaskan Crab Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado Recipe in a local grocery store magazine. It was originally posted in FoodandWine.com.  It is healthy, light, and refreshing. I made some changes to the original, as noted.

Alaskan Crab Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado

• 4-5 leaves of Romaine Lettuce
• 1 red or pink grapefruit
• 1 tbsp small red onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1/2 lb cooked, shelled king crab meat (3/4 lbs in the shell) cut into 3x ½ inch pieces
• 1 Hass avocados, peeled, halved lengthwise, and very thinly sliced
• 16 raw almonds, cracked
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves
• 12-16 fresh raspberries

Using a sharp paring knife, peel the skin and bitter white pith from the grapefruits. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to section the grapefruit. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into the bowl. You will have 1/3 to 1/2 cup juice.

In another bowl, mix the onions, soy sauce, lemon juice, 4 tbsps. of olive oil, and half the grapefruit juice. Season with salt and let stand for 10 minutes. This will be your salad dressing.

In a skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsps. oil til shimmering. Add the crab and cook over high heat, turning once, 30 seconds. Add the remaining grapefruit juice, and sautee the crab about 10 more seconds. Remove from heat.

Tear romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces and arrange on plate. Arrange the grapefruit sections on top, followed by the avocado slices then the crab. Garnish with almonds, cilantro and raspberries, drizzle with the dressing, and serve.

King Crab, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

 As an aside, If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own dressing, or if you don't like this one, certainly your favorite flavor of vinaigrette (maybe even with just the grapefruit juice added to it) would work perfectly fine. Also - I had no almonds on hand (unusual for me) so you will not see them in this picture.

Health Benefits:

Health benefits of Avocado - see my previous post Basil, Pesto, Veggie Wrap Recipe.

Health benefits of Pink Grapefruit - the most valuable antioxidant ingredient in grapefruit is Vitamin C. YOu can satisfy you r entire daily requirement by eating just one grapefruit. It is great is great for your skin as it stops free radicals from causing damage and triggering inflammation. The red color in fruits comes from lycopene, a type of cartenoid. Cartenoids boost your immune system and also fight free radical damage. Grapefruit jucice ranks towards the tip as one of the best fruit juices for your skin, not far behind Concord grape juice.

Health benefits of Raspberries - Raspberries are a great source of manganese and Vitamin C. Mangansese helps keep your bones strong, your nerves healthy, and your blood sugar levels normal.  The vitamin C also helps improve iron absorption, and regeneration of Vitamin E, another skin-health nutrient.  The antioxidant capacity of raspberries is almost 50% greater than that of strawberries, 3 times that of kiwis, and 10 times that of tomatoes.

Hope you enjoy this salad. Feel free to make variations to your liking.
It is healthy for your body and skin, low-cal, and refreshing!

Another summer flower for you from my potted hibiscus:

Apricot-colored Hibiscus