What happens when a Po’ Boy sandwich and a load of lettuce and good-for-you veggies collide? A parade of flavor and my new favorite entrée salad dinner – Spicy Creole Shrimp Salad with French Quarter Croutons!

This coastal-inspired creation will help you hang onto New Year’s Resolutions through Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and Oscar Award Show celebrations and keep those garden-green good times rolling right into Spring Break. Instead of taking a bath in the deep fryer like a traditional shrimp po’ boy sandwich, the succulent shrimp in this quick and easy recipe are lightly sautéed in olive oil and Creole seasoning.

The dressing isn’t loaded in fat either; I used the deliciously creamy OPA by Litehouse™ Ranch and jazzed it up a bit with Creole spices. I love this lighter Ranch dressing “as-is” straight out of the jar, too – traditional sour cream is swapped out for Greek yogurt making it a lower-fat, lower-calorie option for dunking, drizzling and dolloping.

Instead of grabbing a bottle of Creole seasoning from the supermarket shelf, it’s so much tastier and cost-effective to whip up a batch of your own (avoiding weird chemicals and preservatives is another plus). Sometimes referred to as Cajun spice, this blend of peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic and onion powders creates the base of bold flavor on practically everything in my dish – BAM! My Creole Spice Mix recipe relies on Instantly Fresh Herbs and makes more than enough for the salad, dressing and croutons – the remainder can be stored in an airtight jar for up to a year. Use this Creole Spice Mix in soups and gumbos, rub into catfish and tuna, mix into meatballs, and even sprinkle on grilled fruit – this Cajun food seasoning is crazy-good!