Sometimes...you just have to have it.

(DISCLOSURE, no shrimp were harmed in the making of this dish..)

Hello friends,
How has your week been? I hope it has been a good one!!
My week has been fairly busy. I have cleaned the house (for the most part), dug up the baby yukon gold potato's that I planted in the spring, mowed the lawn and finished reading a book on the British monarchy. Not to shabby, eh?
Being a woman, there are certain times during the month...that I crave weird things and I have to eat them or else I might kill someone. I am sure all my female followers can relate. This month it was my mothers shrimp salad from when I was a kid. Yes, I know....totally odd, and yes I know shrimp salad doesn't exactly go with my vegan ways...ok, and yes I know the image above is not that promising, and might look really carb heavy and scary. Yes, all of that is true. But, I HAD TO EAT IT.
As a child my mother would make this about 2 times a year. Once in the spring and once in the summer. I always loved watching her make it, but hated the shrimp. I would pick out the salad shrimp and eat the pasta and veggies. This salad fits the bill, on crunchy, chewy, fattening and salty.

While I no longer need to pick out the shrimp, as there are none and I use vegenaise instead of mayonnaise, it still tastes the same to me.

The no shrimp shrimp salad.

1/2 pkg. of sea shell pasta or elbow macaroni, seriously only use these two pasta's, all others fail.
1/2 cup vegenaise, or more, if your into that
1 cucumber, washed and and if using non organic peeled
1/2 red onion, minced
3 peeled and diced carrots
3 stalks celery, diced
1 smallish green pepper, diced
1/2 cup frozen baby green peas, optional
Seasonings, 1/4 tsp each, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed
Season salt, to taste

Boil pasta until it is al dente, drain and chill with cold tap water. Drain and place in a large bowl, dump all of your veggies in and then your vegenaise. Stir really well. Season to your liking. And if you are like me and have to have a carbo overload, place it on toasted whole grain toast and eat like a sandwich, or lady like with a fork...But seriously, eat it like a sandwich.

 I hope you try it, and I hope it comforts you when you need it most.
 Until tomorrow,
Viv~