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This rice noodle salad is a breeze to make! And if you love shrimp and Asian flavors, this is definitely for you.

Belgian endive, as the name suggests, was first a product of Belgium (though there are now many growers in North America). So, why the heck am I pairing it with Asian ingredients, such as rice noodles, ginger and soy sauce? Why should the Belgians get to have all the fun, I say? Endive, with its fresh, crisp texture and slightly bitter taste is a versatile vegetable that can be eaten raw in salads, braised and layered in casseroles or paired with other savory ingredients, such as chicken or fish. Versatility aside, endive has some surprising health benefits, ones too important to overlook.

When I was first approached by Discover Endive to be part of a group of bloggers who would collectively be known as OnDivas (be sure to follow our tweets under the hashtag #OnDiva and the Delicious Endive Recipes board on Pinterest), I started to do my research. If I was going to promote the health benefits of endive, I wanted to know the details. What I found was both surprising and encouraging. One head of endive measures in at 87 calories, with 16 grams of dietary fiber and 6 grams of protein (that's impressive!). It's also a good source of Vitamins A, C, E and K; calcium; iron; and potassium. On top of all of that, a study in the Netherlands, which included more than 62,000 women, recently found that there was a 75% reduction in ovarian cancer for those who ate endive. Now, those are numbers I can get behind. Slap that "OnDiva" label on me - I'm sold!

The rice noodle salad recipe:

For the dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.

For the salad:
Cook rice noodles according to package instructions, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Heat canola in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until the shrimp is just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or they will become rubbery.

Cut the endive in quarters lengthwise and slice into ½-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine cooked rice noodles, cooked shrimp, endive, red bell pepper, mint and cilantro.

Pour in dressing and toss the salad to combine all of the ingredients. Serve.

Other endive recipes:

Healthy Green Kitchen's Endive, Kale & Smoked Salmon Salad with Avocado & Pink Grapefruit
All Day I Dream About Food's Endive with Boursin & Smoked Salmon
Sippity Sup's Julia Child's Braised Endive
Gimme Some Oven's Chicken, Apple & Gorgonzola Salad on Endive

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