Kickin' It Up A Notch

Fiesta Chopped Salad with Lime & Honey Dressing

Since I have been reading Eat to Live

by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, 

I  have learned the importance for a volume of mixed vegetables, (2 lbs a day he says to be the goal) getting in a variety of colors, and the many health benefits of beans. So I was thinking of ways to incorporate a greater mix of colorful veggies and beans and came up with this spicy little number. 

I just loved chopped salads and the way you get a mix of flavors in every bite. I even branched out and added some veggies that alone are not my favs but are so worth the vitamins and minerals and guess what? Mixed in they are subtle enough to just add to the overall flavor without being noticeable.

I mixed this all up last night and Mr. "I don't like salads much" devoured 2/3 of the huge bowl! Since Dr. Fuhrman says vegetables and beans can be eaten in unlimited quantities, it's all good.

The Tossed Fiesta Chopped Salad

The Recipe:

The Salad Ingredients:

black beans, corn salsa, jicama, romaine, red pepper, radish, tomatoes, carrots, green onions, avocado

1 head of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

1 can 15.5 oz organic low salt black beans, rinsed and well drained

1 1/2 cup chopped jicama (I actually had picked up some jicama sticks from the the store and chopped)

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

4 radishes, grated

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 carrots, grated

1/4 cup green onions, diced

1/2 avocado, diced

2 cups raw or blanched corn or corn salsa (secret ingredient -see below)

Put Greens in bottom of large bowl. Layer remaining ingredients except avocado in decorative piles around top if you like.

When ready to serve, toss with dressing and plate with avocado added to the top.

Fiesta Salad Plated With Avocado

Lime & Honey Dressing

EVOO, honey, cilantro, lime, jalapeño, garlic

2 tbsp honey

3 limes, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp chopped and seeded jalapeño pepper or more to taste

Mix together

A word about the corn salsa:

Trader Joes' Corn and Chili Tomato Less Salsa

I found this on my last trip to Trader Joe's and thought it worth a try. It's not raw but it is really delicious! I barely could keep R from eating it all up while I prepared the salad. I can see just adding black beans or even mango and beans to it and eating it as a salad by itself.

Fiesta Salad With Added Brown Rice

If you are wanting a little more hearty of a meal, or want to stretch your leftovers, you could add some brown rice to it as well. Although, this salad is really filling on it's own.

Olé