Here’s a satisfying salad that’s hearty enough to serve for a main dish, but it makes an enticing first course too! If you prefer oil-free, homemade tortilla chips, try my quick and easy “Lively Lime Tortilla Chips.”

1

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

This Tex-Mex Salad Bowl features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine and protein-rich garbanzo beans. Since a Tex-Mex style salad is traditionally made with black beans, I added a jazzy twist by substituting black bean tortilla chips as a festive garnish. The chips provide a pleasing crunch, flavor and texture, adding a wow factor to this satisfying salad.

Makes 2 Main Dish Salads (or 6 to 8 Side Salads)

2

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD

  • 8 cups loosely packed, cleaned and chopped romaine lettuce
  • 20 black bean tortilla chips or your favorite tortilla chip variety
  • 14 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (see note)
  • Kernels from 1 large ear of corn, cooked (or ¾ cup canned corn kernels, drained)
  • 1/2 cup seeded and chopped orange or red sweet bell pepper
  • 4 green queen olives with pimento, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 of a large avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

SWEET AND SPICY LIME DRESSING

  • 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/16 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
3

INSTRUCTIONS:

For each main dish salad, put 4 cups of lettuce into a large bowl. Arrange 10 tortilla chips around the circumference. Artfully arrange 14 tomato halves on top of the lettuce. Top with one-half of the chickpeas, corn kernels and sweet peppers. Sprinkle one-half of the olives over the salad, then arrange the avocado slices on top, in a pleasing manner.

4

Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and briskly whisk until smooth (see note). Drizzle one-half of the dressing over each salad, and serve.

5

Chef’s Note: For a creamier dressing, add more mayonnaise (up to 2 tablespoons), to taste.

Chef's note: You may replace the chickpeas with black beans, white beans, kidney beans or pinto beans, if preferred.

Ingredients

Directions

1

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

This Tex-Mex Salad Bowl features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine and protein-rich garbanzo beans. Since a Tex-Mex style salad is traditionally made with black beans, I added a jazzy twist by substituting black bean tortilla chips as a festive garnish. The chips provide a pleasing crunch, flavor and texture, adding a wow factor to this satisfying salad.

Makes 2 Main Dish Salads (or 6 to 8 Side Salads)

2

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD

  • 8 cups loosely packed, cleaned and chopped romaine lettuce
  • 20 black bean tortilla chips or your favorite tortilla chip variety
  • 14 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (see note)
  • Kernels from 1 large ear of corn, cooked (or ¾ cup canned corn kernels, drained)
  • 1/2 cup seeded and chopped orange or red sweet bell pepper
  • 4 green queen olives with pimento, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 of a large avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

SWEET AND SPICY LIME DRESSING

  • 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/16 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
3

INSTRUCTIONS:

For each main dish salad, put 4 cups of lettuce into a large bowl. Arrange 10 tortilla chips around the circumference. Artfully arrange 14 tomato halves on top of the lettuce. Top with one-half of the chickpeas, corn kernels and sweet peppers. Sprinkle one-half of the olives over the salad, then arrange the avocado slices on top, in a pleasing manner.

4

Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and briskly whisk until smooth (see note). Drizzle one-half of the dressing over each salad, and serve.

5

Chef’s Note: For a creamier dressing, add more mayonnaise (up to 2 tablespoons), to taste.

Chef's note: You may replace the chickpeas with black beans, white beans, kidney beans or pinto beans, if preferred.

Notes

Tex-Mex Salad Bowl
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