Here’s a satisfying salad that’s hearty enough to serve for a main dish, but it makes an enticing first course, too for a festive meal. If you prefer an oil-free, homemade chip you can make my quick and easy “Lively Lime Tortilla Chips.” You can find that recipe HERE.
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
This Tex-Mex Salad Bowl features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine and cooked garbanzo beans. But since a Tex-Mex style salad is traditionally made with black beans, I decided to add 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)
INGREDIENTS:
SALAD
8 cups loosely packed cleaned and chopped romaine
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, chopped orange or red sweet bell pepper
4 green queen olives with pimento, sliced (optional)
1/2 of a large avocado, sliced
SWEET AND SPICY LIME DRESSING
2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/16 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each 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, and arrange the avocado slices on top, in a pleasing manner.
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.
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
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
This Tex-Mex Salad Bowl features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine and cooked garbanzo beans. But since a Tex-Mex style salad is traditionally made with black beans, I decided to add 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)
INGREDIENTS:
SALAD
8 cups loosely packed cleaned and chopped romaine
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, chopped orange or red sweet bell pepper
4 green queen olives with pimento, sliced (optional)
1/2 of a large avocado, sliced
SWEET AND SPICY LIME DRESSING
2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/16 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each 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, and arrange the avocado slices on top, in a pleasing manner.
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.
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.
