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)

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

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.

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.