January 23, 2023

Southwestern Salad Recipe with Avocado Dressing

southwest-salad-recipe

Southwest Salad is a delicious and flavorful salad that is made with a variety of greens and vegetables, and dressed with a tangy and creamy Southwest dressing. The salad is typically flavored with a variety of Southwest ingredients, such as black beans, corn, avocado, grilled chicken or shrimp, and cheese, and is often garnished with fresh cilantro and diced jalapeno peppers.

Southwest Salad is a great option for a summertime meal, as it is light, refreshing, and packed with nutrients. It is typically served as a side dish, but it can also be enjoyed as a main course with the addition of protein. The salad is easy to customize, and you can add your favorite greens and vegetables to the mix. It is a great way to use up any leftover greens or vegetables you may have in your fridge, and is a delicious way to add more vegetables to your diet.

INGREDIENTS

  1. 2 sweet potatoes
  2. 1 tablespoon oil
  3. 1 heaping teaspoon each cumin and chili powder (plus a sprinkle of cayenne if you like it hot)
  4. salt and pepper to taste
  5. 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  6. 1 cup sweet corn, rinsed and drained.

For Dressing

  1. half an avocado
  2. 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  3. 1/2 cup water
  4. 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
  5. 1 small clove of garlic
  6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  7. a squeeze of lime juice

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix the olive oil, cumin, and chili powder together in a small bowl. Brush mixture on sweet potatoes. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan. Turn heat up to 425, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Check, stir, and bake until the sweet potatoes are just barely roasty-brown on the outside. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, pulse all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until mostly smooth.
  3. Toss the beans, corn, lettuce, and sweet potatoes with the dressing. Serve with chips and/or the other half of the avocado for extra yum!

This recipe can be made vegan by swapping the Greek yogurt with a non-dairy yogurt alternative – even just a little hunk of tofu would work, or maybe the whole avocado instead of half.