Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Here's another incredible recipe I found and adapted from Damn Delicious. Again, you can be totally creative with this recipe (read, use pretty much whatever you have around and leave out what you don't) AND the cilantro lime dressing is to die for! I had leftover, so I used it the next day and I make it regularly for other salads, too.

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

serves 2

Salad

5 C romaine lettuce, chopped a little (I used spinach)

1/2 C cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 C corn kernels

1/2 C black beans (if they're canned, drain and rinse first)

cooked beets, cut into bite-sized pieces

anything else that sounds yummy!

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

1/4 C tortilla strips, for garnish (optional)

In individual bowls, layer all ingredients except for tortilla strips. Toss to combine. Pour dressing on top, toss again, and garnish with tortilla strips.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 C loosely packed cilantro (I think I used more, because I adore cilantro)

1/2 C plain yogurt

2 cloves garlic

juice of a lime

pinch of salt

1/4 C olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (which I left out because it didn't seem to need it, but I may try next time)

Combine all ingredients except for olive oil and apple cider vinegar in bowl of food processor. Process, then, with motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and vinegar until emulsified.

Ta-da!!! You have a quick, easy, delectable, and completely healthy meal! It'd be great to take to work as well.  Enjoy!

Chicken Salad (With Cilantro and Lime!)

This is THE BEST chicken salad ever! We had it in wheat tortillas, kind of as wraps, or as loghmehs, as we Persians call it :) It's REALLY easy, and I just used leftover chicken breast from the night before and shredded/chopped it for this recipe. I got this one from pinterest, but it's originally from Becoming Betty's blog.

Chicken Salad

chicken, cooked and shredded (I used leftover breasts)

avocado

mayo (a teensy bit only)

green onion, sliced

cilantro, chopped up

fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

(Pardon the lack of measurements here... this is normally something that would immediately cause me irreparable panic and send me running from the kitchen, not to return for a good month or so. But I'm slowly becoming braver in there, and since almost all of these ingredients are things that I wish I could add to nearly every recipe I try (avocado, green onion, cilantro, and lime are heavenly), I went for it.  It was TOTALLY worth it and I encourage you to try it too!)

Just add all the ingredients together and mix it up.  If you love avocado, add more; if you don't care for onions, put less; you get my point. Go really easy on the mayo; the lime juice gives it a nice texture, so lots of mayo isn't really necessary, and it's healthier without it.  To easily chop the cilantro (or any herbs), put a bunch in a glass measuring cup and use scissors to cut it up until it's the size you need (this is how my mom chops all her herbs :)) I used TONS of lime juice and a good amount of cilantro and plenty of salt and pepper.  It was delicious! Hope you enjoy it :)