Recipe: Mexican Salad

OK, I'm going to post a recipe that isn't going to do much to dispel the notion that we vegetarians are a bunch of salad eaters. :-)

This is a very tasty light and tasty salad that you can put together in just a few minutes (a BIG plus in my family). It's vegan, unless of course, you can't have a salad without cheese (I know a few folks like that), or you use a different dressing. The dressing in this recipe is an oil-and-vinegar based recipe, but I've used a bottled fat-free ranch in this salad to cut time and make the salad low-fat, and it worked just fine.

For the salad:

Leaf lettuce (I use mixed field greens)
2 ripe avocados
2 tsp lemon juice
1 medium red onion
2 cups mixed beans, drained and cooked (I use a can of black beans and a can of great northern beans. I've seen it done with kidney beans too.)

For the dressing:

A few drops of hot chili oil
4 tbsp olive oil (Use extra virgin olive oil if possible. It really will make a difference!)
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro


Remove avocado skins and pits, thinly slice avocado flesh and sprinkle with lemon juice (this prevents discoloration).

Chop the lettuce leaves and place into a large salad bowl. slice tomatoes and onion; push onion slices out into rings. Arrange tomato slices, avocado slices, and onion rings around the salad bowl, leaving room in the center for the beans.

Spoon the bean mixture into the center of the salad bowl.

Mix salad dressing ingredients and pour over salad.