Food on Fridays: Mexican Fiesta Salad

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe.If you want, you could simply confess how many Cadbury Creme Eggs you’ve stashed in your pantry. I used to love those things. Are they as rich as I remember?My point is that we’re pretty relaxed over here, and posts like that are as welcome as menus and recipes.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post. It ties us together visually.Then fill in the boxes of Simply Linked to join the fun!

Food on Fridays with Ann

Some friends had us over for a pitch-in meal. Mexican night.We brought a salad: Mexican Fiesta Salad with Zesty Lime-Agave Dressing.The color is off on this photo of mine…the salad looks a little yellow and unappetizing. In real life this salad looks so fresh and colorful, it’s a feast for the eyes. If you visit the link I provided above (or below in the recipe), the photos are gorgeous.I stumbled upon it when searching for Mexican recipes and read through the ingredients unsure if it would all blend. Spinach instead of lettuce? Avocado and oranges topped with a pile of black beans, shallots and corn?Turns out, they’re perfect together. I could eat the entire bowl myself.Mexican Fiesta Saladvia Healthy Happy life (visit site for step-by-step tutorial with photos)vegan, serves 2 as an entree, 3+ as a side salad

• 1 onion, diced (note: I substituted shallots and used far less)
• 1 vine-ripened tomato, diced
• 4 corn tortillas, toasted in oven (Note: I was lazy and just used chips from a bag)
• 1/4 cup sliced olives (I forgot the olives, but it was still delicious)
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 orange, diced
• 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup fresh or canned corn, unsalted
• 1 cup black beans
• fresh black pepper grinder
• garnish: fresh cilantro
• Optional:1 tsp chipotle spice, 1 jalapeno, diced and de-seeded (Note: I didn’t use any of these optionals)

Zesty Lime-Agave Dressing1 juicy lime (or 2 less-juicy limes)1 Tbsp agave syrup, dark grade1 Tbsp EVOO3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegarblack pepperDirections:

1. Gather your ingredients and a large serving bowl.
2. Whisk together your Lime-Agave Dressing, set aside.
3. Dice your onion and tomato, put both in a small bowl. Finely chop the cilantro and fold into the tomato and onion mixture. Grind fresh black pepper on top. Set aside. Note: If you would like a spicier salad, mix 1 diced jalapeno and 1 tsp chipotle spice into this mixture.
4. Peel your orange and dice. Place in another small bowl. Dice your avocado and put into same bowl as oranges. Toss a bit so orange juice coats avocado. This prevents browning. Black pepper on top, set aside.
5. Open your can of black beans and corn. (You can also use fresh corn) Place one cup of beans in a small bowl. Heat in microwave (or stovetop in pan) until warm. About 90 seconds in microwave. Take 1 cup of corn and mix it with the warm-hot black beans. Set bowl aside.
6. Turn on oven – warm for toasting. Opt’l: brush each tortilla with EVOO and sea salt.
7. Toast your corn tortillas in the oven or a toaster – until crisp. Set aside.
8. Slice the olives, set aside.
9. Now we can start to craft the layered salad! First, place the baby spinach in your large serving bowl. Mix the greens with 3/4 of your dressing. Set aside the remaining dressing for later.
10. Over top the spinach. add the tomato/onion/cilantro mixture.
11. Next add the orange/avocado mixture to the edges of the salad bowl – create a border along the sides of avocado and citrus.
12. Tear your tortillas into triangles and squish along the border of the bowl to create a wall of crisp tortillas.
13. Add the beans/corn mixture to the center of the dish in a large pile.
14. Add the olive slices.
15. Lastly, add the remaining drizzle of dressing over top.
16. Serve!

Photos by Ann Kroeker