One thing you should know about me is that I’m a 30 year old female and up until the age of about 25…. I wouldn’t eat anything that wasn’t plain jane. Mommy has always cooked the best food. I know this because everyone says so, and of course she made many of my favorite things. My tastebuds or desire for food must have been broken because I didn’t like much and didn’t want to try anything new. When I was growing up we ate as a family at the dining room table… I was always the last to finish and I was only allowed to be excused after I had hid my food for safe disposal later. I liked noodles with no sauce, sandwiches consisting of a slice of cheese and pickles. I had never even tried a hot wing for fear of the spicy sauce.
Then I grew up!
I’m not sure what changed my mentality but it became quite a challenge for me in my quest for new yummy foods. This salad is something I would never even look at before let alone eat or even make for my Hubby for dinner. I’m quite proud of myself in this new change… The only downfall is that my waistline is growing like my recipe collection…
Hubby has always said “Move more, Eat less” and it’s always made me angry and laugh all at the same time.
Servings: 4 | Prep Time: 15 min | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 or 3 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco) 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce 2 avocados, peeled and diced 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes About 3/4 cup (3-ounces) grated pepper jack cheese Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the cilantro, oil, lime juice and hot sauce.
**Note: I like my salad dressing light so I used more lime juice, less oil and of course more hot sauce. The hotter the better.
In a large serving bowl, add the lettuce, avocado, corn, beans, tomatoes, and cheese. Add the dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.
**Note: I added grilled chicken breast to the top of mine and I layered the salad, then a sprinkle of cheese, the grilled chicken and the dressing over top. Please see the photo below! I just love adding grilled chicken or fish to a salad. Yum!
” Southwestern Avocado & Black Bean Salad with Grilled Chicken “
Photo by House of Haley Photography
Recipe found from http://www.pauladeen.com
RECIPE FROM PAULADEEN.COM
HALEYKINS JONES 