Pineapple Jicama Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This salad is sweet, tangy and delicious. I originally read a similar recipe in a magazine while sitting in the waiting room at my dentist’s office. I was intrigued because I love love pineapple, but it had cucumber in it, which I absolutely abhor! Cumber is one of the four foods in the world that turn me into a picky eater toddler throwing a tantrum at the dinner table. I will not eat them. I do not like them touching my food and I will sit and pout if they are near my plate (bananas, celery and eggplant would be the others). I have been using a lot of jicama this summer and thought that it would make a great substitute for cucumber. It has the same kind of crunchy texture.

I served this salad with a side of chips for a super chunky chips and salsa kind of thing. You could also serve it over a bed of mixed greens or it would also go great with some grilled shrimp or tequila lime chicken as well.

Pineapple Jicama Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2-4 Tablespoons olive oil (I used 3)

For the salad:

• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 1 small jicama, peeled and diced into cubes
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, pitted and diced

Instructions

For the Vinaigrette:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until well blended. Set aside. (Vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and will keep in the fridge for about 1 week.)

For the salad:

1. Combine all ingredients, except the avocado, in a bowl and mix together. Add desired amount of vinaigrette and toss to coat. Salad can now be kept in fridge for up to 4 hours or served immediately.
2. Right before serving add avocado and gently toss to to coat avocado with dressing, but be sure not to mush it too much.

Gluten Free Smoky Black Bean Dip

 Here’s a quick and easy dip that’s perfect for any of your last minute cinco de mayo needs! All you need is a food processor and a few ingredients that are probably already in your pantry. This dip is easy to make and easy to serve, plus there’s not absolutely no cooking involved, which makes it a perfect summertime dip. I recommend serving it with tortilla chips and veggies, but you could use it with nachos or on quesadillas as well.

I felt that three chipotles was the perfect amount for this dip. It gave it a nice smoky, spicy taste, but it wasn’t spicy to the point that you couldn’t eat the dip. You notice the spice, but it’s subtle. I thought the dip was delicious when I made it, but it tasted even the better the next day. If you have the time, I would really recommend trying to stick it in the fridge for a few hours and let the flavors mingle.

Smoky Black Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 5 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro (leaves & stems)
• 2-4 limes, juiced
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek, you can use sour cream too)
• 2-4 chipotle chiles in adobo (depending on your heat preference), coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except salt & pepper, and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning, add salt & pepper to taste, and if you prefer a thinner dip, continue processing, adding lime juice 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
2. Garnish with 2 Tbsp. of chopped cilantro (if desired) before serving.

Creamy Jalapeño Ranch Dip

So apparently this March Madness business is finally coming to an end this weekend. Finally. I used to care about sports, but now I am more or less completely apathetic (with one exception). I think this is partially due to the false advertising of surrounding professional and college athletics in America. “March” Madness. We are now a week into April. Stop encroaching on a perfectly innocent month NCAA. However, I will consent to watching sporting events mainly because they allow for drinking at otherwise inappropriate hours of the day and snack foods, both of which I am a fan of.

Creamy ranch, a little kick from the jalapeños, tangy lime. It’s pretty much perfect  the perfect dip in my book. I used mild jalapeños and mild green salsa, and while I did increase the amounts from the recipe I based my dip on, I didn’t find the jalapeño flavor or spiciness to be overwhelming at all. If you are a little more hesitant about spicy, you might want to cut back on the jalapeños and salsa and add to taste.

Creamy Jalapeño Ranch Dip
Recipe adapted from Capturing Joy. 

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup tomatillo salsa (or any green salsa)
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 5 Tablespoons ranch powder (or 1.5 packets)
• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
• 2 limes, juiced

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until desired consistency is reached (I left mine a little chunky). Add more lime juice if dip is too thick
2. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
3. Serve with tortilla chips and veggies and enjoy!

 

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

The other week I sad that this was my all-time favorite salad. I take it back. My life has totally changed.  I was much younger and very naïve then. I was a lost soul and totally misguided because I had yet to have this salad. This salad is definitely the best salads I have ever had. I’m not quite sure where to start. Everything in this dish is perfect. I probably enjoyed this so much because it’s basically all of my favorite flavors and ingredients combine. The dressing was flavorful and really complemented all of the fresh ingredients. If I had a ripe avocado on hand, I definitely would have thrown it in as well. You could also substitute shrimp or steak for the chicken or leave the meat out all together for a great vegetarian meal. This recipe makes a lot of salad, be hungry, or save the rest for leftovers. If you want leftovers, don’t toss the whole salad in the dressing all at once; add the dressing to your individual servings to prevent soggy lettuce.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad
Serves 4 

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2/3 cup light sour cream or greek yogurt (or a combination of the two)
• 1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili or chipotle powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 limes, juiced
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. To prepare dressing: combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and well mixed.

Salad:

• 4 cups shredded lettuce (I used 1 head of ‘live’ butter lettuce)
• 2 chopped grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or you can use rotisserie chicken)
• 2 large tomatoes, diced with seeds discarded
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 (15-ounce) can large black olives, sliced
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• crushed tortilla chips

1. To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients, except for the tortilla chips, in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Top with tortilla chips. Serve immediately.