Mexican Chopped Salad

Dil’s always asking me to have salad for dinner and I have to admit, I hate the idea of having a salad. To me, it’s so boring and after a long day at work I want something cozy and comforting - which doesn’t seem to be present in a salad. I will say, however, that recently Dil asked me to make a Mexican salad for dinner and surprisingly, I was very into it. It took all of 15 minutes to make, I used what I had on hand and it came out great! Since we’re in the midst of trying to get in shape for our wedding, I made a healthy yogurt-based dressing, but you can switch it up to use what you’ve got in your pantry. Hey, salad is never going to be pasta with a slow cooked tomato sauce, but I suppose if I’m going to have a salad for dinner, this is about as good as it’s going to get.

Dressing:

1 cup plain greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 medium grated garlic clove

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon sugar or honey

2 tablespoons water

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large glass measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring. Set aside until you’re ready to use.

Salad:

1 cup diced iceberg lettuce

1 cup diced mixed baby salad greens

1/2 cup diced English cucumber, seeds removed

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced tomato, seeds removed

1/2 cup black beans, rinsed

1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeño

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/3 cup crushed tortilla chips

Place all of the ingredients except the crushed tortilla chips in a large mixing bowl. Pour just enough dressing on the salad to moisten and toss to combine. Add a bit more dressing if you feel like it needs it then mix in the crushed tortillas right before serving.

Voila! Easy peasy - eat right away and if you’re like me, close your eyes and pretend that it’s a huge bowl of comforting pasta!