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Recipe: Healthy Fresh Mex Salad

Posted at 3:12 PM, Mar 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-16 17:24:24-04

Veggie Lisa shares a flavorful and delicious recipe with us. You can get more great ideas from her here.

“CLEAN” Fresh Mex Veggie Salad

There are a few moving parts to this salad but once you have assembled the ingredients, you can include this as part of your meal prep and eat it all week long! Add in some grilled chicken for even more protein!

Ingredients

1 soft taco size whole wheat tortilla (I like Mission)

¼ cup Cilantro Quinoa (see recipe below)

¼ cup garlic black beans (see recipe below)

1 cup sautéed veggies (I like to use diced onions and peppers)

3 cups finely chopped red leaf lettuce

¼ cup pico de gallo

2 TBSP cojita cheese

¼ cup sweet potato crunchies (recipe below)

1 scoop fresh guacamole or avocado slices

Greek Yogurt Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Lime wedge

Cilantro Quinoa

2 TBSP Olive Oil

½ cup white onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

½ tsp onion powder

1/3 cup minced cilantro

  1. Heat the olive in a saucepan
  2. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, quinoa and onion powder
  3. Pour in vegetable broth
  4. Bring everything to a boil, cover with tight fitting lid.
  5. Turn heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
  6. When finished, fluff with fork and set aside until ready to assemble salad

Garlic Black Beans

½ cup white onion, diced finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

Cooking Spray

1 can black beans (do not drain)

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp chili powder

  1. Spray sauté pan with cooking spray. Add in onion and garlic over medium heat.
  2. Add in beans. Cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil.
  3. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes
  4. Set aside until ready to assemble salad

Greek Yogurt Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 batch of Clean Ranch (see recipe below)

1 cup nonfat, plain greek yogurt

½ c lowfat milk plus ½ tsp white vinegar (mix and set aside)

2 tomatillos, husks removed and roughly diced

½ bunch fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic

Juice of 1 lime

1 Jalapeno, seeded

  1. Mix ranch seasoning with Greek yogurt
  2. Place in high-powered blender and add all the other ingredients.
  3. Pour into large container and allow to set up in fridge

Clean Ranch Seasoning

½ tsp dried chives

½ tsp dried parsley

½ tsp dried dill weed

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp Real Salt

1/8 tsp fresh black pepper

  1. Mix all spices together.
  2. Store in plastic bag until ready to use

Sweet Potato Crunchies

1 medium yam, sprialized

1 cup coconut oil

Real Salt

  1. Place coconut oil in small, flat pan
  2. Heat slowly until oil is slightly bubbling
  3. Place sweet potato strings into pan and fry until they turn just a little bit brown. You will know when to take them out when they shrink in size. Roughly about 8-10 min
  4. Place strings on paper towel to drain. Store in airtight container until ready to serve.