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Healthy Southwest Salad with Light Cilantro Lime Dressing

Close-up of a vibrant healthy southwest salad featuring avocado, corn, black beans, and tomatoes.
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Make this vibrant, fresh Southwest salad for a quick, nutritious meal. It features black beans, corn, avocado, and a homemade light cilantro lime dressing.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups power greens mix
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (optional for lean protein)
  • For the Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the power greens, black beans, thawed corn, diced red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red onion.
  3. If using, add the cooked chicken to the vegetable mixture.
  4. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together until lightly coated. Add more dressing as needed, reserving some for serving if desired.
  5. Gently fold in the diced avocado and fresh cilantro just before serving to prevent mushiness.
  6. Serve immediately as a healthy Southwest salad or Tex Mex salad bowl.

Notes

  • For a make ahead salad lunch, keep the dressing separate and combine just before eating.
  • If you want a gluten free southwest meal, this recipe is naturally gluten free.
  • To boost the flavor without adding fat, consider adding a pinch of chili powder to the dressing.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delicerecipe.com/healthy-southwest-salad-recipe/