Mexican Chopped Salad + the Best Homemade Guac You'll Ever Eat

Savory Eats

A few friends and I have a weekly, Wednesday night potluck dinner. Last week was fajita night and I hastily claimed making the guacamole (my favorite component of a Mexican meal). If you plan on having a Mexican-themed dinner in the near future, look no further: Mexican Chopped Salad and Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole at your service...

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

*4 servings

• Salad
• 2 & 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup chopped tomato
• 3/4 cup peeled and chopped jicama (I used cucumber instead)
• 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, drained if canned
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled, reduced-fat feta cheese
• Salt and pepper
• **Add your favorite grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp to the salad
• Honey-Lime Dressing
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs honey or agave nectar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp chopped jalapeno pepper (I used 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes)

Recipe:

*A Self Magazine recipe
1. Chop up all your veggies. Mix:

2. Drain and rinse the black beans and the corn. Mix in with the veggies:

3. In a separate bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad before serving. Top the salad with feta cheese (and add grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak if you'd like). Toss salad well, season with salt and pepper. Serve!

Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 2 serrano chiles (stems removed), sliced into thin rings
• NOTE: remove seeds if sensitive to heat (I did!!)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 ripe avocados
• 3/4 cup small cubes of mango
• 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• Salt to taste
• NOTE: I strongly dislike cilantro - so I left it out. But, if you're a cilantro fan, add 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Recipe:

*Recipe and pictures from A Cup of Jo food blog

1. Place the diced onion, serrano chiles, and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Pound to flatten and release their juices. If you are using cilantro, add it now and combine it with the onion, chiles, and garlic. You should have a chunky paste.

• NOTE: if you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can give the onion, chiles, and garlic a few pulses in a food processor OR place the ingredients in a sealed plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin.

2. Slice the avocados and scrape out the flesh. Smash the avocado to desired consistency (I like my guac chunky):

3. In a large bowl, mix together the onion paste and the avocado. Stir in the mango cubes and pomegranate seeds. Salt to taste. Devour!

Mexican Chopped Salad recipe to print:

1. Chop up all your veggies. Mix.
2. Drain the black beans and the corn. Mix in with the veggies.
3. In a separate bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad before serving. Top the salad with feta cheese (and add grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak if you'd like). Toss salad well, season with salt and pepper. Serve!

Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole recipe to print:

1. Place the diced onion, serrano chiles, and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Pound to flatten and release their juices. If you are using cilantro, add it now and combine it with the onion, chiles, and garlic. You should have a chunky paste.
• NOTE: if you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can give the onion, chiles, and garlic a few pulses in a food processor OR place the ingredients in a sealed plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin.
2. Slice the avocados and scrape out the flesh. Smash the avocado to desired consistency (I like my guac chunky).
3. In a large bowl, mix together the onion paste and the avocado. Stir in the mango cubes and pomegranate seeds. Salt to taste. Devour!