Mexican Salad Bowl with Cilantro Lime Dressing
It’s a New Year and a New You!! 2018 is here and I know we are planning our resolutions and figuring out what goals we would like to set for ourselves. Many of us may be looking towards a healthier lifestyle. One thing I can suggest is to not be too extreme or it won’t last. If you want to make wiser choices for you and possibly your family as well, I suggest making it fun and easy, not to mention delicious! If you want to shed a few pounds or just feel better and have a more balanced diet, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice all things that are tasty! This salad is a perfect example to me, it’s filled with lots of veggies and greens, but it’s still very satisfying. The Cacique® Cilantro Lime Sour Cream is a perfect base for a salad dressing, and of course you can use as little or as much of that based on your preference.
I also know as a parent, that it can be hard to diet when your kids just want all the amazing, rich foods you have restricted yourself to not indulging in. Well here is the beautiful middle ground; this dish is full of nutrients, flavor and ease fit for a family just after the New Year so that everyone is happy! I know kids can be picky, and us adults don’t want to have to eat bland foods to feel healthy, so this is a perfect combo because it has fresh corn, avocado and that touch of creaminess that will bring a smile to everyone’s face. Cacique® is a family-run company, so they know how stressful it can be to balance it all, and that’s why I’ve teamed up with them to bring delicious, easy, nutritious recipes from my kitchen to yours.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 4 corn tortillas
- 2 cups canola oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3 ears corn, husked
- 2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
- 1 bunch curly kale, stemmed and de-ribbed
- 1 small jicama (about ½ pound), peeled
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 avocados
- 2 scallions
- ¾ cup Cacique Cilantro-Lime Flavored Sour Cream
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ½ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Cut the tortillas into strips, roughly ½-inch wide and 2 inches long, and line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towels. Put the canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s shimmering, test the temperature by dropping in a strip of tortilla. It’s ready when it starts to sizzle immediately; if it doesn’t, let it continue to warm up for a couple of minutes.
- Fry the tortilla strips in batches, making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan, until they’re evenly golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to the lined plate and immediately toss with ½ teaspoon salt, letting the oil come back up to temperature before you repeat with the remaining tortillas. Set aside to cool.
- Heat your broiler with a rack set 5 or 6 inches below the heating element. Cut the kernels from the corn and toss them on a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast the corn for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring it halfway through, until there’s charring on some of the kernels. Set aside to cool.
- Rinse the pinto beans thoroughly until the water runs clear; allow to drain. Meanwhile, chop the kale, add it to the bottom of a large bowl, and rub 1 tablespoon olive oil into the leaves to soften them. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and scatter the beans on top.
- Cut the jicama into thin matchsticks, 1 to 2 inches long. Halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise. Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and cut them into roughly ½-inch cubes; use a spoon to scoop them out. Thinly slice the scallions. Layer the vegetables, in this order, over the kale and beans.
- To make the dressing, stir together the crema, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour this evenly over the top of the salad, followed by the cotija and cilantro. At this point, you can refrigerate the salad for up to a few hours. Top with the fried tortilla strips just before serving.
