Southwest Salad

 For the last couple of years, Shonna has often made Mason jar salads for the week- six or seven each week.  Pre-COVID, she was part of a group that would each make enough salads of one kind for everyone else in the group, then meet on Fridays and exchange them, everyone going home with seven different jar salads to eat for their lunches.  She is very creative, often creating her own recipes.  She enjoyed the others' creativity and variety as well.  

Shonna enjoyed those salads so much, that she has continued making seven jar salads many weeks during COVID, just for herself.  She then has a salad to eat each day for lunch.  I will be publishing some of her recipes on here from time to time.  She has her sisters doing this, too, so some of the pictures come from her and some from them.  And some from me, though I don't do the jars.   

I think if I forced Shonna to name her favorite of all of them, it is this Southwest Salad.  I made it one night for dinner, not in a jar- just for dinner.  It was delicious- especially the dressing.  You can add cooked chicken cubes if you would like.  I didn't, but think I will next time.

Southwest Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

1 head romaine, chopped

fresh corn kernels from 1 ear of corn (I used canned, drained), charred in a skillet (just let it char in a skillet while preparing the rest)

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, each cut in half

1/4 cup chopped red onions

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup roasted and salted pepitas

1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Tortilla strips or corn chips

If making jar salads, divide and layer the ingredients in quart mason jars.  Add the pepitas, tortilla strips and dressing when you eat it.  

Avocado Dressing

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, diced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup salsa of choice

1/4 cup milk

juice from 1 lime

2 T olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper

Hot sauce to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add milk if it needs to be thinner.

Layer ingredients of the salad in Mason jars.  Or if you're serving to your family, put all ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with dressing.  Garnish with tortilla strips or corn chips.  

Watch for more jar salad recipes.  I will be posting them over the next while.  

Shonna takes one of her salads to a widowed friend each week.  This is how she packs it up.