1.22.16 Avocado, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chopped Salad
There’s a lot of different ways to do salad. I tend to be in the category of people who, if they’re going to have a salad for dinner, they’re going to go all out. Me, if I’m having a salad, it’s usually going to be a Big Salad. The Big Salad, as defined by me, is any salad that constitutes a full meal. This can’t be a little pile of lettuce you eat, and afterwards you still feel like you could eat a horse. This is the kind of salad that, after you’re done eating it, you feel superbly satiated. The kind of salad that’s loaded with so many delicious ingredients, you sometimes forget you’re eating a salad. This is my kind of salad.
We eat a decent amount of Big Salads in our house, namely because they’re a pretty easy meal to throw together, are quite tasty, and most importantly, if you eat a Big Salad, you can eat as much dessert as you want afterwards because, hey, you ate a SALAD for dinner. That’s how that works, right?
This particular Big Salad is especially wonderful. It may be because it’s full of avocados, black beans, and chipotle roasted sweet potatoes. Or perhaps it’s the tangy cilantro lime dressing. Or maybe it’s the creamy goat cheese and crunchy pepitas that top it all off. It could be all those things. Or it could just be the fact that sometimes, a Big Salad such as this one is exactly what you need. Whatever the reason, this salad will not disappoint.
Avocado, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chopped Salad
serves 3
dressing:
- 1 cup loose packed cilantro
- ¼ cup canola oil
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp salt
salad:
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small (approx ½”) pieces
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp ground chipotle chile powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 romaine hearts, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 large avocado, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- cilantro sprigs, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and thinly sliced red onion for serving
1. To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until well blended.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Toss sweet potatoes with the oil, chipotle chile powder, and salt until well coated. Spread potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees until tender and beginning to brown on the edges, about 30 minutes.
4. Place chopped romaine in a large bowl. Give your dressing a good stir, then pour over lettuce and toss to coat evenly. Divide lettuce evenly between plates. Top each with equal amounts of roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, chopped avocado, and crumbled goat cheese. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, pepitas, and thinly sliced red onion.
