Black Bean Taco Salad

Healthy update on an old favourite

This delicious Mexican-inspired salad will bring a little zing to your tastebuds. The spice mixture isn’t spicy hot, so it’s great for kids too. If you’d like more heat, try adding 1/2 tsp chipotle powder to the black beans or topping your salad with a drizzle of spicy salsa.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

1 15 oz can chickpeas(rinsed, drained and dried really well)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Black Beans

1 15 oz can black beans(rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans)
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne (optional)
1/4 cup water

Salad

1 head green leaf lettuce (chopped)
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 avocado (diced)
1 cup fresh corn kernels

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss chickpeas with the chili powder, cumin, salt and cinnamon.

Place on a baking sheet in one even layer and bake for 20-30 minutes, shaking them around halfway through. Chickpeas should be slightly crunchy… they will continue to crisp up as they cool. Set aside.

Toss the black beans with all the spices and warm in a pan over medium heat with 1/4 cup water. Stir occasionally until warmed through, about 5-6 minutes.

To assemble the salad, toss the lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avocado and corn in a large bowl. Plate the lettuce mixture on each individual plate or bowl. Add the black beans to the individual servings and top with the crunchy roasted chickpeas. Drizzle with the Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing.

Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

3/4 cup raw cashews(soaked for 1-2 hours if you don’t have a high speed blender)
1/2 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon(about 2 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. snipped chives
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika