Bursting with flavor this colorful fiesta salad Michaela and I created makes a great meal for lunch.
Last summer my daughter Michaela and I ate at Season’s Harvest for her birthday. I had a delicious fiesta salad made with meatless “taco meat”….. chopped walnuts mixed with spices. It was so good I didn’t even miss the hamburger meat!
While Michaela was here this last week for a visit we decided to create our own fiesta salad for lunch one day. Utilizing what we had on hand in the fridge we used spring mix for the base of the salad tossed with a julienned carrot. We added some chopped grape tomatoes and purple onion, some seasoned meatless “taco meat”, some homemade salsa, and some sweet jalapeno relish. You could easily switch the relish with guacamole… we didn’t have enough avocados to make some. Then we drizzled a little avocado vinaigrette on top. Yum.
Our fiesta salad was so tasty we wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!
- 6 cups spring mix
- 1 large carrot - julienned
- ⅓ - ½ cup chopped purple onion
- 10 grape tomatoes sliced
- 3 tablespoons homemade salsa
- 3 tablespoons sweet jalapeno relish (or guacamole)
- avocado vinaigrette - optional
- Meatless Taco Meat:
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- or you can use taco seasoning packet instead of individual seasonings
- In medium bowl mix chopped walnuts and seasonings together. Instead of using individual seasonings you can use taco seasoning if you prefer. Add olive oil and mix until olive oil coats all the nut and seasoning mixture. Set aside.
- Toss spring mix and julienned carrot together, divide and lay as salad base on two plates.
- Divide other ingredients in half. Place portion of "taco meat" in a scoop on each plate. Do the same with the tomatoes, onions, salsa, and relish or guacamole. You will have your "taco meat" and other toppings gracing a bed of lettuce.
- Optional: Drizzle a little avocado vinaigrette over salad.
- Serves two for lunch.
You make things look so delicious!
Thank you! Let me know what you think of this recipe.