We had a little birthday celebration at work last night, and the birthday girl requested Mexican for her dinner.Yum! Who doesn't love Mexican?  So all of us pitched in and brought a dish. My contribution was this Guacamole salad. It's an awesome side to Mexican or South West dishes, and actually I think it would make a great lunch. It's a Barefoot Contessa recipe (Oh, how I just love Ina!), but of course I make changes to it. The biggest change is that I buy bottled dressing and doctor it up a bit, but if you can't find the Newmans Own Light Lime, then follow the Barefoot recipe. I also add a can of corn to mine.

Guacamole Salad    Barefoot Contessa

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 yellow pepper, seeded & ½ in diced.

1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup small diced red onion

2 TBSP minced jalapeno peppers, seeded

½ tsp freshly grated lime zest

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)

¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 ripe Haas avocados, seeded, peeled and ½ inch diced

Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whish together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. Just before you’re ready to serve, fold the avocados into the salad. Check seasonings and serve.

 

Here’s my version:

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 orange or red bell pepper, seeded and ½ in diced (I use orange or red to add more color, because I add the corn) 

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can corn, drained

½ cup red onion, small diced

2 TBSP jarred pickled jalapeno, diced (can find in Mexican food isle, I usually get Old El Paso)

4 TBSP Newmans Own Lime salad dressing

Juice of 1 lime

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 Haas avocados, seeded, peeled and ½ in diced

   

Padon the sideways view- I took it from my phone and couldn't turn it. Boo!