MEXICAN CHOPPED SALAD

by chris scheuer

I’m sure I might be a bit unusual, some people might even use the word “odd” (and I’m okay with that), but it makes me really happy to come home from the grocery store or market loaded down with all sorts of beautiful, fresh produce. And if I find it for a super duper price, well, let’s just say I’m like a little pig in mud.

I always have  fun deciding what to do with my stash of fresh goodies. I’ve been thinking about a Mexican Chopped Salad for a while now, and when I found tiny sweet peppers, red onions, fresh succulent corn and zucchini all on sale this week, I did a little happy dance, knowing it was time to make that south of the border salad happen. I just needed to find one more item; the item that could very likely could win “the ugliest member of the produce aisle” award ………. can you guess? 

One small jicama (pronounced ˈhē-kə-mə) is what I need to complete my salad . Jicama is often used in South American cooking. The plant is native to Mexico and jicama is used commonly there in all kinds of dishes. I love to use it in salsas and salads as it gives a lovely, slightly sweet crunch, and doesn’t loose it’s crispness over time. If you’ve never used it before, don’t be surprised when you finally find it looking like a speckly, brown, misshapen potato. There’s lots of goodness hiding under that humble surface. It’s low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, iron and vitamin C. I would describe the taste and texture as a cross between a Asian pear, a potato and an apple. Pick one up next time you’re at the grocery, you may discover a new friend as jicama is not only wonderful diced in salads, but can also be cut in sticks and eaten with dips like hummus and salsas.

Back to my Mexican Chopped Salad. It’s the kind of salad I can never get enough of; fresh, vibrantly colored, loaded with flavor. Eating it, makes me feel energetic and healthy. The dressing I created is light and bright, with just a few ingredients; fresh lime juice, honey, a clove of garlic and a splash of oil. A pinch of cumin along with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper finish it off perfectly. I love simple recipes like this.

If you like a little crunch in your salad, like we do, be sure to pick up a package of corn tortillas. That’s what you’ll use to make the crispy topping for this wonderful salad. Just slice them up, drizzle with a bit of oil and pop the pan in the oven till they’re gloriously golden brown; a perfect complement.

If you’re craving fresh and delicious, be sure to add these ingredients to your grocery list. Make this Mexican Chopped Salad and enjoy it for dinner along with some grilled chicken, pork or seafood. Then pack it up for lunch the next day, as it keeps quite well. Just a warning though; all your co-workers will be drooling over your delicious, brightly colored lunch. Enjoy!

4.9 from 15reviews

MEXICAN CHOPPED SALAD

 

The freshest, healthiest, most summery salad. It's loaded with fabulous Southwestern flavor.

Author: Chris Scheuer

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern

Serves: 6-8 as a side

INGREDIENTS

• Ingredients for the dressing:
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• taste and add salt if needed
• Ingredients for the tortilla strips:
• 6 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 
  
• Ingredients for the salad:
• 
  
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce , chopped in approximately ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced in ¼-inch pieces, I used small orange-hued peppers (the mini ones). Feel free to use whichever color you want.
• ½ medium red onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces
• ½ medium jicama, peeled and diced in ¼-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, diced in ¼-inch dice
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into ¼-inch dice
• 4 ears corn (if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1½ cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn)
• 1½ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt. Stir to combine. In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
2. For the corn tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400˚F. Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, crosswise, about ¼ inch thick.
3. Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
5. For the salad, place corn, two ears at a time, in the microwave and cook for 3½ minutes. Remove from microwave with a hot pad and allow to cool for 5 minutes. After cooling, cut bottom end of corn off, about 1½ inches from end. Pull back husk and silks (almost all of the silk should easily pull away). Cut kernels from husks and set aside.
6. Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
7. Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side and let guests help themselves.

http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2014/05/mexican-chopped-salad/

How Does Onion Help In Hair Growth?

Are you losing hair whenever you shampoo or comb? This is a very common problem which many of us face. If we keep losing hair on a daily basis, then imagine what situation we will find ourselves in after a few years! Am I scaring you? Well, don’t be scared since we need to pull up our socks and do something straightaway to combat further hair loss and induce new hair growth.

The good old onion is an amazing natural remedy to fight hair fall and also effectively increase the growth of your hair.

You might be thinking how to use the onion treatment for hair growth especially when it smells awful? But think of it this way: wouldn’t you like to get rid of hair fall problems? Moreover, if you already see your hair line receding or some bald patches showing up, isn’t it better to opt for using something you would find in your own home instead of spending more money at the salon where they promise you great results with regular hair spas but which usually don’t work out ?

Treatment for hair growth with onions is not just natural but completely safe as well. We are not loading our hair and scalp with harsh chemicals but utilizing an ingredient which can prevent hair loss and encourage new hair growth at the same time.

So how does onions help fight hair fall and induce hair growth?

Onions are high on sulfur content. That is why the juice of onions is capable of stimulating hair growth as sulfur helps in increasing blood circulation. It also diminishes any kind of skin inflammation due to its antibacterial properties. Moreover, onion juice makes your hair stronger, opens up the pores of your hair follicles that were blocked and prevents scalp infections at the same time.

Here are some ways to use onion to treat hair fall and promote new hair growth:

Using raw onion juice:

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Joe Hall

This is the easiest way to derive the benefits of the sulfur content of onion. Just blend some onions in your food processor and extract the juice; apply this on your scalp and leave for at least 30 minutes or more if you wish; rinse off using a mild shampoo. If this is done for a minimum of thrice a week, you can expect to see results within one or two months. Please be patient as this is a natural remedy.

Using onion-honey mixture :

Take one-fourth cup of raw onion juice and add honey to it. Use this to massage your scalp on a daily basis to see the difference.

Using a onion-rum concoction: 

If you really cannot stand the smell of onions on your hair, you can try this method instead. For this you have to chop an onion and soak it overnight in a glass of rum. Do not put this in your refrigerator. The following day, strain it to remove the onion bits and use the liquid for massaging your scalp. You can also use this as a hair rinse.

Hope you will find these onion hair growth remedies useful. If you start caring for your hair today, you can not only eliminate hair fall from your life but also get the thick, shiny and long mane you have always desired.

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/how-onion-helps-hair-growth/?ref=hotpickssidebar