FOOD FOR THE SOUL: Spicy Southwestern Salad

Spicy Southwestern Salad

Recipe by CHEF STACEY DOUGAN

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

Spicy Southwestern Salad

For the salad

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon each cumin and chili powder
• (plus a sprinkle of cayenne if you like it hot)
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 whole avocado cut in bite sized chunks
• 1 cup fresh corn shucked from the cobb
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 cup sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup corn chips
• 1 romaine heart, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

For the cilantro dressing

• half an avocado
• 1⁄4 cup vegan yogurt (plain)
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• a squeeze of lime juice
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix the olive oil, cumin, and chili powder together in a small bowl. Brush mixture on sweet potatoes. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan. Turn heat up to 425, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Check, stir, and bake until the sweet potatoes are just barely roastybrown on the outside. Season with salt and pepper.

• Meanwhile, pulse all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth.

• Toss the beans, basil, corn, lettuce, quinoa, avocado, tomatoes, corn chips and sweet potatoes with the dressing.

Chef STACEY DOUGAN

www.chefstaceydougan.com • (702) 609-3488 • Email: chefstaceydougan@gmail.com
Twitter: ChefStaceyD • Facebook: Chef Stacey Dougan