Mexican Salad

• 1 ½ c cooked black beans (or 1 can)
• 1 ½ c cooked brown rice
• 2 medium tomatoes chopped
• 1 small onion chopped fine
• ½ c chopped red or yellow bell pepper (or both!)
• 1 chopped avocado
• ½ sliced black olives
• 1 c cooked corn
• 1 medium cucumber chopped
• 8 c torn leaf lettuce
• ½ c fresh shadow beni (cilantro) chopped

Drain and rinse beans. Toss all ingredients together in a salad bowl. Add lettuce just before serving. Serve with Ranch-style Dressing (recipe following). Also good served with Creamy Cheeseless Sauce (recipe in Substitutes) Vary ingredients according to your liking. Red, pink, or pinto beans may also be used.

Variation: Make it a hot, one-dish meal by using hot beans and rice. Just leave all the ingredients separate and let each person build their own salad. Start with rice and beans on the bottom, then add whatever veggies you like, just stacking it up. Top with dressing or cheeseless sauce (or both, if you like!).

Ranch-style Dressing

• ¼ c raw cashews
• ½ lb tofu
• 2/3 c water
• 1 T lemon juice
• ½ t garlic powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 t basil
• 2 t parsley
• 2 t onion powder
• 1 T honey

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add water as needed for blending or until desired consistency is reached. This makes a great veggie dip if less water is used so that it stays thick.

Garden Salad

• 6-8 c torn leaf lettuce
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 medium cucumber sliced
• ½ grated purple cabbage
• 2-4 small tomatoes, cut in wedges
• 1 sliced avocado
• ½ c black olives
• 1 c alfalfa sprouts
• 1 green onion or sweet onion sliced thin
• ½ c cooked channa (garbanzos)
• ¼ sunflower seeds
• Fresh herbs if desired

In large salad bowl toss lettuce, purple cabbage, carrot, channa, sprouts and onion. Arrange cucumber slices, tomato wedges, olives and avocado slices on top. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and fresh herbs if desired. Serve with Creamy Herb Dressing (recipe following)

Creamy Herb Dressing

• ½ c raw cashews
• ½ c water
• 2 T lemon juice
• ½-1 T honey
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ t onion powder
• ½ t basil
• ¼ t oregano
• ¼ t parsley
• ½ t salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Adjust salt and herbs to taste.

Carrot Salad

• 3 c grated carrots
• ¾ c grated unsweetened coconut
• ½ c chopped pecans
• ½ c raisins
• ¼-⅓ c orange juice
• ¼ t salt

Mix all ingredients together in medium bowl. May serve immediately or let set in refrigerator for a few minutes to make it more moist.

You can use different nuts in place of pecans, or add sunflower seeds for additional crunch and nutrition. Chopped dates may also be used in place of raisins. I make it often with dates because I have a girl who doesn't like raisins, and everyone loves it that way.