Indian Summer Chopped Salad

Roasted corn, fresh avocado, tender black beans and chunks of mildly spicy chicken keep the warmth dialed up and let this salad stand on its own as a filling, colorful and delish main dish.

I love autumn. I mean, really love it. Still, there’s something about those first weeks of autumn, when summer holds on for dear life and dishes out random days of sunshine and warmer temps, all set within the beautiful backdrop of fiery and amber leaves. These so-called Indian Summer days (a
name historically given to the Northern hemisphere’s unseasonably warm, hazy and dry autumn days, which some say allowed hunters and gatherers to get a jumpstart on stocking up their food for the brutal winter) are indeed
golden. Colorful, flavor-rich produce mimics trees’ kaleidoscope of ever-changing shades, and we’re still able to give in to our desire for noshing on fresh, garden-y goodness before succumbing to steamy soups and stews.

I’m sure you’ll agree this chopped salad hits all the right notes (perhaps, even in the middle of a harsh Northern hemisphere winter).

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Indian Summer Chopped Salad

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Ingredients

Indian Summer Chopped Salad

• 6 c. organic mixed greens (I love baby spring mix because it’s bursting with flavor and added nutrition)
• 1 c. fresh organic cilantro
• 1 small organic red pepper diced
• 1 c. organic cherry tomatoes halved
• 2½ c. roasted corn (cut directly from the cob – approx. 2 corn cobs)
• 1 c. organic black beans rinsed and blotted dry
• 1 whole avocado diced
• ¾ c. crumbled goat cheese (or feta if not dairy intolerant)
• 1 large organic chicken breast seasoned with 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. cayenne powder, ¼ tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. paprika, ½each of salt and pepper
• 2 whole limes juiced and seeded

Dressing

• 5 T. Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large avocado pitted and cubed
• 1½ T. raw local honey
• ¼ tsp. chili powder
• ¼ tsp. cumin powder
• 1 T. finely chopped cilantro
• ¼ tsp. each of Himalayan sea salt and ground pepper

Servings Ingredients Indian Summer Chopped Salad 6 c. organic mixed greens (I love baby spring mix because it’s bursting with flavor and added nutrition) 1 c. fresh organic cilantro 1 small organic red pepper diced 1 c. organic cherry tomatoes halved 2½ c. roasted corn (cut directly from the cob – approx. 2 corn cobs) 1 c. organic black beans rinsed and blotted dry 1 whole avocado diced ¾ c. crumbled goat cheese (or feta if not dairy intolerant) 1 large organic chicken breast seasoned with 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. cayenne powder, ¼ tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. paprika, ½each of salt and pepper 2 whole limes juiced and seeded Dressing 5 T. Extra virgin olive oil 1 large avocado pitted and cubed 1½ T. raw local honey ¼ tsp. chili powder ¼ tsp. cumin powder 1 T. finely chopped cilantro ¼ tsp. each of Himalayan sea salt and ground pepper

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Instructions

Indian Summer Chopped Salad

1. To prepare chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle chicken breast with extra virgin olive oil and season with onion and garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, yet still juicy and tender. Remove from pan and set aside to cool (if planning to eat salad right away, transfer chicken breast to fridge to cool quickly). Once cooled, use two forks to shred chicken or dice into 1-inch chunks.
2. To prepare corn: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, hold each uncooked corn cob upright on cutting board and slice straight down to remove kernels. Place approx. 2 cups of corn kernels in small bowl and mix with 1 T. extra virgin olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper (don’t over season – you want to really taste the sweet flavor of the roasted corn).
3. Spread the corn in one even layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree F oven for approx. 7 mins (oven times vary, so keep a close eye on the corn – it’s ready when some kernels begin to slightly char. Don’t allow to burn!). Using a spatula, remove the corn from the hot pan and transfer to separate bowl to cool.
4. Place about 2-3 cups of washed and spun salad mix on the cutting board. Using a very sharp knife (or, better yet, a mezzaluna – a curved blade with a plastic handle that you rock back and forth to cut more uniformly; also used to slice pizzas), chop the lettuce pieces into even, bite-sized pieces. Continue this step until all 6 cups of the salad mix have been chopped. Place the chopped salad mix into a medium to large bowl.
5. Add the remaining ingredients (diced pepper, tomatoes, beans, corn, avocado, chicken and goat cheese) and combine gently with salad tongs (avoid aggressive mixing of ingredients; you want each ingredient to maintain its own unique and delicious flavor).
6. Fill individual serving bowls with the chopped salad and lightly toss a final time with the dressing. Garnish with a twisted lime slice and serve immediately. Note: I prefer to toss each individual serving bowl with the dressing, as opposed to adding all the dressing directly to the large salad bowl. This helps keep the salad crisp.

Dressing

1. Combine ingredients and blend with a stick mixer or powerful blender until smooth. Add cold filtered water (a T. at a time until desired consistency is reached.
2. I prefer mine like a vinaigrette, but some of my family members like it a bit thicker/creamy).

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