Vegan Chicken Fajita Salad

There really is a salad under those tortilla chips and its a good one -
lots of veggies, an outstanding salad dressing, and a little zip from peppers!

There is nothing better on a really hot day than a nice crisp salad.  Well, a great air conditioner would be even better but since that isn't an option for me, a salad is pretty good.  Today was a great contrast to my last week.  First, I talked to my best friend from college, I talked to two teacher friends, I talked to my Mom, I talked to my sister, and I had a massage.  It was a wealth of good times!  Which is a good thing because it suddenly occurred to me that I have only 1 week before I start teaching!  So I building myself up.  I've been exercising every morning to build my stamina.  I filled my spirit with the positive words of my friends and family.  I've relaxed with an amazing massage and now I'm feeding my body with a delicious salad.  I think it's important to fill myself up (not just my body, but my mind and spirit too) so I can really be the best teacher and person I can be this school year.

Vegan Chicken Fajita Salad with Chipolte Dressing

 A great mix of raw crunchy veggies and flavorful, tender and slightly spicy fajita veggies.

Here's a close-up of the salad after it was tossed.

Ingredients:

·      1-2 TB Canola Oil

·      1 large Red Bell Pepper, julienne slices

·      1 large Green Bell Pepper, julienne slices

·      1 medium Pasilla Pepper, julienne slices (Optional)

·      1 large carrot, julienne slices

·      1 medium onion, julienne slices

·      1 medium yellow squash, julienne slices

·      1 medium zucchini, julienne slices

·      3 cloves garlic, minced

·      1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

·      1 tsp chili powder

·      1 tsp cumin

·      ½ tsp season salt

·      2 cups sliced vegan chicken substitute  -(I used FYH Country Smoked Chicken Free Chicken)

·      Pico De Gallo or Fresh Salsa

·      Pickled Jalapeño (optional)

·      You may also like to add some fresh crunchy veggies like radishes or jicama.

·      Romaine Lettuce, torn into bite size pieces

·      Red Leaf Lettuce, torn into bite size pieces  (optional – just Romaine lettuce is ok)

·      1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more or less to taste)

·      Baked Tortilla Chips

·      Chipolte Dressing (Recipe Follows)

Directions:

1)    Sauté peppers, carrots, and onions in 1 TB oil for 5-6 minutes until just beginning to get tender.

2)    Add squash, zucchini, garlic, jalapeño, and seasonings.   (You may need to add more oil at this time.) Continue to sauté vegetables until they are tender and lightly browned but still have a bite to them (tender not soggy!).  Add chicken substitute and continue cooking until chicken is warm and combined with vegetables and seasonings.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. (warm to room temperature is fine)

3)    Prepare Chipolte dressing.

4)    Arrange Salad by layering Lettuce, Cilantro and Dressing, top with Fajita mixture, Pico de Gallo, and Optional Jalapeño peppers or fresh veggies (we added radishes) and tortilla chips.  Toss and enjoy.

Chipolte Dressing

1/3 cup vegan sour cream

1/3 cup light vegan mayo

2 TB Catsup

1 TB agauve syrup

¼ cup Chipolte Salsa

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp season salt

Juice from ½ lime

2-3 TB plain almond milk

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a jar with a lid.  Shake well until everything is mixed well.  If too thick, add additional almond milk until it reaches the desired consistency.

And since I'm feeling so filled with love and happiness (that's what talking to so many wonderful people does to me), here's is another one of the loves of my life: Winnie.

This is Winnie.  I love to read cookbooks.
She just likes to sit near me while I read cookbooks.