Here it is Chelsea.  The salad you never thought you would love.  My daughter asked me to make this salad and add it to the blog.  Then she told me she remembered herself and her brother dreading this salad when they would come home from school and saw that I was making it for dinner.   “When I was little, I never thought it would be one of my favourites today, but it is.” she added.  Of course, in those days I didn’t make it Plant Based.  Thankfully today, I have concocted a recipe that replicates the flavour.
If you don’t think you like black beans, add them anyway.  They really do add another dimension and level of taste, plus they are full of fibre and protein.  One cup yields about 15 grams of fibre and 15 grams of protein.  Fun fact, black beans are in a group called “resistant starch” which loosely means the starches don’t trigger glycemic levels as much as other starches if you are watching those.. aka low on the glycemic chart.

As an option, you could add Vegan mayo or plain non dairy yogurt to the dressing if you like, but I like the simplicity of a vinaigrette dressing as I find it brings out the flavours of all the ingredients.  Also, I have added grilled corn to the salad if I have it on hand (cobbed or frozen ) If you use on the cob method you will need to pre grill it so that it will have time to cool before removing from the cob.   

1. Mix the ingredients for spice paste together
2. Rub the tofu wedges generously on all sides with the spices paste.
3. Place in a hot non stick grilling pan or bbq grill over medium high heat until blackened bits appear.  Careful not to burn Approximately 4-5 min per side or as per directions on packaging if using vegan cutlets.
4. Once cooked remove from the pan and cover with tin foil for a few minutes before cutting.  This helps with cutting in slices without falling apart.

I usually always have brown rice pre-cooked in the refrigerator, if not make a small batch measure 4 cups into a bowlAdd the salsa to the rice
Stir to combine, if you are using cold rice heat to “warm” in a sauce pan, or in the microwave.Chop the lettuce into bite size pieces Vine ripened tomatoes or Roma roughly chopped
Green onions are optionalDrain and rinse the canned black beansAvocado is ripe when you are able to press it and it feels firm yet you can feel the avocado give slightly under the skin.  If there is no give then it will take another day or two on the counter to ripen.Cut in half and remove the pit. Slice lengthwise in strips with a small knife and scoop out with a spoon for slices like these.  Cubes work just as well too.

The Dressing:

Grab a small handful of cilantro and finely chopAdd to a small bowl and add the sweetener of choiceAdd the lime zest, lime juice, and vinegar into the bowl
For a creamier dressing use vegan mayo or yogurt whisking well to combine
Add some heat if you choose!Whisk again before adding to the salad. Time to plate! Lots of avocado
Don’t you dare leave out the black beans.. Trust me you will like them.. I never thought I would like them in a salad either.. But I do!!
Add the warmed rice and salsa, Slice the tofu or vegan cutlets and spread on the salad.
Top with 2-3 Tbsp of the dressing Now Enjoy every last bite!

Southwest Blackened Tofu Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing