Giddyup Veggie Salad

Every spring I get so excited to plant my garden. My mouth waters when I think about all the delicious creations that will happen in our kitchen. My whole family gets giddy when we go to the local garden center to select seeds and starter plants. We arrive home and enjoy analyzing what will be the best layout for our harvest this year. Then we happily dig into the dirt, carefully preparing pockets for each seed. We water … we wait … we talk about what we’ll make.

Then the summer days slowly tick by. Weeds start growing, but we don’t seem to mind. We just keep dreaming about the great meals we’ll have with homegrown goodies. More time goes by and more weeds grow. We remember to water here and there (that is, when we think about it). OK, I admit it … I love the idea of having a bountiful harvest of produce from my garden, but I’m not so good at tending the plants once in the ground. One might think that after many years of following this same cycle I might change. But, alas, my green thumb is not to be.

So even though the ingredients for this fresh and tasty salad may not be grown in my own backyard, it doesn’t matter because the deliciousness of the dish makes me think that I could grow a garden if I really wanted to. And that little piece of hope is what I hang on to until next spring when I repeat the process over again.

So here’s to your bountiful harvest (or not) and a salad that inspires.

Giddyup Veggie Salad

By Sara Gronholz

1 pkg. Giddyup Guacamole Mix
3 tsp. water
Diced Roma tomatoes
Diced avocado
15.5 oz. can rinsed, drained black beans
Corn (fresh is ideal, but canned worked fine)
Diced red pepper
Fresh diced cilantro

Add water to one packet of Giddyup Guacamole Mix. Add diced vegetables and refrigerate until serving.

Testing Notes:

Add different types of bell peppers – yellow, orange or green are great.
Add diced chili peppers for a smokier flavor.
For less “kick” in the salad, add more veggies.
For more “kick” add a splash of hot sauce or diced jalapenos.
Add diced chicken for more protein (or even rotisserie chicken for an additional flavor boost).
Add some cooked quinoa – it takes this salad to a whole new level!
Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for an added spark of flavor.
Serve on tortilla chips.
Serve in warm tortillas with shredded cheese for a veggie “fajita.”