Our deconstructed, re-imagined Albuquerque Salad — Photo by Author

Recipe Deconstructed from a Santa Fe Salad Kit

Welcome back (or welcome) to my Summer Salad Series — one chilled salad at a time.

Years ago, my partner and I came across a Santa Fe Salad Kit at the grocery store. We had traveled west a short while before with the City of Santa Fe as one of our stay overs.

We loved the town, we loved the square, we loved the people and we loved the food.

We were eager to try the salad kit ourselves. As with most store-bought kits, it left us somewhat underwhelmed.

Encouraged by my partner’s success with the deconstruction of a favorite white pizza from a frequented restaurant, we knew we could do better. His remarkable taste buds and sense of smell make him a “Flavor Detective.”

To make the salad our own, we changed the name. We refer to our creation as Albuquerque Salad. Deconstructed, re-imagined and its yum-yum. 😋🥗

The first few times, I used frozen chicken tenders. To make the salad even healthier, I changed to grilled chicken strips. My partner and I really liked this meal.

As our diet evolved to more vegan and plant-based fare, I began to crave this salad. How could I adapt the Albuquerque Salad to fulfill our plant-based nutritional needs?

It took some time, then out of the blue, the solution found us. Juicy, TiNDLE chicken patties made from plants. With the first bite, I knew this patty was the one.

The new version of the Albuquerque Salad deserves a yum-yum too. 😋🥗

Albuquerque Salad Ingredients — Photo by Author

Simplicity is Key with my summer salad recipe series.

Recipe #7 — Albuquerque Salad
~ Ingredients* — 2 Servings ~

• 3–4 c lettuce and spinach, tear into bite-size pieces (enough greens to cover two dinner plates)
• Cucumber, sliced and quartered
• Tomato, sliced and diced
• Avocado, sliced and diced
• Black olives, sliced
• Red pepper, sliced and diced
• Scallion, sliced
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Black pepper, ground to taste

*Note — use as much of each ingredient as you like

Additional ingredients needed to assemble the salad

• Tortilla chips, crumbled
• 2 plant-based chik patties or 4 each chik tenders, air fry
• Vegan cheddar shreds

Southwest Dressing

• 1/4 c raw cashews — boil for 15 minutes, rinse and drain. Skip this step if using a quality high-speed blender
• 1/2 c fresh salsa* — or — use your favorite flavor and type
• 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 T lime juice plus lime zest
• 1/4 c water to thin, add gradually. Use less or more for your desired thickness.

*I made the salsa myself. I’ll share the recipe with you soon.

Instructions

Step 1 — Add all the salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl or salad bowl. Chill until 15–20 minutes prior to dinner.

Step 2 — Make the salad dressing. Chill until time to add to the salad.

Step 3 — Air fry the vegan chicken patties. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F, if needed. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turn once halfway through. Slice the patty (keeping it tightly together) and top with the shredded vegan cheese. Put the patties back into the air fryer or a microwave for the cheese to melt.

Note — This will take about 15 seconds. Daiya dairy-free shreds melt well.

Step 4 — While the patties cook, combine the salad ingredients using tongs. Stir the dressing, add a few dollops onto the salad and mix thoroughly.

Step 5 — Crumble a handful or two of tortilla chips into the salad. Stir the chips into the salad.

Step 6 — Plate each salad. Center the vegan patty onto the salad and add another dollop of dressing on top.

Step 7 —Bon appétit!

I love being able to do the prep early in the day. This allows the salad ingredients time to chill and time for the dressing flavors to meld.

In the evening, my partner takes care of air frying the patties while I finish the salad. It’s a fun way to work together in the kitchen. Then delight in a delicious dinner. Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts

• Fresh vegetable salads are filled with nutrients — Vitamins E & C, fiber and folic acid
• The nutrients can help lower your blood sugar and regulate cholesterol levels

Convenience Item

• Sometimes we need convenience.
• Read labels and choose wisely when selecting a processed food.
• Eat processed foods sparingly.

Eat Well! Stay Well! Live Well!