Mexican Chopped Salad

This is just a little salad I like to have because it is really easy to put together and I can make most of it ahead of time. I hate boring salads so this one is a winner when I am craving something spicy and full of great textures.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a cucumber
• 1/4 of a red onion
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 15 cherry tomatoes
• jalapeños
• lime
• avocado
• optional shrimp, chicken, steak, fish, or tofu
• lettuce

The part I make ahead is basically just the preparation of the veggies. I chop up the cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes. Then I add the black beans and a lot of jalapeños because I love them! I throw all of this into a tupperware bowl and then squeeze the juice of half a lime over the veggies before I mix it up.

This mix is good for a couple days so it is great to be able to make a fresh and tasty salad fast or even to pack for lunch.

I usually just scoop some over a plate of lettuce and add some dressing. (I like a cilantro caesar, but ranch or a balsamic would work too.) Since I was feeling a little fancy and had some time to spare, I sliced up a quarter of an avocado and grilled up some shrimp to top it off. Yum!