Hot-In-The-City-Tonight Spicy Taco Salad

The heat wave lives on in Perth this week and therefore, so do the raw dinners! I love summer, but extreme, too-hot-to-go-outside heat is a little intense, even for me. Hurray for air conditioning, swimming pools and icy-poles!

I know I said I’d give the spicy hot dinners a rest while this heat wave continues, but I do so love to spice things up, so how about a raw dinner with a bit of a kick? Win-win!

Inspired by a similar taco salad recipe I saw in The Art of Raw Living Food, this is my version. If you can get your hands on a copy of this book, I thoroughly recommend it. My gorgeous friend Cath, on advice from her personal trainer, recommended it to me and it was the very first ‘cookbook’ that I bought as a vegan. Even though I had no intention of going raw back then (I was barely coping with the idea of life without cheese!), the stunning photos of amazing raw dishes completely seduced me.

Salad:

• Mixed leaves
• Corn (cut fresh from the cob)
• Avocado
• Carrot, shredded
• Mushrooms (raw or gently cooked as per Step 1 below)

This Salad Dressing recipe makes 2 cups and keeps in the fridge for 7 days, so you can enjoy it all week (as a salad dressing or on wraps, etc):

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 red capsicum
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 1/2 cup de-stemmed coriander
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• a few slices of jalapeño (to taste)

1. In a saucepan, gently cook the sliced mushrooms in a splash of EVOO, garlic, chilli powder, agave nectar and Himalayan salt.
2. Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
3. Place salad ingredients (including the mushrooms) into a large mixing bowl and toss in dressing until well covered.
4. Serve topped with corn chips and spicy pepitas (I buy mine from Loose Produce).

Of course, depending on how hot it is where you are, you might need a frozen Margarita to go with it. 🙂

And a pretty jar for your leftover spicy, creamy dressing, mmmmm…