Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Bean Tortilla Salad with Greens

I've been making variations of a tortilla salad for a long time, but usually I throw lettuce in at the end before serving. This time I started with greens since we have an abundance in our garden, and we get them delivered from a farm on a weekly basis (along with other produce). I must say it turned out great. I love greens, I mean really love them, so this adds more health to a meal that I normally would eat just for the Mexican flavor of it. Some of you may already know my passion for heat! This dish is very mild, though, but you can spice it up any way you like. Enjoy!






Bean Tortilla Salad with Greens

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil
3 big bunches of greens (I used green chard and two different kinds of kale), removed from stems and chopped coarsely
1 - 15 oz. can of small red beans, undrained
1 can of black olives, drained and sliced in thirds
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. garlic powder
Corn tortilla chips

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. (For those who are stumped on how to separate greens from their stems, excluding spinach, it's actually a very simple method. Hold each green stem-side up, then gently grab the leaves and pull down towards the top. This should remove the green leafy part from the stem. If the stem is very small, I just cook it up. Sometimes, if the green is stubbornly attached, just pulling it gently away from the stem at that part will be enough to release it the rest of the way.) Once the oil is heated, add the greens and stir quickly for two to five minutes, until they brighten up. Because of the large amount of greens, be sure you stir so the bottom leaves rotate with the top. Once they have wilted somewhat and brightened, add the rest of the ingredients, and cook until heated through, about two or three minutes more. The moisture from the canned bean liquid will help further wilt the greens and prevent burning. Take three big handfuls of chips and crunch them in your hands into various sizes of chunks, as you drop them in the skillet. Stir until all is mixed together, then serve. Feeds five hungry vegans.

17 comments:

  1. Great idea to cook the greens for something a little different. I will have to try this. Thanks for sharing the idea. ;-)

    Alicia

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  2. You're welcome, Alicia! I'm sure I'll be seeing an oil-free version from you. :-)

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  3. I love this... We had burritos on monday, and I am up for mexican everyday! Well... between Alicia and you and I, we have cornered the mexican blogsphere!

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  4. That is it!!!! I am making something really bad for all of us this weekend!!!
    I am making Potato Ole's!!!!!!...you only live once!
    and maybe sopapilla's

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  5. Yum! What a great way to eat your greens; I will be making some of this in near future as a new (to me) and tasty way to get my greens.

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  6. Alicia, Yes I do. :)

    Brandi - I am looking forward to it!

    Rose, I hope you'll like it. I've heard around the blogs that not everyone likes greens as much as me, so maybe this will give them something new and different to try.

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  7. Dark greens have such a bigger flavor ! I like the idea of using these as a base for a tortilla salad- so much healthy stuff going on with this one !

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  8. Ha-ha! Yes, sometimes I can get healthy. Sometimes I tend to wonder what people think when they see me post time after time about starches. :)

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  9. You should change your name to Blessed Mamacita.

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  10. LOL, S.V. You always make me smile.

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  11. Yummmm sounds relish. I love greens too but really didn't eat enough of them while in South America. I was always afraid of them being dirty or the water being too dirty to wash them. I was just thinking how to need to have a green smoothie :)

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  12. Yes, Jill, I can understand how worries over clean water would make you hesitant to wash and eat them! Well, when you're back in a place where you know the water is good, give this one a try. :)

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  13. I love tortilla!

    I invite you to try my personal chicken tortilla recipe:

    http://benwl.blogspot.com/2010/03/chicken-tortilla-soup-recipe-for.html

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  14. Thanks for the offer, Ben, but I'm vegan.

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  15. Mmm, beans and greens, two of my most favorite things. This looks really good!

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