This light and refreshing salad is the perfect balance to a bowl of chicken tortilla soup or any hearty Mexican dish. The tangy pickled pink onions, creamy avocado, crisp pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sweet tangerines blend perfectly with the lime-chimichurri dressing. Prep the pickled onions and chimichurri the day before and store in a tightly sealed container to enjoy the rest over the next week in many other dishes. With this pre-prep done, this beautiful salad can be assembled in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 head Butter Lettuce, washed and torn

• 1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and torn

• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro and oregano leaves

• ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

• 4-6 small tangerines or mandarins, peeled and pulled into segments

• ½ cup green Castelvetrano olives, pitted and sliced

• ½ cup pickled red onion slices (recipe below)

• 1 avocado, cubed for garnish

• 2 oz. Mexican queso fresco (crumbling cheese) or sheep feta cheese or vegan cheese as optional garnish

Prep Pickled Red Onions

• 1 red onion

• 1 cup white vinegar

• a pinch of sea salt

• a pinch of sugar

Cut a red onion in half, lengthwise, then cut in 1/8-inch-long slivers and place in a 12–16-ounce glass jar with a lid. In a small saucepan, bring the white vinegar to a simmer and stir in a pinch of salt and sugar. Stir to dissolve then allow to cool a bit.  Pour the vinegar mixture over red onions and allow to soak for at least 3 hours. Then refrigerate and use as a garnish for salads, bowls, and more in the next 10 days.

Dressing

Mix ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously then refrigerate and use within 10 days.

• 2 oz. Mexican crema, vegan mayonnaise, or plain yogurt

• 2 oz. chimichurri (recipe below)

• 2 teaspoons lime juice

• 1 teaspoon lime zest

• ½ teaspoon on sea salt

Salad preparation:

Toss the greens and fresh herbs with the lime-chimichurri dressing and place them on individual salad plates. Arrange the pink onions, olives, tangerines, pumpkin seeds, and cheese on each salad. Enjoy!