Add Some Life with Olives and Olive Oil: Southwestern Tossed Salad

Inspiring and flavorful ingredients can turn a blah salad into something so much more.  Olives and olive oil add a whole new taste dimension to your basic salad, not to mention the bonus of heart-health benefits they provide. Refreshing salads can answer cravings for fresh and more nutritious meals in the spring and summer.  I LOVE salads, olives and olive oil, so I was so excited when the International Olive Council contacted me about posting about their new Add Some Life campaign!

The Add Some Life campaign strives to inspire you about the taste, versatility, benefits and importance of making olives and olive oil staples in your daily life. Whether it’s with our families, our careers, or the food we put on the table, we all strive to find things that can add more “life” to our experiences. Olives and olive oil are the perfect way to do just that. They add flavor. They add health benefits. And they add a sense of excitement to everyday life. Over at Add Some Life it is filled with great useful information along with loads of delicious recipes using olives and olive oil!! So make sure you check it out!! (I've got a chocolate cake that I found there that's been on my brain!!)

This salad was colorful and oh so delicious!! Even my picky eater loved it. The olives add great flavor and the olive oil dressing is light and fabulous!! This will become a regular on my menu!

Southwestern Tossed Salad

adapted from Add Some Life



 1 (15 1/2 oz.) can of corn (well drained)
 1 (15 1/2-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
 1 medium tomato, chopped
 1/2 cup diced onions
 3/4 cup sliced olives.
 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (I used 1 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro)

Dressing
 1/3 cup olive oil
 4 tablespoons lime juice (or rice vinegar)
 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
 1 teaspoon brown sugar
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce with 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce, finely chopped

 5 cups torn lettuce (I used red and green leaf lettuce)
 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed, optional
 1 cup coarsely broken tortilla chips, optional

 shredded cheese

In medium sized bowl, combine corn, black beans, tomato, onions, cilantro; toss to mix.

In measuring cup or small bowl, blend dressing ingredients.  Pour over the bean and corn mixture and stir to mix.

Before serving add the avocado and stir to combine.

Layer your lettuce, add the bean/corn mixture.

Garnish with shredded cheese and broken tortilla chips.

What a delicious and refreshing salad!! Next time I will add some grilled chicken and call it a meal!!

YUM!!

A HUGE Thanks to the International Olive Council for sending me this great package. It's gonna make salad creating even more fun!!

What's your favorite recipe using olives or olive oil? Like Add Some Life on Facebook and Follow on Twitter for up to date information and great ideas!

Disclosure: I received a premium gift package from the International Olive Council, including a Williams-Sonoma Salad Spinner, Crate and Barrel Salad Dressing Mixer and Crate and Barrel Serving Tongs for recipe development and review purposes. All opinions are my own.

The International Olive Council is the world’s only international intergovernmental organization in the field of olive oil and table olives. Formerly known as the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) until 2006, the IOC promotes the trade, consumption and international cooperation in the field of olive oil and table olives. It translates this commitment into tangible advancement for its member countries and, most importantly, for the people who earn their livelihood from the production of the olive tree.