Southwestern Chopped Salad with Vegan Creamy Citrus Dressing

I love Southwestern style chopped salads.  Cool, crisp lettuce.  Tender roasted red peppers.  Charred corn.  Crispy, salty tortilla strips.  Mmmmmmmmm.  My favorite used to be to douse that puppy in a Baja Ranch style dressing (not a health food).  Being dairy free, though, all of those dressings are now forbidden.

I found a great recipe for Creamy Avocado Citrus Salad Dressing over on Dishin and Dishes.  We loved it!  But I decided to make a few tweaks to suit my family's preferences.

Here is my version:

1 ripe avocado
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c honey
juice of one lime
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1 clove fresh garlic
1/2 c orange juice
1 t dried oregano
pinch of cayenne pepper
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

I serve this on a salad made of...

Romaine Lettuce

baby spinach

roasted or grilled corn

roasted red peppers

black beans

diced tomatoes

diced cucumber

sliced avocado

chopped cilantro

crumbled tortilla chips

And sometimes, if I'm feeling fancy, tortilla crusted chicken.

Enjoy!