We're celebrating Meatless Mondays with balanced, delicious meal plans. We hope you'll join us -- whether you're vegetarian all the time or just here and there.
Today: Take your manic Monday and turn it into a margarita Monday instead.
A busy Monday can be like a rude awakening from the wonderful dreamland of the weekend. But there's hope yet. We're giving you permission -- in fact, we're instructing you -- to take your manic Monday and turn it into a margarita Monday.
And if Mondays can be fun, there's no reason why pineapple can't be dinner. Enough with the fruit salads and the breakfast parfaits -- pineapple is ready to be the star of your meal. Tone down its tangy, bright flavor with a little time in the oven, then toss it with garlicky dressing and creamy avocado and call it dinner. Since you've already done so much to make Monday into a party night, you might as well eat some chips and salsa, too.
The Menu
Take advantage of our handy grocery list and game plan, or click the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes.
Marciel E. Presilla's Cuban Avocado, Watercress, and Pineapple Salad by Genius Recipes
Serves 2, with plenty of leftover salad
1 pineapple
3 limes
2 bunches of watercress (arugula will also work)
2 avocados
1 small red onion
4 ounces tequila
2 ounces Cointreau
1 tablespoon agave syrup
Chips and salsa, for snacking
We're assuming you've got sugar, garlic, olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper in your kitchen. If you're running low, you'll want to pick up more.
1. Break down your pineapple into four round slices (if you need a little help, we've got you covered). Sprinkle the slices with sugar, then throw them under the broiler until golden brown (5 to 10 minutes on each side). Cut into cubes.
2. Whisk 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1/4 cup of olive oil, the juice of 1 lime, a pinch of ground cumin, a teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. That's it: salad dressing.
3. Toss the watercress with half of the dressing and throw it in a bowl. Cut the avocado into cubes, then combine it with the pineapple and the rest of the dressing. Pile that on top of the watercress and garnish with slivers of red onion.
4. Now reward yourself with a drink. Fill a shaker partway with ice and add tequila, Cointreau, the juice of the remaining two limes, and agave syrup. Shake until chilled.
5. Coat the rims of 2 glasses with salt. Or skip that step and simply fill the glasses with ice and pour in the cocktail.
6. Sip your margarita, savor the salad, and make it a real party by breaking out the chips and salsa.
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