BBQ Chopped Salad

Usually I don't like BBQ flavored things, because they always wind up being too sweet.  Recently I discovered the Carolina BBQ Sauce from Trader Joe's, which has just the right amount of sweetness, while being spicy and tangy at the same time!  The first time I used it to make BBQ Ribs, I knew it was a perfect BBQ sauce.  So a couple weeks later I used it to make BBQ Salmon Pizza, and wanted to have a chopped salad with some sort of creamy BBQ dressing, preferably one that wasn't loaded with mayonnaise.

The chopped salad part was easy, but I couldn't find a recipe for a healthy BBQ dressing, so I decided to make one myself using European yogurt, Carolina BBQ Sauce, Corn Chile Salsa, and finely minced cilantro.  This salad is the perfect companion for anything BBQ, including my BBQ Chicken Pizza!

1 head celery
3 bell peppers
2 carrots
1 can olives, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup European Yogurt from Trader Joe's, or another thin, tangy yogurt
½ cup Carolina BBQ Sauce from Trader Joe's
¼ cup Corn Chile Salsa from Trader Joe's
1 bunch cilantro, finely minced

Wash the celery, bell peppers, and carrots thoroughly.

Finely chop the celery, bell peppers, and carrots, then put them in a medium bowl.

Add the olives and black beans and mix until all ingredients are combined.

Put the yogurt, BBQ sauce, and salsa into a bowl or measuring cup, and stir until the ingredients form a creamy orange mixture.

Pour the orange dressing over the salad ingredients and mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are coated.

This salad is ideal served over a bed of lettuce and spinach alongside your favorite BBQ or Tex Mex dish!

BBQ Chopped Salad with BBQ Chicken Pizza.

 BBQ Chopped Salad with Mexican Stuffed Peppers. (recipe for Mexican Stuffed Peppers coming soon!)

Don't forget to try this salad alongside my BBQ Chicken Pizza!

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.