015 / 75 · Cold Lunches and Simple Assemblies
Turkey, Avocado and Kidney Bean Salad
2 large salads, each with half the cooked turkey, kidney beans, avocado and vegetables · Active 20 min · Total 20 min
Print recipe · PDFThis salad combines ready-cooked turkey with canned kidney beans, avocado and crisp lettuce. The two protein foods have different starting states: turkey is weighed after roasting, while the beans are weighed after draining. No raw kidney beans belong in this quick method. The useful beginner skill is preparing components in an order that keeps the lettuce dry and the avocado intact.
Open, drain and measure
Tip canned kidney beans into a sieve and rinse briefly under drinking water, then drain thoroughly before weighing. This removes loose packing liquid; it does not turn them into dry or raw beans. The nutrition basis uses a canned-drained record and allows for the small variation caused by rinsing. Cut the cold turkey into bite-size pieces across its fibers. If it is left from an earlier meal, keep its original cook date in mind: making a salad does not give cooked poultry another three days.
Dress the food that needs it
Whisk lemon, measured oil, mustard and pepper first. Toss the beans, tomato and turkey through that dressing, then add avocado last with only a few gentle turns. Ripe avocado will smear if stirred vigorously, which is not dangerous but loses the distinct pieces this salad is designed to have. Dry the washed romaine before dividing it between the bowls. Put the dressed mixture on top immediately before eating so the lettuce stays crisp. For a packed meal, keep lettuce separate and cut avocado close to departure. This is a full two-portion salad; the bean and meat quantities should not quietly become four very small lunches. If you want bread alongside it, measure it separately and recognize that it adds to the stated estimate.
Ingredients
- Cooked roasted turkey breast, skin and bones removed (200 g/about 7 oz)
- About 1 1/3 cups canned red kidney beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained (240 g edible)
- 1 small ripe avocado, peeled and stoned (120 g edible flesh)
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced (200 g)
- About 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce, washed and dried (80 g)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice (20 ml/about 20 g)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (10 ml/about 9 g)
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (5 g)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (0.3 g)
Set out
Kitchen scale, Can opener if needed, Sieve, Clean knife and board, Large bowl and spoon, 2 salad bowls or lunch containers, Refrigerator
Allergens
Mustard; check prepared mustard and any seasoned turkey labels for other allergens. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Rinse canned beans briefly in a sieve, drain thoroughly and weigh the drained portion. Cut the already cooked, cold turkey into small bite-size pieces. Wash and dry the romaine; dice the tomatoes.
- Stir lemon, oil, mustard and pepper in the bowl. Add beans, turkey and tomato and turn to coat. Halve the avocado, remove the stone, scoop and dice the flesh; fold it in gently.
- Divide dry romaine between 2 bowls and add half the dressed mixture to each. Serve promptly, or keep the lettuce separate and refrigerate all perishable components until assembly.
A useful kitchen skill
Keep the original storage deadline attached to cooked poultry even after it becomes part of a new cold meal.
A useful detail
The 20-minute total starts with safely cooked and chilled turkey. The estimate uses roasted breast meat only and canned red kidney-bean drained solids; it is not a dry-bean cooking method.
Another way
- Replace the turkey with 200 g cooked skinless chicken breast and recalculate for chicken.
- Substitute 120 g diced cucumber for the avocado when you want a lighter texture; the calorie and protein estimate will differ.
Keep it well
Keep all perishable components at 40°F/4°C or below. Eat within 1 day for the best avocado and lettuce texture, never beyond the original turkey deadline. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Pack with two cold sources in an insulated bag and refrigerate on arrival where possible.