Mexican Chopped Salad With Beets & Walnuts

Wonderful recipe adapted from Food & Wine, May 2008 edition. Original recipe called for making a dressing with 2 cups of walnut halves and a ton of oil and it was WAY too heavy and had WAY too many calories. I lighted it up and now we think it's perfect!!! This is a great make ahead salad and is perfect for the Christmas holiday (being red and green)!

• Ready In: 22 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup walnut halves
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1⁄8 teaspoon seasoning salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 3  medium  sized peeled  cooked beets, sliced (you can cheat and use canned beets if you must)
• 1  fuji apple, cubes
• 1  avocado, cubed
• 1  fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 cup manchego cheese, thinly shaved
• 1  cup tortilla chips

Directions

1. Whisk together the oil and lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
2. Layer beets on the bottom of the plate, then top with apple, avocado, fennel, Manchego and walnuts.
3. Spoon dressing over the top.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge and some chips if you like.