Monday, September 20, 2010

Tex-Mex Taco Salad

Taco salad is one of my favorite foods of all times. There are so many different textures and flavors packed into each bite, and it's pretty much irresistible to me.
The only down side to taco salad from restaurants is the calories, but I found this recipe that gives all the flavors (plus more), and it's made with fresh ingredients and lean meat.
I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite meals to this day. I'm craving it now as I type.


This recipe serves 2, but they are hefty portions. My man and I couldn't even finish it last night. We had enough left over for him to have lunch the next day.
You can certainly add more ingredients to your liking. I added a little bit of Cajun spice to the meat mixture and threw in a few slices of fresh avocado on top of my salad. I also put some corn chips in the mix for texture.
Be creative!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup prepared salsa
2 Tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces lean ground beef or turkey (I used turkey)
1 large plum tomato diced
1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef (or turkey) and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato, beans, cumin, chili powder and salt; cook, stirring until the tomato begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 2 tablespoons of the salsa mixture.

Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture and toss to coat. Divide the lettuce between 2 plates, top with the cooked meat and sprinkle with cheese.
Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 343 calories; 13g fat; 81mg cholesterol; 26g carbs; 32g protein; 8g fiber; 851mg sodium; 737mg potassium

Tips: Refrigerate leftover beans for up to 3 days. Toss with a green salad or into soup for extra protein; mash with garlic powder and chopped fresh herbs for a quick dip.

Source: Eating Well

1 comment:

Meg said...

Oh, yum! I love this! And leftovers....yum!