Chopped Taco Salad

WOWZA! It's Thursday folks! Al...most...there....

BRING ON FRIDAY!

44 days. That's all I can say.

Well, that and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA{gasp}AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Deep breaths, deep breaths.


I'm at the SO-EXCITED-YET-SO-ANXIOUS phase. So excited about everything, yet scared to death it won't come together on time.

But it's okay! I hear this is normal?

Right?

Anyone?

I'll take it!

You know what calms me down? Food. Good food. Good food and good FOR you food.

I've been on a crazy Mexican food kick - which I might have mentioned in a previous post. A couple of weeks ago I was at work, pining away for tacos and quesadillas and burritos when BOOM. I get a text from a dear friend inviting me to eat Mexican a few days later. Joy. Pure joy.

I like to think things like that are God's way of just saying HEY -- but maybe that's just me.

Ever since then, that's all I've wanted to eat. Hence the two rounds of THESE TACOS and the abundance of chips, salsa and tortilla chips in my kitchen.

Monday night, however, I needed vegetables. I needed them BAD. And I didn't want them cooked, either. Cold, raw veggies that would cool us off inside and out during the humidity that hit The City this week.

I couldn't eat another plain salad though. I couldn't. I love salad, but after the gym that night -- I needed more.

MORE I TELL YOU! MORE!

As in Mexican.

Do you see where I'm going?

Boom. Yes - taco salad - with alllll the fixings.

I promise there are vegetables under there. LOTS of vegetables...Somewhere.

Proof! Here's a not-so-great picture -- without all of the toppings...if that's your thing (still delish):

Romaine lettuce, fresh corn, lean turkey meat, carrots, black beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream and lime juice = party in my tummy.

It was a good night that night.

As were the next three days/nights that I continued to make this.

Because of all of the veggies in this dish, it was still actually pretty healthy despite the sour cream and chips on top. But all in moderation, folks :)

I didn't measure anything in this dish, mainly because it's a salad and I always eyeball it (I've never once measured lettuce or tomato --- why start now?) - so the recipe below is simply a guesstimate. Chop and add to your heart's desire -- whatever you love on your salad!

I like to think of this as summer comfort food. Those days where you've just come from the gym and really DON'T care to work in an oven or over a stove? This is great.

Plus, BECAUSE it's so healthy --- ALL THE MORE REASON FOR DESSERT!!!

Baby cupcakes YEAH!!!!!


Anyway...make this. Salsa + sour cream = mouth watering good. I don't even know anymore.

Plus it's a really good way to prep for the scandal that shall be posted tomorrow...MWAH HA HA!


Note: This recipe is similar to THIS POST featuring Chicken Fiesta Salad. If you're not crazy about lean turkey or beef, I'd suggest the chicken! :)

Chopped Taco Salad
Serves 1-2

4 leaves Romaine lettuce

1/2 Roma tomato, sliced

1/2 pack of lean ground turkey meat (So sorry! I didn't note the ounces!)

1 can of low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1-2 ears of fresh corn (your preference - canned corn would work too, rinsed and drained)

1 tsp sour cream

1 lime, cut in half

Sprinkle of shredded carrots

Sprinkle of shredded fiesta cheese

Salsa, to taste

Chips, to taste

Steak sauce

Salt, Pepper, and Red pepper to taste

Chipolte Ranch dressing, to taste (I only used about a tsp - you don't need a lot of this)

Small pat of butter

Wash and dry your lettuce, then chop until it's in small pieces. Place in a bowl along with tomato slices, black beans and carrots (and corn, if using canned).

If using fresh corn, let it cook in skillet with a small pat of butter until done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Once semi-cooled, add to salad bowl.

In another skillet, brown your lean turkey meat and season with a tad of salt, pepper and red pepper. Add a few dashes of steak sauce and crumble meat into small bits as it finishes cooking. Add half a squeeze of lime juice and let it cool.

Add your meat to the salad mixture, then top with shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream, then add one more squeeze of lime juice to top it off. Crumble chips on top, give it a nice stir, then enjoy.