Taco Salad

Cinco De Mayo was just last week and I decided a taco salad for lunch seemed like a tasty way to celebrate Mexican inspired cuisine!

I have a special appreciation for authentic Mexican food, but also enjoy our North American version of this style of cooking.

Sure, taco salad has a heavy dressing and even CHIPS – but it is loaded with nutritional veggies that I personally feel balance it all out.

It is like comfort food and health food in perfect harmony.

Slice all your veggies.

When it comes to making a good salad, the thiner the pieces the better; the more flavour you get on your fork in one bite the better the salad will taste!

We have all had that hugely chopped salad where one cucumber piece is an entire bite – or you are left to cut all your own veggies up on your plate.

For the salad mix, I prefer romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion.

Some optional ingredients that I have used in the past and quite enjoy are corn, black beans or even sliced black olives.

For the dressing, I add 1 part salsa and 1 part sour cream – finishing it off with lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, along with shredded cheddar cheese and taco meat.

Drizzle dressing over the salad and mix well.

Plate and top with crushed corn chips of choice.

I have used anything from plain corn chips, to cheese chips, to jalapeño cheese chips.

The choice is up to you!

Next, add a side of avocado and sprinkle with cilantro.

(Cilantro seems to be a “love it or hate it” herb, so if you hate it, just skip this step. I won’t judge!)

Finish off with some freshly ground pepper.

You can treat this as a main course (like I did for lunch) or serve as a starter salad with Chicken Fajitas or Beef Taquitos.

Recipe

Salad Mix

1/2 head of romaine lettuce, shredded

6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 English cucumber, chopped

Red onion, sliced thinly, to taste

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Optional ingredients: corn, black beans, and sliced black olives.

Dressing

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 lemon zest

1/4 lemon, juiced

Topping

Corn chips, crushed, to taste

Cilantro (optional) to taste

1/2 avocado, sliced and split between servings

(serves 2 as starter salad)

Directions

Slice vegetables, add to a mixing bowl with shredded cheddar cheese and taco meat.

Drizzle with salad dressing and mix well.

Plate and top with crushed corn chips, garnish with cilantro, and add a side of sliced avocado.

Enjoy!