Taco Salad

By Lisa VanWilliams

We crave a Mexican taco fiesta night occasionally and this is a quick great tasting fix.  This is a totally easy recipe that even a beginner cook could handle. It's also a good starter meal to teach your teens and make them cook it for the whole family. It's as good as a Chipotle Salad Bowl made in your very own kitchen. 

Ingredients:

1pd+ hamburger meat 80/20 or leaner
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 small onion
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 packet McCormick Taco or Chili
1/2 cup pinto beans (drained)
1 cup tomato sauce
tortillas
sprinkle of low fat cheese (your preference)
1 teaspoon low fat sour cream
1 cup spinach or any lettuce


Directions:

Dice up the pepper and onion and sauté them in olive oil with some salt & and pepper until they soften. Add your hamburger, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and pinto beans and simmer until meat is cooked. 

I warm up the tortilla in black skillet pan on both sides and that is the base. Then I add the spinach (or lettuce) and meat sauce, sprinkle with cheese & a dollop of cream cheese.  You can be creative an add any kind of toppings you like: hot peppers, sliced black olives, onions, avocado, peppers, tomatoes, scallions or salsa & hot sauce.  Enjoy!

If you live in Connecticut Stew Leonard's sells a variety of tortilla flavors like salsa, spinach, whole wheat, sun-dried tomato, & basil.