Black Bean Taco Salad With Lime Vinaigrette & Taco Bowls.

These yummy bowls is a recipe from my friend Brooke's blog, Simply Real Foods. I think I made them the day that I saw the recipe. Everyone loved them... and the only change I made was cutting the olive oil. Awesomeness Brooke, thanks!

If you can find a good whole wheat tortilla, when you toast them into bowls - the taste is nutty and totally adds to the overall flavors.

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled


Salad
1 cup chopped tomato
1 large zucchini, chopped (and/or 1 cup chopped green pepper)
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup frozen corn, partially cooked, rinsed with cold water and drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 avocado, diced
lettuce greens, torn into bite-sized pieces or shredded
crushed tortilla chips or Taco Bowls (directions below)

vinaigrette: combine first 11 ingredients in a blender or food processor, process until smooth.

salad: combine all chopped veggies except lettuce. Pour vinaigrette over top and toss well to coat.

Serve on a bed of lettuce greens. Top with crushed tortilla chips or inside a taco bowl.

Baked Taco Salad Bowls
Whole wheat flour tortillas
cooking spray
salt

Preheat oven to 425*.  Place up to 6 tortillas between damp paper towels on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until steamed.  Arrange 6 empty metal cans or mold of your choice on a large sheet cake pan.  Drape steamed tortillas over molds and press sides down to form folds.  Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt if desired.

Bake taco salad bowls in oven for 7 minutes.  Remove taco bowls from forms and turn right side up on baking sheet.  Place back in oven for about 3 minutes.  Let cool on rack.  Repeat until desired amount of bowls have been baked.

Ranch Lentil Taco Salad.

 

I remember having taco salad growing up and my mom would mix everything in this big ole yellow Tupperware bowl to feed her family of 7. I loved to put ranch on mine... maybe that's weird, but I'm a ranch girl. So when I found the vegan ranch recipe, I knew I had to try it in the taco salad. Oh wow... SO yummy!

It's now Ava's favorite because she helps me make everything and then "plates" everyone's plate. She seriously says, "I'm ready to plate it now Mom." I love it. Maybe it's a bit too many Rachael Ray's, or Food Network Star or Master Chef's... but it's awesome. She also calls it her "birds nest" because of how she "plates" and lays out her lettuce.

romaine lettuce, chopped

tortilla chips

spiced lentil taco recipe

tomatoes

corn

avocado

vegan ranch dressing recipe

cilantro

Mesclun Salad with Tarragon, Grapes, and Apple

Shayne was not excited when he came home and saw that we were having salad, leftover soup and muffins for dinner tonight. Mainly because he was worried about the salad. When he took his first bite, it was "Now that is good!" Score.

For vinaigrette

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons oil substitute
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled


For salad
1/4 cup sliced almonds
20 red seedless grapes
1 crisp apple such as Fuji
8 ounces mesclun (mixed baby lettuces) {red & green lettuce}

In a large bowl whisk together mustard and vinegar. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a shallow baking pan toast almonds in middle of oven until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes, and cool. Halve grapes. Core apple and cut into 16 wedges. Add mesclun to vinaigrette and toss to coat well.

Divide greens and apple slices among 4 plates and top with grapes, cheese, and almonds.

belly biters: all loved, except Coco because she's still figuring out lettuce

saw it on Anne's blog

who got it off Epicurious

Taco Pasta Toss

This was super yummy and the kids loved it!! I added black beans for good protein and cut down to 1/2 lb. of beef.

salt and pepper
1 pound penne rigate or whole grain penne rigate pasta
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 pound grond beef sirloin (i halved the meat)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large jalapeno chile - halved, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 - 14.5 oz. can of black beans
1/4 cup tomato paste
one 12-ounce bottle beer or 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups shredded cheddar, monterey jack or any Mexican semisoft cheese
2 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 head iceberg lettuce or 1/2 small heart romaine lettuce, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add three-quarters of the onion, the jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, coriander and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the beer/stock.

3. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with remaining onion, the tomatoes and lettuce - just like tacos!

Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

March 2010