first recipe! vegetarian taco salad

i said from the beginning i'd post some recipes when i happened upon them. well, here you go!

my summers are literally full of cold salads. i just hate turning on the stove or oven when it's so hot. this is one of my favorites due to the fact that it's simple, so fresh and really really filling. there are days when i eat it for lunch and am hardly hungry for dinner that night.

this is one of my own creation and helped along by my parents. we grew up eating taco salad and it has always been one of my favorite things to eat. but since i stopped eating meat, i've struggled with how to make it just as delicious and a bit healthier.

problem. solved.

*disclaimer: my salad recipes are typically of the "to taste and quantity" variety, so feel free to add or take out whatever you like. i believe salads have lots of wiggle room. :)

ingredients:

2-3 cans of beans - rinsed and drained (i like to use black, kidney, pinto and white beans, or any combination thereof; because this is the base of your salad, the amount you use will dictate how much of everything else you use.)

half a bag of frozen corn/1 can of corn

1/2 red onion - diced

1/2 -1 pint of cherry tomatoes - quartered

1 can of black olives - quartered

red bell pepper - diced optional

1 jalapeño - ribbed, seeded and diced

a bunch of cilantro - chopped (or less if you're not a big fan)

salt and pepper

1 lime

sour cream

salsa of preference

taco seasoning

cayenne pepper and/or hot sauce if desired

shredded cheese (any variety of cheddar is good, but feta and cojita can also be yummy)

corn or tortilla chips (i like to buy the 50% less salted fritos)

torn lettuce - about a cup or two per person?

In a large bowl with a lid, put beans, corn, onion, olives, tomatoes, jalapeño, red pepper and cilantro (to preference). Salt and pepper liberally. Add juice from half the lime (or more). Mix well.

In a small bowl with a lid, mix equal parts sour cream and salsa. You can adjust this to a higher salsa ratio if you're looking to cut down on dairy fats. Add taco seasoning, starting with about a teaspoon, and increasing to taste. This is also where you add cayenne pepper and/or hot sauce. I also like to add a bit of lime juice and more cilantro to this dressing. Mix well.

If you're making this for a big party, you can add the lettuce, cheese chips and a few tablespoons of dressing, cover with the lid and shake well!

Since I make this for one person, here's how I do it:

I put as much lettuce as I like, usually about two or three leaves (I use green leaf), in a bowl (also with a lid; i'm a mover and a shaker!), spoon about a cup or so of the bean mixture on top, add a small handful of chips that I crunch in my hand, about 1/4 cup of cheese (or less. or more.), and about two tablespoons of dressing, cover and shake shake!

This is most helpful to me because there are few things I hate more than soggy lettuce, soggy cheese, and soggy chips. The beans stay plenty fresh for quite a few days, and you really are in control of your portioning.

Now that's not to say that my portions aren't good-sized. :)

Variation: I really like to make this when I have leftover homemade spanish rice. I add half a cup or something close and because my rice is so full of flavor, I don't really need a lot of dressing, if any. This is something to keep in mind for fall and winter days when you have burrito night: just skip the bean mixture, add the rice and leftover burrito beans!

What's your favorite taco salad dressing? How have you found a way to cut out calories or fat from taco salad?