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Taco
Salad
Fast
food taco salads can have 850 calories, 52 grams of fat
and who knows what else layered into them. I'd rather do
that kind of calorie damage with a slice of cake than with
a meal I thought was supposed to be "good" for
me. It should be "safe" to order salads out but
diner beware! Monster size portions of high calorie foods
can you do you in nutrition wise. But there's no reason
you can't enjoy your favorite flavors in a salad you portion
control.
Summer BBQs, picnics and beach weekends don't have to do
you in especially if you plan ahead and bring a dish of
your own whenever appropriate. I've never met a hostess
who wasn't grateful for an extra dish at an informal gathering.
Bringing something with you ensures there's something "safe"
for you to eat.
When I'm fixing this for family, we toss all the ingredients
together but when I'm entertaining a mixed crowd (adults
and children) I take the time to arrange the ingredients
in beautiful rows on a large platter. When the Queen's coming
to dinner, I might add diced mango, papaya or kiwi to the
salad.
Tip:
Ask the butcher to grind your chicken meat at the time
you purchase it to ensure you don't get ground chicken
meat that has dark meat and fat added to it. Alternatively,
cube boneless, skinless chicken breast and "grind"
it yourself in a food processor. It's not the same but
it will do in a pinch.
Tip:
I eat this without the tortilla chips most of the time
because I'm a fan of desserts and am always scrimping
and saving to spend my calories there. If you're a chip
person, read the manufacturers recommended portion size
and nutrition facts on the package and then decide how
many chips everyone gets. I didn't give you an amount
because the only one who knows your calorie savings account
balance is you.
Ingredients:
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|
| |
One
pound ground white meat chicken |
| 1
|
teaspoon
cumin |
| 1 |
teaspoon
chili powder |
| 1 |
head
of romaine lettuce, shredded |
| 1 |
mango,
peeled, seeded and diced |
| 1 |
tomato,
diced |
| 1 |
cup
shredded carrots |
| 2 |
cups
California grapes, cut in half |
| 1/2 |
cup
scallions, diced |
| 3/4 |
cup
white beans, rinsed and drained |
| 1 |
avocado,
peeled, pitted and diced |
| 1 |
medium
onion, diced |
| |
Juice
and zest of one lime |
| 1/4 |
cup
salsa |
| 4 |
pickled
jalapenos |
| 1/4 |
cup
fat-free sour cream |
| 2-4 |
servings
baked tortilla chips |
 |
In
large non-stick skillet cook ground chicken with the
cumin and chili powder until chicken is cooked through,
about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour directly into a large salad
bowl. Add lettuce, mango, tomato, carrots, grapes, scallions,
white beans, avocado, onion, lime juice and zest. Toss
until mixed well. Garnish with salsa, jalapenos, sour
cream and taco chips.
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