It’s no secret that Mexican fare is a mainstay here at Chez Recessionista, in much the same way as we adore Cajun food. But sometimes, the usual tacos, burritos, and quesadillas get a bit worn-out, a bit heavy. That’s when we turn to taco salads to fill the void in the most delicious way possible!
Now, I suppose in full disclosure I should mention that we enjoyed a Pie Day at work today, where my colleagues and I brought in nearly a dozen pie offerings and sampled just as many. So I was hardly virtuous in my dietary plan as the hours ticked by this afternoon! And by the time I got home, I knew I had to have some greenery in order to at least try to offset the sweets.
I’m calling tonight’s taco salad creation the Taco Salad Supreme because it has a little bit of everything, and it has a lot of flair. First, I heated up two taco-shell bowls in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes, and as they warmed, I coated a pan with cooking spray and sautéed some Gardein beefless tips to add some steaky flavor to the salad! As they cooked, I also warmed a can of black beans in a small saucepan, seasoning the beans with some adobo spice for a little extra kick. Once the taco bowls were ready and the vegan steak was heated through, it was time to plate everything up!
First, I placed a taco bowl atop two plates (one for LeeLee and one for me, of course). Then in each bowl I layered a hearty dose of black beans (sauce and all), then plenty of lettuce, then the beefless tips, then black olives, cherry tomatoes, Follow Your Heart vegan provolone slices (I use them in my lunch wraps, and it was the only cheese I have in the house at the moment!), and Snapea Crisps. We topped our salads with a homemade creamy lemon dill dressing – with dill from our garden, because why not? – and then poured ourselves a glass of wine to go along with the main event. Cheers! Time to eat.
These taco salads are so much fun to eat – the edible bowl adds an air of festivity to dinner! And by the end of dinner, we had nothing left but two leftover tortilla bowls and a handful of black olives. No matter – I’ll be back to my wraps for lunch tomorrow, and the bowls will keep in the freezer for quite some time! I feel sure we’ll put them to good use in short order.
:)