Tex Mex Taco Salad 
Hello, I’m Keely! I'm a Canadian Registered Dietitian, an avid food and recipe writer, travel bug and nutrition expert. For more information about me, check out my bio here.
Corn flour tortilla chips topped with fresh lettuce, seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, cheese, and Tex-Mex dressing.

You can assemble salad on individual plates or serve the ingredients buffet style and let each person build their own.

A nutritious meal the whole family will enjoy! 

​CAN I MAKE THIS SALAD AHEAD OF TIME?
Not entirely, but there are lots you can do ahead of time. 

You can make the Tex-Mex dressing, wash and chop all the veggies, and store them in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the salad. 

I often cook the ground beef ahead of time and then store it in the fridge until dinner time. Closer to meal time, I reheat the beef so it is hot when I layer it into the salad. 

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED 
In addition to lean ground beef and taco seasoning mix, you will need fresh lettuce, grated cheese, corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado and some tortilla chips.  

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Keely Fraser, PhD. 
 Registered Dietitian 
INGREDIENTS
​
1 packet taco seasoning mix, divided
1 avocado
2 mL salt
15 mL olive oil
500 g lean ground beef
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped and clean
250 g cherry tomatoes, diced
240 g whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, diced
100 g shredded cheddar or gouda cheese
Tortilla Chips

Tex-Mex Salad Dressing  
125 mL salsa 
125 mL sour cream, low fat 
5 mL lime zest
5 mL lime juice 
2.5 mL taco seasoning mix 
2-3 drops of tobacco sauce (to taste)

Tex Mex Taco Salad 

Recipe Makes:  4 servings 
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy Peasy
This Warm Spinach Salad is sweet and savory. It's quick, easy to prepare, and the perfect side dish with grilled meat or fish.
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Tender leaves of baby spinach piled high with warm zucchini, eggplant, salty olives, and tangy sun-dried tomatoes sautéed in a maple vinaigrette.

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200 C).
  2. Gently slice the bread into 3/4-inch cubes. Place cubes in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper, and add the garlic. Toss to combine. 
  3. Spread croutons evening out over a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. When done, the croutons should be golden brown on the outside and chewy on the inside. ​
  4. While the croutons are in the oven, wash and dry the baby spinach. Spread spinach evenly over a serving platter and set aside. 
  5. Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a jar with a lid and then set aside until later. 
  6. In a large non-stick pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the eggplant and zucchini. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Reduce the heat and add the sun-dried tomatoes and olives to the same pan. Stir to combine ingredients, and continue to cook for 1 minute.
  8. Give the vinaigrette a good shake to combine the ingredients, then drizzle it over everything in the pan. Toss to ensure all ingredients are well coated. Cook for another 30 seconds.
  9. Now you need to work quickly. Add the croutons, and toss until the vinaigrette coats all the ingredients. Remove from the heat and spoon warm ingredients over the baby spinach. 
  10. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

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Keely Fraser, Ph.D.
Keely Fraser is a Registered Dietitian, an avid food and recipe writer, travel bug and nutrition expert. For more information, check out Keely's bio here.