veggie taco salad.

hey –

not sure if this even qualifies as a recipe, but i always love a little salad inspo – so here is exactly that. i took a childhood favorite of mine – trust me, all my friends can attest to Julie Freie’s famous ‘taco salad’ – & turned it healthy! also the ingredients are so easy to pick up & keep in your pantry for when you are craving it – which you most def will. also perfect to meal prep to have for dinner & lunch throughout the week. this recipe is actually completely vegan but, as always, option to customize to your diet! keep reading for one of my go-tos.

here’s what you’ll need.

ingredients.

  • Beyond Beef Crumbles
  • taco seasoning 
  • taco sauce
  • kale
  • black beans or garbanzo beans 
  • corn
  • cherry tomatoes
  • avocado
  • Siete grain-free tortilla chips or if you want to cheat a lil’ but have the best salad of your life: Doritos. 
  • cilantro
  • other optional topping ideas:
    • brown rice – did someone say Chipotle
    • dairy-free or regular cheese 
    • Siete dairy-free cashew queso
    • jalapeños
    • dairy-free sour cream
    • hot sauce 

here’s what you’ll do.

directions.

  1. add protein of choice (Beyond Beef Crumbles OR grass-fed beef, pulled chicken, ground turkey, tofu, possibilities are truly endless) to a sauce pan with a tsp of coconut oil. add seasoning, my fav is Ortega taco seasoning, but unfortunately it has sugar in it *crying emoji* – but this stuff is the tits. also their taco sauce, which sadly has corn syrup in it *balling emoji* – but i could eat that stuff straight from the bottle, just sayin’. ~looking for healthier options next time i make this recipe, but until then, Ortega it is~
  2. prepare veggies e.i. wash greens, slice tomatoes, strain & wash both beans & corn from the can, & pull some cilantro. 
  3.  if you add tortilla chips, which i highly recommend, but is not pictured, crumble a handful or two over the salad.
  4. drizzle, or dump the whole bottle, of taco sauce on as dressing – ps. super low cal in terms of salad dressing, added plus!
  5. ***MOST IMPORTANT PART – chop your salad like there is no tomorrow. i am infamous for ‘mincing’ my salads, a trick my mom always did growing up. it is an absolutely game changer & not at all optional. i am pretty handy with a fork & knife, but don’t get discouraged – this takes practice.

within the week – so freaking good. if you try this recipe out be sure to tag @fitxfreie on insta. c u next time lovers!