Taco (Salad) Tuesday!

When I got home from lacrosse tonight, I was exhausted and didn't want anything to do with cooking.  But if I didn't cook tonight, I'd be forced to eat out tomorrow.  That's not in my diet plan. Time to use my backup quick meal I had saved for this week - Taco Salad.   I had some leftover hamburgers from this past weekend in the fridge, but fresh ground beef would be just as quick.  I could have just heated up those plain old burgers in the microwave tomorrow, but that sounded less than appealing.  This is a good example of turning one meal into another when you're sick of it.

I broke up my hamburgers into tiny pieces in the pan, reheated it with the recipe below.

Cook Time: 15 min

1/2 lb Laura's Lean Ground Beef (92/8)
3/4 cup Pico de Gallo (Pre-made from the store, or make it yourself below)
1/2 can Black Beans (Organic) (I'll save the other half in the fridge)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp Cayenne pepper (less if you're sensitive to heat)
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Quinoa (optional)
2 cups Spring Mix

If you don't have Pico de Gallo -

1/2 cup chopped roma tomatoes
1/2 onion (chopped)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
2 squirts lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
Use a food processor for faster results - My mom got me a small Ninja for Christmas that's perfect for pico.  Thanks Mom -

QUINOA-
I like to cook a cup (dry) of quinoa and keep it in the fridge to use throughout the week. It takes about 15 min.  I use chicken broth instead of water to add a little more flavor. There are tons of benefits to this stuff from protein content to its gluten-free properties.  Check it out here. 





Directions-

Brown the ground beef in a teaspoon of olive oil along with the spices above.  Once its cooked through, add Pico de Gallo and Black Beans.  Lower heat and let simmer for 10 min.

I don't have a finished picture of this dish (sorry) because I'll be taking the toppings, and lettuce separately to work tomorrow to keep my salad from getting soggy.  Just add your taco toppings along with some quinoa, and reduced fat mexican blend cheese over a bed of spring mix. Instead of sour cream, try a teaspoon of greek yogurt. Instead of chips, try half of a whole wheat tortilla ripped into little pieces. 

Taco (Salad) Tuesday is yours.  Downloadable Recipe Card Here

Nutrition Info

Calories 726

Protein: 55g
Carbs: 90g
Fat: 17g
Dietary Fiber: 14g

Macronutrient split:
Protein: 30%
Carbs: 49%
Fat: 21%