What do you think of this Taco Salad?

Ok, in a feverish attempt to be able to eat Taco Salad everyday for lunch (i love it, i can't resist it, its crack to me) I've played with the numbers and tried to revamp it to make it a little more nutritionally sound. Tell me what you think? It seems pretty nutritionally sound (not perfect, but better than the original? and better than what is offered in the office cafeteria)

Here is goes:

55 cals - 2 cups tossed salad (romaine lettuce, cheery tomato, red onion, yellow pepper, 1 tablespoon black olives)

30 cals - 1 tablespoon salsa

100 cals - 2 tablespoons 'guacamole'

75 cals - 2 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

50 cals - 1/4 cup canned Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

The reason i put 'guacamole' is it is homemade and I altered the recipe to make it a little friendlier. Its avacado, plain fat-free yogurt, lime juice, minced red onion, minced garlic, cumin. I just used the yogurt to lower the fat content a little, and make it go further. (ps: suprisingly tastey!)

I browned the turkey (no added fat, and very little cooked out of it, the pan was pretty sticky) and put the beans in a food processor (i try and try but don't like beans! so i try to hide them) then put them in the pan with the turkey, added some taco seasoning (low sodium) and water to cook it up. Basically the beans and turkey mixed together and had the texture of taco beef (minus all the fat)

So we're looking around 350 cals (the numbers add up to 310, but i like to err on the side of caution)

The avacado is full of Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which are heart healthy, and proven to lower belly fat. (recommended by some to have MUFAs at every meal)

The turkey and beans are full of lean protein to keep me fuller

The beans, vegetables, and avacados also add plenty of fibre

I know this is long winded, but I'm curious to know what you think????

ps.s i had it for lunch today YUMMY!!!!

It sounds good. Certainly well thought out:) I may have to try it,  minus some tings, but still it sounds very good:)

Sounds great.  I am going to try that!  I need to make my own Guac as well because I can't find anything that tastes great at the grocery store.  Any recommendations on pre made Guac??  I have made something similar to this befor but didn't cook the beans and turkey together.  Sounds healthy (to my standards)  and tasty.  Thanks alot!

 

CT

For the quacamole I did 1 whole avacado, 1 1/2 tbsp yogurt, 1 tbsp minced garlic,  1 tbsp minced red onion, a couple of dashes of cumin, juice of half a lime. This measurements are guesses, I just kind of threw it together and hoped for the best... I've never just bought guacamole, only had it at resaurants or gatherings where someone else has brought it. At least this way I know what is in it. (and its super easy to make)

Yeah, everything you read says that beans are super food but I bite into one and the texture just grosses me out (unless in chili or somthing that the texture it hidden) this bean turkey concoction was a shot in the dark, but it seemed to work out!

I'm likely going to eat this everyday (taco salad/mexican food addiction)...i'll let you know if my arse just grows and grows, we'll know somthing isn't as it seems! :)

I think I'm going to steal this recipe! I love tacos, and taco salad is just a good. I think I might add a little more meat though, lol. Isn't ground turkey 4oz. per serving?

Yep, I originally made 4 oz of turk and 1/2 cup of black beans, but it seems like a lot (and this way i could keep the cals down, i'm still a counter)

enjoy its delic!

My super-easy-fast& YUMMY "guacomole" recipe:

1/2 avacodo smashed up with about 2 tbsp of salsa (to taste). TADA! Thats it.

 Its so fast and so easy and I think it tastes great too.  And very little added calories to the avacodo.

I usually make a variation of Taco Salad for lunches too - I love hot meat on salads!!! Mine usually includes baby spinach as the base, tomato, sweet red/green peppers, cucumber (not typical taco ingredient but it works), grated light cheddar cheese. I heat up the ground turkey that was cooked with the taco seasoning in the  microwave at work and dump it on the salad and it melts all the cheese into a yummy mess.  

130orbust - your salsa calories seems high to me for one tablespoon? Maybe look for other brands?

 

Sounds great to me too.  BUT, I personally would miss the "crunch" so would bake a La Tortilla factory tortilla and crumble it up in big pieces, wouldn't add many calories and would still get some crunch.

Jef9up

Yeah, I went with the count on the food lists here...erring on the side of caution, the salsa is likely a little lower.

I know what you mean about the hot meat and the yummy mess. i just pretended cheese didn't exist when i made my salad... oh calories, such a lot hate relationship.

can you tell work is a little boring today...i've posted so passionately on taco salad. over, and over. haha

i appreciate the replies though! i was waiting for some nay-sayer to shut me down, but i think this salad may be a winner!

oh man. i know what i'm eating for dinner tonight. that sounds awesome.

sounds mega ...do you reheat the mince/bean mix at work? and do your work mates love garlic as much as you?

maybe teaching granny to suck eggs but have you tried the recipe analysis page yet? I was really pleased with the results I got for a slow cooker meatloaf  which the whole family love :)

Have fun minxyy

sounds great! I'm gonna try it!

I make something similar, however i use the salsa as the dressing since i don't like Guac.

Tostitos mild salsa  4 tbl (30 cals)

 Salsa con queso 2tbl (40 cals)

Romaine lettuce (15 cals)

Ground beef 3 oz (164 cals)

Taco Seasoning (40 Cals)

Fat free sour cream  2tbl (50 cals)

5 sliced black olives (25 cals)

That gives me a yummy lunch or dinner for about 364 calories.

Mmmm I am going to have to tag this board and try out this recipe as well as the Guac! It sounds awesome! :D

Thanks for the recipe!!

Original Post by 130orbust:

Jef9up

Yeah, I went with the count on the food lists here...erring on the side of caution, the salsa is likely a little lower.

I know what you mean about the hot meat and the yummy mess. i just pretended cheese didn't exist when i made my salad... oh calories, such a lot hate relationship.

can you tell work is a little boring today...i've posted so passionately on taco salad. over, and over. haha

i appreciate the replies though! i was waiting for some nay-sayer to shut me down, but i think this salad may be a winner!

 I got curious and checked last night: My salsa (President's Choice brand) is 10 calories for TWO tablespoons. You could have like... six times as much salsa! :D But I know what you mean by erring on the side of caution. Just thought I'd come back and share since I to am also bored at work. 

I don't add guac or beans to taco salad so I guess I can afford to have some shredded light cheese calories. I will not give up cheese! mmm cheese. But looks like you've got enough other flavour in there to pretend that cheese doesn't exist.

Taco Salad is always a winner. :D