Quick and Easy Taco Salad
Potlucks aren’t always lucky. That big spread of food might look like a winner at first, but finding something to eat that is slimming and delicious can be rare.
But there’s no reason to dread the upcoming season of backyard cookouts, church picnics, and family reunions, because we have just the recipe you need to take to any large gathering.
Here’s why this potluck dish is a winner:
- This dish is in line with your weight loss plan. Unlike other taco salads that use chips and cheese as main ingredients, our taco salad is packed with fiber so it keeps you going strong on your weight-loss journey. The beans, greens, and other veggies in our recipe help you stay full without adding a lot of calories and fat to your plate. No worries, chips are still an ingredient...just not the main one.
- It’s crowd-pleasing delicious. This “salad” is so yummy that no one will even suspect it is weight-loss friendly.
- It serves 10 people. No need to double the recipe. This dish was planned with large gatherings in mind. If you find yourself with leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
- Your entire meal is ready in five minutes. That’s it. Because it’s throw-together, you don’t even have to know how to cook. The only skills required involve using a can opener and using scissors to cut bags open!
With all that going for it, this taco salad recipe is sure to put the luck back in potluck.
Quick and Easy Taco Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn
- ½ cup Pace Chunky Salsa (mild, or hot if you like it more spicy)
- 1 container fresh Pico de Gallo (mild, or hot if you like it more spicy)
- 1 (8-ounce) tray Wholly Guacamole Classic
- ¾ cup fat free (or reduced fat) mayonnaise
- 1 (4.5-ounce) can sliced black olives
- 1 (18-ounce) bag of romaine lettuce mix
- 4 cups of baby spinach
- 2 handfuls (about 16) of your favorite tortilla chips
Directions:
- In small bowl, combine mayonnaise and salsa until well mixed.
- Rinse and drain beans and corn.
- In large mixing bowl, combine lettuce mix, baby spinach, beans, corn, pico, olives, and mayo/salsa dressing mix.
- Crinkle tortilla chips on top, and garnish with 4 tablespoons of guacamole.
Makes: 20 Cups
Serving size: 2 cups
Calories: 240 ● Fat: 5g ● Sodium: 650mg ● Carbohydrates: 43g ● Fiber: 11g ● Protein: 9g
Create a Lucky Potluck
Most get-togethers don’t include a lot of high-fiber, slimming foods, but that doesn’t mean you’re destined for a summer of starvation. Make this Quick and Easy Taco Salad your go-to for potlucks, and you’ll always have something to eat that everyone can enjoy.
Full Plate Living is a small-step approach with big health outcomes. It's provided as a free service of Ardmore Institute of Health.