Taco Salad...An Oldie but a Goodie

Yes...the fridge is STILL not operating at full capacity, so I continue to have to rely on what I have on hand and be minimalistic in what I buy since storage space in the outside fridge is limited.  It's hard to top a meal at Ruth Chris Steakhouse which we enjoyed the evening before, but at John's request and a quick trip to the grocery store, taco salad was served!

As I have mentioned, we really do try to cook healthy - using fresh fruits and vegetables when we can, and when it's not possible or if a shortcut is needed, we look for frozen or canned goods that don't have too many additives etc.  The shorter the list of ingredients, the healthier in general.  And when it comes to meat, for the most part, I just DON'T like ground turkey.  I don't like the color, and I really do think it tastes different.  For those of you who are turkey lovers, can you please tell me how it beats the nutritional value of this lean ground beef?  I truly am open to input...

So, start by browning the beef (or turkey or chicken or whatever you choose) with some chopped onion.  I prefer yellow onion, but all I had was a red one, and that was fine too.  As per the instructions on the taco seasoning packet, once it is browned, add some water (I think 1/2 a cup?) and the seasoning packet and continue to simmer. 

Sometimes I will make Mexican Rice homemade, but I do like the La Preferida brand, found in the ethnic part of the grocery store.

The rest is easy-peasy, and I did take quite a few shortcuts for this time. The toppings for taco salad are limitless.  I like to use chopped peppers, pico de gallo, corn and peppers, black beans, Mexican rice, cheese, avocado slices and a touch of sour cream.  And of course it's not complete without a light sprinkling of tortilla chips.  The key is to use a LOT of lettuce as your base, and then add a very small amount of each ingredient - otherwise you will load up on calories!  Just curious - who prefers shredded lettuce and who prefers regular?  I prefer the shredded for this for sure!

For the peppers and pico de gallo, I cheated and used those already diced compliments of Publix.  Sorry but it's tough to go from being waited on hand and foot to spending tons of time chopping in the kitchen, especially being a bit tired from our long walk and working in the yard!  I used canned black beans as well as canned corn and peppers (both warmed and drained). 

Here is the final result.  Tasty and delicious!  I logged it as 500 calories, but honestly, I think it's less than that, especially because I had a huge base of shredded lettuce on the bottom.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

So...our fridge is STILL out of commission.  Having everything crammed into the outside fridge and a cooler has made cooking much more difficult.  It was raining and thundering all day, so instead of my usual craving for grilled food, I was wanting something more comforting, like a soup.  I found another new blog, and she's famous to boot I think.  Pioneer Woman?  I had heard the name but didn't know much about her.  But as I browsed through her recipes, I realized how much I liked her style of cooking.  My hope was to find a recipe for which I had most of the ingredients and that sounded good, and thankfully I found it.

Here is the link to her recipe, and below is how I adapted it, mainly based on what we had on hand and the amount of time I had!  And I bet it would hold its own without the chicken if you are vegetarian!

Chicken Tortilla Soup                             

Ingredients

2 whole  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Tablespoon  Olive Oil

1-½ teaspoon  Cumin

1 teaspoon  Chili Powder

½ teaspoons  Garlic Powder

                 ½ teaspoons  Salt

1 Tablespoon  Olive Oil

2 cups of frozen tri pepper and onion mix, diced

3 cloves  Garlic, Minced

1 can  (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies

16 ounces, fluid  Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 Tablespoons  Tomato Paste

4 cups  Hot Water 

1 can  (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained

1 can corn with peppers, drained

3 Tablespoons  Cornmeal Or Masa

5 whole  Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

 FOR THE GARNISHES: Sour Cream

Diced Avocado

Diced Red Onion

Salsa Or Pico De Gallo

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Cilantro

        Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. While the chicken was cooking, I heated 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. I added in the pepper and onion mix and garlic.  I am all for fresh veggies, but it is nice to have a bag of these frozen goodies on hand for times when you are in a pinch.  I bet if I didn't tell you I used frozen, you wouldn't have known!

Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Add in the chicken when it is finished, shredding it into the soup.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer.  Check seasonings, adding more if needed— add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.  I also cooked a few tortillas in oil and crumbled on top of the soup.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

    I didn't have the 45 minutes to initially simmer with an additional 30 minutes, so I probably simmered for a total of 30 minutes or so - some while the chicken was cooking in the oven, and some with the chicken in there.  It is such a flavorful soup, I don't think it mattered, and I think it will be even better for lunch today!