Taco Salad

Dominic Perri for TOPS Club, Inc.

Taco salad is the perfect combination of crunchy, creamy, hot and cool. In this version, corn tortillas are pressed into muffin tins to create crisp vessels for the taco filling. Pinto beans also have been added to the filling (with only a small amount of meat) to keep cholesterol down.

Prep and cook time: 20 min. Servings: 2 (2 tortilla cups per person)

Ingredients

• 4 corn tortillas, 6-in. across
• cooking spray
• ¼ c. lean ground turkey
• 1 t. chili powder
• ½ t. onion powder
• ¼ t. garlic powder
• ¼ t. salt
• ½ c. reduced-sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ c. salsa
• ½ c. romaine lettuce, chopped
• ¼ c. fat-free Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave, and spray one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Press each tortilla, sprayed side down, into muffin cups. Handle the tortillas carefully. They might tear a little, but that’s OK. Spray tortillas again with cooking spray. Bake for 10 min., until crisp. Remove from oven.
3. While the tortillas are baking, make the filling. Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray. Cook the turkey over medium-high heat, breaking it up into crumbles. Add chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and salt to skillet. Cook mixture until fragrant. Stir beans and salsa into cooked turkey meat. Cook a few more minutes, until the beans are heated through. Remove from heat.
4. Fill the tortilla shells: Put about 1 T. of lettuce in the bottom of each shell. Divide the turkey mixture evenly between the 4 shells. Divide the remaining lettuce between the 4 shells, and then top each with 1 T. yogurt.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 270 calories (53 from fat), 6 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 44 mg cholesterol, 495 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 18 g protein.
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 protein, 1 fat.

GLUTEN-FREE recipes are prepared without any wheat, barley, rye or triticale. VEGAN recipes are prepared without any animal products including fats, milk or eggs. Check the label on each ingredient to make sure the brand you are using does not contain these items in any form.