Warm Taco Salad

Would you believe me if I told you that I didn’t grow up eating taco salad? It wasn’t until my husband introduced me to this delicacy that I started making it ALL. THE. TIME. Seriously….I feel like I lost so many years of deliciousness. Oh well. 

To be perfectly honest though, my first bowls of taco salad were build upon a mountain of doritos. Pretty standard fare in the land of taco salad. However, as I have always had a desire to try and make things tasty and more health supportive, this dish slowly started to morph. The first change was that I started using actual corn chips. BYE BYE doritos. The second major change was that I stopped piling all the fixins on top of chips, and started using greens as the base and the chips as a sprinkle on top. This is a salad after all. Nowadays, the taco chips are sometimes forgotten, and I’m okay with that because I find it delicious and satisfying just the way it is! 

We usually have taco salad once a week, ESPECIALLY in the summer months. In the summer we pile ripe tomatoes and cucumbers on it and it is so fresh and my kids never complain about it. In the winter though, this type of salad just doesn’t cut it. I crave warm meals, as our bodies are meant to in the colder months. 

Out of desperation for a satisfying warm taco salad, this recipe was born. And it is creamy and delicious. 

I don’t know about you, but I love a creamy sauce. This sauce is made from hemp hearts, which add a ton of nutrition to this dish! Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, plant based protein, iron, folate and a ton of magnesium, zinc and manganese! How awesome is that! Hemp hearts are a true superfood. 

My girls absolutely love this version of taco salad! And I hope your family does too! 

Melanie Robinson

Serves Serves 4

Warm Taco Salad

This warm and creamy take on taco salad will satisfy you in the cooler months!

40 minTotal Time

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 large handfuls of greens for each plate or bowl
• 4-6 cups roasted vegetables (lightly salted with sea salt)
• 1 avocado
• 1-1.5 lbs ground beef
• 2-3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
For the sauce:
• 1 cup hemp hearts, soaked for 30 minutes, then drained
• 1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons avocado or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin by preparing your vegetables to be roasted. I like to switch these up every time. Beets, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli all work great. Add raw veggies into a bowl and coat with enough avocado oil to lightly coat. Throw them onto a a parchment paper lined baking sheet and toss in the oven at 375 for 30-45 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Depending on how big you cut them vegetables they may need more or less time, so just keep an eye on them. And cut them smaller if you're looking to have dinner on the table quicker 😉
2. Next I like to make my sauce. Add all ingredients for the sauce into your blender and mix until completely smooth. You may need more water if you aren't working with a high speed blender. Put aside.
3. Next, add beef to a frying pan and cook on medium until no longer pink. Sprinkle with taco seasoning.
4. Once your vegetables are ready, start to assemble: bed of greens, roasted veggies, taco meat, sliced avocado, and a nice dollop of sauce. Mix until the sauce coats everything.
5. ENJOY!!

Notes

If you have bigger eaters, consider upping how much meat and roasted vegetables you make.

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http://melanierobinson.net/warm-taco-salad/

Melanie Robinson