{skinny} Taco Salad With Avocado Cilantro Dressing

So I was going to be all on my high horse today telling you how amazing I’ve been eating, but I totally blew it this weekend.  I don’t care – it was my boyfriend’s last weekend in town for the rest of January (oh and I’m missing his 30th birthday too because he’ll be working in Arizona).  So I drank wine, and ate carne asada tacos with him, and I loved every minute of it.  Life is too short.

But today I’m back at it – the healthy eating.  And making it a little easier is incredibly flavorful and vibrant dishes like this {skinny} taco salad.  Plus it’s topped with a delicious avocado cilantro dressing that has no added sugar, something you would be hard pressed to find at the grocery store.  Believe me, I’ve looked.

I’ve also whipped up a homemade taco seasoning recipe for you because most store bought seasonings include flour or sugar… or both.  And homemade taco seasoning is super easy to make and you most likely have all the ingredients in your spice cabinet.

Throwing this salad together is super simple once you’ve whipped up your homemade dressing and mixed together your taco seasoning (if you don’t want to use store bought).  I started with a bed of green leaf lettuce and laid it out similar to a cobb with a row of black olives, tomatoes, your taco meat, corn and avocado.  You could also easily just toss it together too (like I did below).

The thing I love about this salad is that it packs a ton of flavor and is super vibrant with color, something that is always welcome during winter.  Luckily in Southern California we have access to a wide variety of produce year around, so if you’re having a hard time finding something for this salad, simply sub out whatever is in season where you are or whatever veggies your prefer.

Another thing I love about this {skinny} taco salad with avocado cilantro dressing is you can chop up a ton of veggies and have it ready to eat on a whim.  So perfect for weeknight meals and hopefully avoiding any splurges, unless it’s worth it.  Then go for it!

Ingredients

Taco Salad

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (recipe below)
• 1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and chopped
• 6 ounces black olives, drained
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels
• 2 avocados, diced

Taco Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Avocado Cilantro Dressing

• ½ large ripe avocado, or 1 small avocado
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 2-4 tablespoons water

Instructions

Taco Salad

1. In a skillet over medium high heat, add ground beef and taco season. Cook until meat is brown. Drain grease if necessary.
2. To prepare salad, start with a bed of lettuce and in rows top with black olives, tomatoes, corn and avocado. You can also toss it all together.
3. Top with avocado cilantro dressing and serve immediately.

Taco Seasoning

1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Store in air-tight container for up to 12 weeks.

Avocado Cilantro Dressing

1. In a blender or food processor combine the avocado, cilantro, fresh lime juice, salt and cumin. Blend until a smooth consistency.
2. While food processor or blender is running, drizzle in olive oil.
3. Check consistency, if needed add 2-4 tablespoons of water to thin.