How to Make Easy Fiber-Rich Low Fat Taco Salad

Adding produce to meat increases the fiber content.

When it is loaded with high-fiber kidney beans and vegetables, taco salad is a great way to increase your fiber consumption while sticking to a low-fat diet. Homemade tortilla chips make a great addition, though you can always substitute store-bought baked tortilla chips to save time. Taco salad is substantial enough for a main meal, but it also makes a great side dish if you want to add Southwestern flavor to your lunch or dinner. Pair the salad with corn and grilled meat or burgers of any variety for a refreshing summer meal.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Red or green bell pepper
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1/2 cup onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• Pan
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 corn tortillas
• Salt
• Baking sheet
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 8 cups torn lettuce
• Bowl
• 2 cups low-fat sharp grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 bottle low-fat Catalina dressing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Dice the bell pepper, mushroom, onion and garlic into very small pieces. Saute the vegetables in a pan with cooking spray and a splash of water for two minutes. Add the ground beef, cumin and chili powder and crumble, stirring occasionally until the meat is browned.

3. Cut the tortillas into 1-inch strips. Spray them generously with cooking spray, and season with salt. Layer them on a baking sheet, and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes or until beginning to brown. Flip the chips over and bake for a few more minutes until brown but not burnt.

4. Dice the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Drain the kidney beans and rinse them under water to remove excess sodium.

5. Add the lettuce to the bowl. Arrange the tomato slices, kidney beans and cheese on top. Add the ground beef, chips, salsa and sour cream, and toss until well-combined.

6. Serve the salad with a bottle of Catalina dressing on the side. Alternatively, add the dressing to taste and toss.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are serving picky eaters, dice the vegetables extra small or even consider blending them. Any vegetable you add to the meat will increase the fiber count, so use up leftover corn, zucchini, squash, broccoli or anything else sitting in your fridge.

• The recipe can easily be converted to a vegetarian dish; simply omit the ground beef and increase the amount of beans, or use vegetarian crumbles in place of the beef.

• Do not add the meat, salsa, sour cream or dressing until right before serving in order to prevent the lettuce from becoming soggy.

References

• Food.com: Low Fat Taco Salad
• Food Network: Taco Salad