Taco salad--a contradiction in terms if I ever heard one. Tacos are all greasy and crunchy and drippy with oil and cheese while salads are all smug and healthy with their crisp greens and seasonally fresh veggies. Can the two possibly make nice-nice and play together in a way that doesn't discredit them both?
It all started with these little taco bowl pans I found a few weeks ago and was dying to use. By baking burrito-sized flour tortillas in the mold, I eliminated the need to buy pre-packaged fried taco shell bowls. Ole!
Let's take a peek inside, eh? I mixed up shredded iceburg lettuce, sliced red onion, radishes, grilled chicken, black beans, orange bell pepper, avocado and cheddar cheese. As a kid, my mom always used Catalina dressing on taco salads, but I used ranch, feeling inspired by Jenna's post on taco salad last week. I made my own reduced-fat version using low-fat mayo and 1% milk, then threw in onion powder, cumin, chipolte powder, garlic powder, cilantro, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
I am now devoting myself to making more dinners that come in an edible bowl. Any suggestions, you clever little minxes?
I made stuffed peppers this weekend (post and recipe coming later this week). Not as cool as a taco shell bowl, but still edible.
ReplyDeleteOther thoughts: maybe thickly made crepes? Baked pita? Hollowed out tomatoes?
look at you, gettin' all creative up in that dressing! Sounds good! I've often battled with the balancing act that is the taco salad....I think you've convinced me, it can be done! And how cool are those pans? I've never seen those!
ReplyDeletewhere do you store all these awesome cooking supplies in a tiny ny apartment? or is your kitchen just not as tiny as mine?!
ReplyDeletexxoo
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Yum this looks sooo good!
ReplyDeleteOh yum! This salad looks awesome --- I must get some of those pans!!
ReplyDeleteI've seen those pans...I really need to get some. Dinners in edible bowls? hm...Ive made acorn squash soup before and served it in the roasted acorn squash...also lemon souffles in hollowed out lemons...but those aren't whole dinners.
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