Easy Weeknight Meal: The Taco Salad

Sometimes I really love standing in the kitchen for hours working on something really complicated. What motivates me to put this much effort into a dish is the finished product. Putting a stool in front on your stove, stirring the risotto every 45 seconds, adding broth now and then, inhaling your piece of work, is an experience to relish. 

And then there's school. School makes it hard for me to take any free time out of my day, to do anything, except to cook. But even still, I try to find recipes that take minimal effort from my brain: my brain that is probably trying to transition into reading English and not French.

This taco salad is it. There's something satisfying to me about eating warm beans with cold, crisp romaine lettuce. This can be customized to your liking, too! I used things I always have in my pantry: organic beans, corn chips, salsa, lettuce, vegetables, etc. Make it yours. Just pile a bunch of stuff in a bowl and call it a day. 

Taco Salad

• 1 can organic refried black or pinto beans (or use regular black/pinto beans)
• romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
• salsa of choice
• hummus (optional, but adds a nice creamy flavor)
• pickled jalapenos
• hot sauce
• corn chips
• carrots, chopped
• celery, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• leftover cooked rice/quinoa (optional)
• tomatoes, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime
• cilantro
• optional add-ins: anything! I dont make the same salad every time because it really depends on what I have in the fridge. add vegan cheese, nooch, corn, etc.

1. Put lettuce in a bowl and top with vegetables. Warm beans in the microwave or over a stove. Spoon beans onto salad. Add salsa, lime juice, jalapenos, hot sauce, and top with hummus. Sprinkle crumbled corn chips on top. DEVOUR!