Terrific Taco Salad

Good Tuesday morning!  I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day.

I have so much to catch up on here at home.  I had such grand intentions yesterday but I didn't get the bars made that I had hoped to nor did I get to the vacuuming but it was a lovely day nonetheless. 

I had a friend ask me to share a new meatless taco salad recipe that we recently tried, so here it is.  Sorry the picture is so blah... I can't change the settings on my camera anymore (the camera went through the wash when my son did his laundry). 

{The taco salad minus the salsa and crushed chips, all the ingredients are hiding under the lettuce :o) }

Terrific Taco Salad

•  1 and 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup bulgar wheat
• 1/2 package Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix

Bing the water to a boil and then add both the bulgar wheat and the taco mix.  Stir, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for an additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix the following:

• 1 head of red or green lettuce, torn
• 1 diced cucumber (peel if not organic)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 carrots shredded
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 2/3 cup shredded dairy free cheese (optional)
• 1/2 cup salsa with 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder mixed in
• 2 handfulls of baked tortilla chips, crushed
• 
  

Add the bulgar wheat to the beans, vegetables, cheese and salsa and stir.  Top with the crushed tortilla chips.

This raw taco salad comes from Simple Weekly Meal Plans, vol. 1

The younger two kids and I both enjoyed it (my husband was out of town) although I think that the taco mix needs some spicing up and we will use our own homemade taco mix next time.  Samantha doesn't like lettuce so she didn't try it and Jonathan wouldn't touch this, too many vegetable for him and when I say too many, I mean he wouldn't touch it even if there was one, lol.  :o)

This was the first time that I have used bulgar wheat in place of meat and it was a good experience.  I thought the consistency was very similar and I didn't miss the meat in the salad at all.  This recipe is one I will keep and use often. 

I think it would be fun to switch out some of the ingredients too.  Maybe use black beans in place of the kidney, add some fresh corn (or frozen if out of season), black olives etc.  My husband does not like raw onion and I LOVE it!  Since Scott was out of town I added the onion.  If he were home though I would have left it out.  I have now learned to keep a small container of diced onion in my salad box for me to add to my own dish and this way he can still enjoy his.

Enjoy!

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