Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

Salad can take five minutes to make, and a lifetime to master. This is not an overstatement.

So many things contribute to what makes a good salad - lettuce-to-fixings ratio, quality of dressing, quantity of dressing, protein, crunch factor, and whether or not some weirdo puts baby corn on it.

Seriously. When weirdos put baby corn on salads, that makes me so mad.

Taco salad, while a variation on traditional salad, can still be tricky. The most important thing to do, in my opinion, is to demonstrate restraint; you need to resist the urge to turn it into a plate of nachos with some lettuce at the bottom.

This is why this recipe is so fabulous. The dressing is superb; seriously, this tangy wonder can be an all-purpose sauce/dressing for any number of Mexican-themed dishes. The ground turkey offers substance. Add some tomatoes, cilantro, red onions, and crumbled-up tortilla chips, and you have a sophisticated-but-tasty salad that’s light but substantial.

So, it’s with this, that I announce that the Walkers have mastered the Art of Salad. Boo-yah, suckas! (DW)

1 lb ground turkey meat
Taco seasoning
Romaine lettuce
Red onion
Tomatoes
Cilantro
Mexican blend shredded cheese
Lime vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below)

Brown ground turkey meat. Add your favorite taco seasoning to the ground turkey and cook according to the directions on the package. Set the turkey meat aside to cool. In the mean time, cut the romaine lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro for the salad. Serve salad with ground seasoned ground turkey meat, shredded cheese, and lime vinaigrette dressing.

Lime vinaigrette dressing:

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup plain yogurt (you can use fat-free yogurt)
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon olive oil

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate until chilled to let flavors marinate together.

This salad can be made prepared the night before and then assembled the next day for a quick and easy dinner. (AW)