Paleo Taco Salad

Several people have mentioned to me that they have trouble with creating variety at dinner time. Standard dinners like Broccoli and Lemon-Pepper Chicken can become monotonous and boring when eating multiple times a week over the course of a lifetime. (Because after all, Paleo isn’t a diet- it’s a lifestyle.) When we succumb to habits and patterns most of us tend to lean towards cheating and experiencing flavor again. But I am here to tell you that Paleo dishes can come with flavor and satisfaction.
Take the following example. I actually got this idea by eating a taco salad for lunch at Quiznos (86 the cheese, dressing, and tortilla strips.) And to my surprise… it was still good!
It was so good, in fact, that I called Marc to ask him to help me make the same for dinner. His job: utilize my apartment-friendly George Foreman grill to cook the meat. The result: Marc taking one bite of his fajita steak meat and proclaiming, “Oh… oh…no. I am not eating this!”
Guess I will have to do this on my own Mr. Marc. Too bad you ruined our meat! (J/K!) Thinking on the fly and working with what was in my freezer, ground bison became my new test subject. I Googled “paleo taco seasoning” and found a recipe at www.cavemanfood.blogspot.com (much more waistline-friendly than the store-bought Taco Bell version.) It came out uncomfortably spicy, though, so I toned it down a little bit for the perfect level of heat.
When cooking at home feel free to use any type of taco meat: fajita chicken or steak, ground beef, ground turkey, ground bison. Lots of variations are possible here. (Just don’t let Marc anywhere near your meat!) For your own homemade Taco Seasoning follow the recipe below. When the meat is done cooking combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Squeeze fresh lime over the top and you will have a delicious and DIFFERENT dinner idea.

This recipe shows that living paleo doesn’t mean you have to live a deprived life without any memory of comfort foods like this. You just have to modify a bit sometimes. So get creative and indulge!

P.S. No picture included this time. The heaping mess that comprises a taco salad would not do any justice to the delicious Mexican flavors of this dish! If you don’t believe me try it out for yourself.

Taco Seasoning for Ground Meats:

1 TBSP Chilli Powder
1 TBSP Cumin
1/2 TBSP Paprika
1 TBSP Onion Powder
2 tsp Oregano
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Combine the seasoning mix with 1 cup of water mix well and set aside. In a frying pan brown the ground meat and drain. Next, add the seasoning mix. (If it tastes too spicy for you, add some extra water.) Agitate the meat and water mixture continuously while maintaining a medium heat. When the water is evaporated and the meat still looks moist your taco meat is done.

Taco Salad
In a large bowl combine the following items to your personal preference. Mix well, top with fresh squeezed lime juice and enjoy!
Taco Meat (Ground, Fajita or Other)
Shredded Lettuce
Diced Tomatoes
Nitrate-Free Bacon
Chopped Scallions or Red Onions
Guacamole or Avocado
Organic Salsa