This Taco Salad Houses A Range Of Colorful Veggies — Plus One Sneaky Ingredient
It's no small task to keep your meals fresh and interesting year-round, let alone nutritious. While vegetables should obviously have a VIP spot at the table, it's understandable that you may be growing tired of the traditional salads that take over during the summer months. So why not shake things up with a nutritious taco salad, dressed in a veggie-packed pico de gallo and some creamy avocado hummus?
In a recipe recently shared to Instagram by mbg Collective member and holistic nutritionist Kelly LeVeque, vegetables are the star of the show. "This is officially my new favorite, and I made it by accident. I love the benefits of radish, but sometimes they are just too bitter," she explains in the caption. "When it comes to the veggie-packed pico alternative, you want to add whatever crunchy veggies you have in your fridge into a small dice, salt them, squeeze on the lime juice, and drizzle with olive oil. This lets the flavor of the veggies shine!"
If this veggie pico isn't enough and you want to take this recipe up a notch, we recommend adding a tablespoon of mbg's organic veggies+ to your already creamy cilantro avocado hummus. This unique organic greens powder promotes a healthy gut microbiome, aids in digestion and nutrient absorption, supports blood sugar balance, and offers 31 powerhouse ingredients to complement your already delectable salad.*
Kelly LeVeque's Nutrient-Dense Taco Salad
Veggie-Packed Pico Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 2 radish
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp Serrano pepper diced, no seeds
- ½ tomato, diced
- Juice ½ lime
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt: Mix and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes
Spicy Taco Meat
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 pound crumbles
Cilantro Avocado Hummus
- 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 to 2 avocados
- ¼ cup basil leaves (optional), roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- ½ to 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp organic veggies+ (mbg addition)
Method
- Chop your ingredients, and mix to create your veggie-packed pico.
- Cook your taco meat of choice, and mix with seasonings.
- Add hummus ingredients to a blender.
- Blend and then salt to taste. I like to pulse/blend because I like it chunky and not too smooth.
- Plate your ingredients on a bed of lettuce, and enjoy!
Merrell Readman is the Associate Food & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. Readman is a Fordham University graduate with a degree in journalism and a minor in film and television. She has covered beauty, health, and well-being throughout her editorial career, and formerly worked at SheFinds. Her byline has also appeared in Women’s Health. In her current role, she writes and edits for the health, movement, and food sections of mindbodygreen. Readman currently lives in New York City.