No-Shell Vegetarian Taco Salad Recipe

This simple salad features the best parts of a taco — lettuce, beans, tomato and avocado — without the shell.

Ingredients

1 cup cilantro leaves (packed tightly)
6 ounces plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
Pinch salt and black pepper
Optional: pinch cayenne pepper
1 large head Romaine lettuce, rinsed and dried
2 medium tomatoes
1 avocado
Optional: 1 jalapeño pepper
½ cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup canned vegetarian refried beans

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Finely chop cilantro, then divide roughly in half. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix half of cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, if using. Set aside.
2. Chop lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and jalapeño, if using. Toss lettuce, tomatoes and avocado with corn in large serving dish.
3. Create an open space in the center of the serving dish and place refried beans.
4. Over refried beans, place yogurt mixture. Over yogurt mixture, place chopped jalapeño, if using. Sprinkle the rest of the cilantro over the entire salad. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1½ cups
Serves 6

Calories: 147; Total fat: 6g; Saturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium: 225mg; Carbohydrates: 17g; Fiber: 7g; Sugars: 4g; Protein: 8g; Potassium: 753mg; Phosphorus: 158mg

Karman Meyer, RD, is a registered dietitian in Nashville, Tenn. Her blog is karmannutrition.com.