Quick Dinner with Help from a Make Ahead Salad

Last night, not wanting to cook, wanting to go out for happy hour but realizing it was too late, I decided to stay home, save on calories and find something in the fridge.  I had purchased ground chicken for my Cesar Chicken Burgers but instead I decided to use it for a Taco Bowl salad.  If you don't have the metal bowls to make taco salad bowls it's a good purchase.  Since you bake the tortillas they are immensely less fattening than those deep fried bowls you get in most restaurants but  still very tasty.  Instead of using refried beans in my taco salad I decided to try my bean salad instead and to avoid another trip to the store the peppery arugula was my best bet.  It was excellent and a new favorite.

SPICY BEAN TACO SALAD
 4 burrito size flour tortillas
-Sprinkle cheddar
1 lb. ground chicken
3 t. homemade seasoning
⅔ C. water
"Southwest Bean Salad"
Toppings:
2 Roma tomato, chopped
-Arugula
-Greek yogurt
-Salsa

Press tortilla into tortilla bowl pan to take fluted shape. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the bottom of the tortilla bowl with cheddar and bake for 8-10 minutes. In a large fry pan, cook ground chicken till browned. Add taco seasoning and water. Cook till water is evaporated. Fill taco bowl with cooked meat, 2 scoops of bean salad, chopped tomato, arugula, a tablespoon of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of salsa.

I like having dishes in the refrigerator that I can make ahead and will last all week for those healthy easy meals. My Southwest Bean salad is one of those options.  It is great served alone or in the Taco Salad.

SOUTHWEST BEAN SALAD
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5 oz.) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 stalks celery, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 C. frozen corn, rinsed
Dressing:
¾ C. thick and chunky salsa
¼ C. vegetable oil
¼ C. lime juice
1 ½ t. chili powder
1 t. salt
½ t. cumin

Mix dressing. Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.
Variation: No frozen corn, use a 15.25 oz. can.

Note: I put this in a large (65 oz.) mason jar with a locking lid, adding ingredients in order given. It takes up less room in the fridge and I can turn it upside down to distribute the dressing throughout the week.  Original recipe came from Taste of Home 1996, pg. 37. I don’t put tomatoes in because they get mushy and without them this salad will last all week.