Shredded Beef Taco Salad

As you can tell from my blog, I eat Mexican food all the time. I literally could eat it everyday. Luckily my husband and children love it as much as I do. I really enjoy this salad because it tastes so good but isn't that bad for you. The shredded beef is unbelievably tasty - it's so full of flavor and is really moist and tender. I love the crunchy (guilt free) tortilla bowl and the creamy guacamole as well as the homemade salsa. It's a wonderful meal for lunch or dinner and it's very easy to make.

Shredded Beef:

• 1 1/2 lbs of round roast (chuck roast is flavorful but isn't as lean)
• 1 7 oz can of whole green chiles reserve the juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1-2 cups of beef broth

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or baking dish). Combine seasonings and rub onto the meat thoroughly. Sear the meat in the olive oil on all sides. Spread the green chiles over the roast. Add beef broth, reserved green chile juice and chopped garlic. Cover pan and place in oven. Cook 4-5 hours until shreds easily. Check on roast every couple of hours to make sure there is plenty of liquid... if it's low add more broth. You can also cook this dish on the stove top or in a crock-pot. Shred the meat and mix into the remaining liquid. Taste and re season if necessary.

Flour Tortilla Bowls:

• 4 flour tortillas (I use low fat)
• Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the ovenproof tortilla bowl. You can also use an oven safe bowl turned upside down and drape the tortilla over it. Spray the tortilla with olive oil cooking spray. Bake the tortillas for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly.

Salad Toppings:

• Shredded Beef
• Black beans, drained and rinsed
• Romaine lettuce, chopped finely
• Cherry (or Roma) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced OR green onions, chopped
• Black olives, sliced
• Cheddar cheese, shredded; (cotija cheese works great too)
• Guacamole
• Mom's salsa
• Sour cream (I use low fat)

I layer the tortilla bowl with a bit of lettuce to prevent the tortilla bowl from getting soggy. Next comes the black beans, more lettuce, shredded beef, tomatoes, onion, olives, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese and cilantro. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

On a side note:

A big thank you to Mikki for giving me the Butterfly Award. Mikki from My Finds has a really cool site where she shares her discoveries of food, restaurants, bargains and new places in Manila, Philippines. I love reading her posts and seeing what goes on across the world. Make sure you check out her great site.

I will pass this award on to other food sites soon, but for now I must go to sleep. Thanks again Mikki - I really appreciate it!