Healthier Taco Salad

Tonight I threw together some quick taco salads. This take on a taco salad is something I fell in love with when I worked at Macheeezmo Mouse in the early 90s. It's a lightened up version of the usual taco salad (which is typically served in a deep fried bowl), and yet for me, it still satisfies the itch. It's an old favorite of mine- comfort food from my early twenties that still fits into the way I want to eat today. At Macheezmo, we used to make the "sour cream" with 1/2 sour cream and 1/2 yogurt. I use plain low-fat yogurt now, but you could try the 1/2&1/2 version if you like a richer topping, or you could also try low or non-fat greek yogurt for a more traditional sour cream consistency.

Healthier Taco Salad
serves 2 generously
Lettuce (Romaine or green leaf, red leaf gets too cooked by the hot beans)
1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa (optional but really good)
1 can black beans
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
grated pepper-jack
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 avocado, cubed and scooped from the shell
a handful of chips for each salad
salsa
plain yogurt
cilantro or green onions (optional)

First, empty your can of beans into a small pot. Add the spices. Stir and heat until very hot. Cover 2 large salad plates with lettuce. Layer toppings in this order: rice, beans, cheese, red peppers, avocados. Crush a handful of chips and sprinkle on each salad. Top with yogurt and salsa and sprinkle with cilantro and/or green onions. Serve immediately.