Dave and Hannah Learn to Cook, Part I

Totally Awesome Taco Salad.
We get some pretty toasty Summers here in Salt Lake City; the past couple of days have reached 100 degrees. The heat makes it hard sometimes to plan and cook a good hot meal. Especially when your tiny AC unit is well, tiny, and while set to HI, doesn't cool off further than three feet in front of it. Although this recipe requires a bit of stove cooking, you're in and out of the kitchen so fast that's it's hardly a bother.

The Totally Awesome Taco Salad is totally awesome for a number of reasons. First, it's cheap. Dave and I didn't have to buy anything to make this, we already had all the ingredients at home. But if you do have to go out and purchase certain items, it will not break the bank. We even got free bananas for buying the lettuce a few days ago:) Secondly, it's very healthy. It's packed with protein and fiber, it's light but it fills you up. Since there's no creamy dressing, there aren't any extra calories loaded on. Lastly, it's oh so tasty and perfect for Summer!

You'll need:
About a tbl of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 can of black beans
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
About 2 tbls chopped onions
About 2 tbls of taco seasoning, more if you want a richer flavor
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese. You can use whatever cheese you want, these are just the two we had in our fridge. a Mexican cheese blend is good too.
1 bag of romaine lettuce
8 large tortilla chips
Salsa
Serves two with some left over :-)

Step 1. Heat black beans in a sauce pan on medium heat, stirring occasionally. When they reach boiling, turn heat down to low.
Step 2. While you have a frying pan, with olive oil, heating up on medium heat cut chicken into strips. I cut mine pretty thin and we thought it was conducive to eating it with salad but you can make yours as large or small as you want.
Step 3. Chop onions.
Step 4. Cook chicken, with onions, on frying pan. When chicken is cooked all the way sprinkle taco seasoning and water and stir. When the water has boiled turn heat down to low.
Step 5. While chicken is cooking shred cheese and distribute lettuce into two salad bowls.
Step 6. Serve. Pour black beans over lettuce followed by the chicken, cheese, salsa, and top it off with crumbled tortilla chips. The black beans and taco seasoning left in the pan act as a healthy dressing for the salad.

Do this all while watching game shows on Spanish Language TV. And then finish it with a game of Boggle (while you're digesting) and a bike ride to 7-11 to pick up dessert. Perfect summer evening...