Fast food taco salads are considered one of the highest fat, highest calorie choices at Mexican fast food restaurants. Ours is a wonderful alternative. Grate the cheese and add to the salad. Warm the beans if you like and add a little ground chicken, turkey or crumbled tempeh. Even though the carbohydrate content of this salad seems high, it has a very low glycemic index. The beans are also a rich source of folic acid and contribute to the high fiber content.

Prep time: 10 minutes

4 cups lettuce, torn into pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup pinto beans, drained of juice
2 oz baked tortilla chips, broken into pieces
1/4 cup salsa

In a salad bowl, mix together the vegetables, pinto beans and tortilla chips. Add the salsa and stir gently to blend.

Per serving:
203 calories
2 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
40 g carbohydrate
11 g protein
11 g fiber
213 mg sodium