We are going to try and inspire you to set a nutritional goal this month and put it on the board at the gym. 

Here is a recipe that you should try this week.  It’s really quick and easy and even my picky eater liked it.  I got this recipe off the whole9life.com website, made it for the family and it was a hit!  We really enjoyed the cumin and cinnamon flavors in the beef.

Mexi-Salad with fresh Guacamole

Taco salad:

• 2 lbs. organic, grass-fed ground beef (fresh, or frozen and thawed)

• 1 can (16 oz.) of organic diced tomatoes (read ingredients!), or dice your own

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1 head of fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, chopped

• 1 each yellow, green and red pepper, diced

• 1 jar of organic salsa (or make your own )

Guacamole:

• 4 fresh avocado, pitted and mashed

• 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed

• 2 limes, squeezed for juice (squeeze them like you’re deadlifting!)

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

• fresh cilantro (chopped), to taste

Instructions:

• Prepare the guacamole ahead of time, and chill while you make the salad.  Mash the avocado in a glass or ceramic bowl* to desired consistency.  Pour the lime juice over the avocado right away to prevent browning.  Use a wooden spoon* to mix in all other ingredients.

*The lime juice in this recipe is reactive with metal, so avoid metal mixing bowls and spoons. 

• Start to brown the ground beef.  Add tomatoes and spices and simmer until it’s no longer pink.  Drop a pile of chopped romaine on a plate, top with ground beef, sprinkle with diced pepper and cover with fresh salsa.  Spoon a hearty helping of guacamole on the side.

We’d also like this topped with black olives, onion or chives, or any other fresh vegetables you can think of.  You can also boost your leafy green consumption by using baby spinach as your salad base… but there’s something about the warm ground beef on top of the crispness of romaine that we really like. (A blend of both lettuce and spinach might be just the thing.)

We don’t count calories or blocks, so we’re not sure what this would work out to from a macronutrient perspective… but if you Zone, you can easily figure that out for yourself.  Add or subtract fat in the form of more or less guacamole, and if you need more carbs, consider adding pineapple or making a mango salsa instead of the traditional tomato-based version. Olé!