Turkey and Black Bean Taco Bowl

Super easy, this turkey and black bean taco bowl is the perfect departure from all of the Thanksgiving Holiday fanfare. My family loves Thanksgiving. We relish all of the traditional fixing, the stuffing and the mashed potatoes, the cranberries and dinner roll. Wow! Thanksgiving is a couple of weeks away and I am looking forward to it. But after a couple of days of leftovers, I am READY for something, different, something SPICY and this Turkey and Black Bean Taco Bowl just hits right.

Ingredients for Turkey and Black Bean Taco Bowl

• corn tortillas, white or yellow
• seasoning, salt-free (I use Penzey’s Arizona Seasoning)
• extra virgin olive oil
• iceberg lettuce
• white turkey meat (chicken could be substituted)
• canned black beans
• Spanish olives
• salsa
• jalapeños.
• goat gouda or some other quality cheese
• Greek yogurt
• cilantro

Why the Turkey and Black Bean Taco Bowl is Mediterraneanized?

First, it starts with unleavened whole grain flatbread. Yes, that is what corn tortillas are unleavened flatbread. Second, the corn chips are crisped in extra virgin olive oil, the foundation of the Mediterranean Diet. Third, beans, vegetables and herbs are vitally important to the diet. Fourth, no sour cream, instead it has the healthier Greek yogurt on it. I also included the Olive Sunshine method of straining your own. Finally, the cheese is a high quality traditional cheese. Also, the cheese should be a “sprinkle” of flavor. The quantity should be small. But do not worry, when a quality cheese is used, you do not need as much to enjoy the flavor. Oldways can be a resource regarding what to look for when selecting cheese.

I eaten some version of the Turkey and Black Bean Taco Bowl after Thanksgiving for years, maybe even decades. What I love about this dish is it allows me to enjoy the turkey leftovers, but it is light, healthy, fresh and spicy. Olive Sunshine readers know I love to Mediterraneanize Mexicali style foods. Mexicali is authentic Mexican cuisine. The cuisine we often think of as Mexican is really Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex cuisine often includes beef and heavy amounts of cheese. Mexicali cuisine tends to be more aligned to the Mediterranean Diet. This bowl focuses on corn, beans and vegetables and is the perfect reset after our traditional Thanksgiving celebration.

Turkey and Black Bean Taco Salad is Part of the Thanksgiving Reset

I am getting ready to publish another Olive Sunshine E-Magazine, Thanksgiving Reset. This E-Magazine provides a 14-day menu plan to enjoy the holidays and stay healthy on the Mediterranean Diet! The Turkey and Black Bean Taco Bowl is the perfect way to use up that turkey meat. It is a hearty and healthy salad that absolutely eats like a meal. The Thanksgiving Reset only includes two leftover turkey meals. I would love for you to subscribe to Olive Sunshine and receive our free E-Magazines. Thanks for reading and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!