Guys, I've got a real treat for you today. My friend Sarah is a phenomenal cook. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and come up with new fun recipes, and over the years, she's made me countless dinners and birthday treats.


Me and Sarah at a Terps game

So when she told me she had a fun recipe that she thought you all might be interested in and asked if she could share it, I was all for it!

So Sarah, take it away!

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So, just like 1/3 of Americans, I made a New Years Resolution to be healthier. It wasn't a "work out more" or "diet more" resolution but a "healthier" resolution.

One way that I'm working on being healthier is by paying attention to what I eat and incorporating more main dish salads...but I can only eat so many Chicken Caesar Salads!

So in an effort to think creatively, be healthy, and enjoy my time in the kitchen and what I eat I devised Main Salad Mondays (MSM). One thing that I really crave in my salads is obviously, good flavor, but also a variety of texture so that the meal remains interesting.

The first official attempt at MSM is a common riff off a regular on our table - tacos.



Here's what I put in my Taco Salad:

2c Lettuce
1/2 c Ground Turkey taco meat
1 Tbsp Black Olives
2 Tbsp Corn Salad
1 Tbsp Guacamole
Large pinch Mexican Cheese Blend
2 Tbsp Salsa Ranch
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Guacamole :


[Note from Jess: Sarah's guac is the best. A bowl of this stuff doesn't last long in front of me]

2 avocados, one mashed, one diced
1/2 red onion, small dice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2c quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 jalapeño, minced
1tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and let rest for at least an hour.
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Corn Salad:



1/2 shallot, diced
1 bell pepper (red or green or orange), large dice
1 can of no salt added whole kernel corn OR 2 fresh ears of corn, cut off the cob
1/2tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
Pepper to taste

Saute the first three ingredients in a pan over medium high heat for about 5 minutes or until the corn is cooked through.

Stir in the seasonings and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Add to the salad warm, room temp, or cold. Also a great side dish!
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Salsa Ranch Dressing
Combine 1/2c Ranch with 1/2c fresh salsa or until its a consistency/flavor you like.

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So Sarah, my question for you is where was my invite for dinner? (Sike, I actually think she did invite me over this Monday, but I already had something going on. Sad face.)