Mason Jar Taco Salad

In an effort to drop some lbs and basically eat "cleaner" overall, I found a fun little mini-meal on a friend's Pinterest page that works great as a snack for hungry guys or a perfect lunch for the ladies ; )  Note: This is totally kid-friendly and Brooks approved!! 

I made these a few weeks ago and wanted to share.  Like most any recipe, I always tweak a bit here and there.  I'll share what I did and what I plan to add next time ;)

Original recipe found {here}


My version below!  This will yield 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup baked tortilla chips, broken
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, reduced-fat
• 1 head Romaine heart lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup store bought salsa 
• Optional: Dollop of plain Greek yogurt or fat free sour cream

Directions:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the turkey and the seasonings. I added about 2 tbsp water as well so the mixture wouldn't be too dry. Cook until turkey is completely done. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
• Assemble the jars!  Layer the broken tortilla chips on the bottom, next add the cheese, then the lettuce, ground turkey and top with cherry tomatoes {I left the lettuce off Dylan's per his request}
• Close the jars tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat! When we were ready, I emptied out the entire jar into a salad bowl and topped each with about 1.5 tbsp of store bought salsa and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt for me and sour cream for the boys.  Stir around the salad to get a coating of the salsa throughout. 

Dylan's lettuce free version ; ) 

Next time, I'll be adding some black beans into the mix and making the actual dressing that the original recipe calls for.  

I think this would be a super cute idea for a daytime, outdoor fiesta! Just tie on a fork to the jar with a cute ribbon and you could eat right out of the jar!  Great for a picnic too!