Taco-less Layered Salad with So Delicious “Yogurt” Dressing & Quinoa
Inspiration for Taco-less Layered Salad with “Yogurt” Dressing
I just learned this morning (when finally catching up on my Twitter account) that So Delicious is hosting its first recipe contest. If you have been following my blog then you have seen quite a few recipes calling for So Delicious products. I’m a HUGE fan of So Delicious because not only are its products dairy free, but so many of the products are also free of the other top 8 most common food allergens. And most importantly, they are SO versatile and truly SO delicious! 
Unfortunately, since I just found out about the contest this morning (while at work and without access to my blog account), I won’t have time to enter all of the yummy recipes that I have created with So Delicious milk and “yogurt.” Thus, I only have time to share one.
Please help me win some tools to create more yummy treats and meals to post on Nom Yum & Free. 
Just LIKE my Taco-less Salad with “Yogurt” and Quinoa here on this Pinterest board. (You don’t have to PIN or have a PINterest account to vote.) Thanks!!
Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cake Pops (vegan & gluten free)
When going through my list of favorite recipes with So Delicious products I wondered how could I pick just one? Do I go with a fun & creative holiday dessert? Or keep it simple with a warm and comforting hearty hot breakfast cereal? Or maybe I should spice it up with a Mexican 7-layer dip?
Ultimately, I decided to enter a dish that was not only fun to create and fancy to look at as my cake pops, but also as simple to make as my hot breakfast cereal. This flavorful and delicious salad is healthy, protein-packed, and perfect for warm late-spring and summer months. So, I am entering a tried and true favorite – my Vegan Taco-less Layered Salad with “Yogurt” Dressing and Quinoa – as my So Delicious recipe contest entry!
FREE Ingredients in Taco-less Layered Salad with “Yogurt” Dressing
Salad and “Yogurt” Dressing:
- Olive oil
- 1 packet organic taco seasoning (e.g., Simply Organic)
- 1 can vegetarian refried beans
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (red quinoa recommended)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 (6 oz.) container So Delicious plain Greek style “yogurt”
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 Roma tomato per salad – sliced
- Romaine lettuce – chopped
- Green onions (about 3 per salad) – chopped
- Red pepper – cut in small cubes
- Avocado, halved, pit removed, and sliced (half per salad)
- Fresh cilantro – removed from stem
Special Tools:
- Food Rings Mold Set (Note: I also enjoyed this salad without layering, so don’t feel like you have to make it fancy to enjoy)
- Plastic Squeeze Bottle (Note: You can just spoon the dressing over your salad, but the squeeze bottle helps with portion control and “fancy” decorating)
Method for Preparing Taco-less Layered Salad with “Yogurt” Dressing
“Yogurt” Dressing:
In a small bowl, stir together So Delicious plain Greek style “yogurt,” mustard, lime juice, and 2 tsp. taco seasoning until well combined. Spoon into a plastic squeeze bottle for easy portion control and decorating. Refrigerate until ready to prepare salad.
Quinoa Refried Beans Layer:
Rinse quinoa thoroughly, until water runs clear. Lightly sauté in a saucepan with olive oil until toasted (about 5 – 7 minutes). Add water and 1 tbsp. taco seasoning to pot and finish cooking in accordance with package directions. Set aside or refrigerate to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together refried beans and ½ to ⅔ of taco seasoning packet. (Reserve remaining taco seasoning.) Add cooked quinoa to beans and stir to combine. Set aside quinoa-beans mix (refrigerator recommended) until ready to prepare salad.
Salad Layering:
Lightly grease the food rings mold and tamper with a bit of olive oil before assembling your salad. Put the mold in the center of a large plate (you want the plate large enough that there’s room for the salad to fall when eaten). Use the tamper to lightly press down after adding each layer. However, do not use the tamper on the avocado or cilantro layers! It is easiest to gently remove the mold after the avocado layer before sprinkling the cilantro on top.
Layering order (from plate to top):
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce mixed with just enough yogurt dressing to bind and mold
- Quinoa and refried beans mix
- Green onions mixed with just enough yogurt dressing to bind and mold
- Red peppers
- Avocado (spread like a fan)
- Cilantro (easiest if added after removing mold)
If you do not feel like buying a food molding set, I have heard that an old soup can cut in half also works. Or if you’re pressed for time, I have enjoyed this salad many times thrown together without layering.
Spruce up your layered (or non-layered) salad by using a plastic squeeze bottle to add decorative So Delicious plain Greek style “yogurt” dressing zig zags atop your salad or dressing dots on your plate.
NOM YUM – Taco-less Layered Salad with “Yogurt” Dressing
Everyone who has tried this salad has loved it! From its popularity with Baby Girl and my husband (who has enjoyed it with me time and time again); to being a featured favorite on multiple blogs; to impressing attendees at a teacher/parent workshop I did for Baby Girl’s school, including many who do not generally eat vegan or dairy free foods – and were shocked that a dish so healthy could taste SO delicious!!
The combination of quinoa and refried beans make this a filling, protein-packed dish perfect as an appetizer or a meal in itself. And layered and topped with a delicious, homemade, tangy taco-flavored “yogurt” dressing that is little more than a bit of good-for-you dairy free So Delicious Greek Style coconut yogurt, no one felt guilty devouring their plate of taco-less salad!
With this salad recipe being so yummy and also so quick and easy to prepare, it definitely has led me to restock my containers of So Delicious Greek style yogurt every time I visit the grocery store! Packing a lunch for work doesn’t get much easier – and more fulfilling – than this.
Original article: How Can a Vegan Taco Salad Be SO DELICIOUS?!
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