Recipe Makeover

One of my favorite recipes has always been a classic 1970s dish called Frito Salad. (It may well have been around before the 1970s, but I know we had it a lot back then.)

But, with Fritos corn chips, regular salad dressing and cheddar cheese, it's not very low-fat or low-salt, and those things can make a difference when you're trying to eat healthy. So, I've done a makeover on the recipe. Let me know what you think.

Here's the original recipe, the way my family makes it:

Fritos Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded or chopped finely

1 tomato, chopped

1 green onion, chopped
1 can Ranch Style Beans, drained and rinsed (15-ounce can)
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing (I'm not sure when this recipe was written, but the 16-ounce bottle on the market today may be to much)

1 package Fritos Original Corn Chips (14.5-ounce size bag)

In a large bowl, mix together the lettuce, tomato and green onion. Add the beans and stir well. Add the cheese and stir well. Pour the salad dressing over the top and stir to mix. When ready to serve, add the corn chips and mix well.

And, here's my re-do of the recipe:

Taco Salad

4 cups of shredded green leaf lettuce
1 large tomato, chopped (or 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped)
2 green onions, chopped
1 or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 ounces, or about 2 cups of home-cooked and drained black beans)
4 ounces low-fat or fat-free cheddar cheese
Fat-free Catalina salad dressing, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste
6 corn tortilla, toasted in the oven or toaster until crisp, or 6 ounces of baked tortilla chips,

In a large bowl, mix together the lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and cilantro. Add in the beans and stir well. Add the cheese and stir well. Add just enough salad dressing to add some flavor, but do not drown the salad in the dressing. Add a few drops of Tabasco sauce, or let each person add the hot sauce as desired. Put about a cup of the mixture on a plate and crumble a toasted tortilla or a few chips over the top.

Do you have a recipe that you've done a makeover on? Share the recipe or a link here!