Tex-mex Turkey & Black Bean Ranch Salad

Tex-Mex seasoned turkey (with a special ingredient!) is combined with black beans to make a delicious main dish salad. Diced raw yellow squash adds a mild crunch, plus tomato, green onions and Monterey Jack cheese all tied together with a tangy-sweet honey-buttermilk dressing. Serve with tortilla chips or warm corn tortillas if you wish.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• For the Tex-Mex turkey

• 3⁄4 lb ground turkey
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3  cloves garlic, minced
• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2  tablespoons chili powder
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• For the salad

• 4  cups  mixed salad greens
• 7 1⁄2 ounces cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1  medium  summer squash, raw,in 1/4 " dice
• 1  medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2  small green onions, white and part of green,minced
• 4  ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded

• For the Honey-Buttermilk Ranch dressing

• 3  tablespoons buttermilk
• 2  tablespoons mayonnaise
• 5  teaspoons honey
• 1  teaspoon chili powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  garlic salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  hot sauce

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned.
2. Add turkey and brown slightly; then add unsweetened cocoa powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin and salt.
3. Cook together, stirring often, until turkey is well-browned and thoroughly cooked.
4. In the meantime, whisk together the dressing ingredients: buttermilk, mayonnaise, honey, chili powder, garlic salt, salt and hot sauce.
5. To assemble salad, divide mixed salad greens on two dinner plates.
6. Compose salads with half each of the warm Tex-Mex turkey, black beans, yellow summer squash, tomato and green onion.
7. Drizzle each salad with the Honey-Buttermilk Ranch dressing and top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.