Big Mac Salad

These hot August days sometimes turn my appetite away from heavy, hot foods to cold, refreshing salads. But when you need some protein, and you want more than a garden salad, what do you do?

You add ingredients to the salad that have the taste of a Big Mac without the heaviness or the calories of a burger! This Big Mac Salad is basically a deconstructed hamburger without the bun. But it’s hearty and delicious!

Here’s how you make it:

Big Mac Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground beef
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 8 oz Romaine lettuce (or iceberg if desired)
• 1 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
• 3/4 cup Reduced Fat Cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup Pickles (diced)

DRESSING

• 1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Pickles (diced)
• 2 tsp Mustard
• 1 tsp White vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tbsp  sweetener of choice

1. Brown ground beef, adding salt and pepper. Break beef up into small crumbles as it cooks.
2. In a large bowl, add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and pickles. Top with cooked ground beef. Top with dressing just before serving.
   You can also assemble each salad on the plates as I did in the photos here.
3. For Dressing:
   Mix ingredients in a mason jar. Add warm water or oil to make it a pouring consistency .

This meal is also super fast and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes – probably faster than you could run to the local fast food restaurant and get served! It’s the perfect meal on a hot day, or a day when you want something delicious, but healthier than a hamburger!

What do you eat when it’s hot outside?