Perfect Low-Carb Taco Salad

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef, thawed if frozen
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning or other all-purpose seasoning blend
• 1/4 cup Taco Seasoning
• 2 T hot sauce
• 2 cups water
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 head Romaine Lettuce
• 1 head Iceberg Lettuce
• 1 can sliced olives, drained
• 1 cup grated cheese
• Diced avocado, optional

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Crumble in the ground beef with your fingers as it goes into the pan. Cook, using a turner to break it up further, until the beef is well browned.
2. Stir in the Spike Seasoning, Kalyn's Taco Seasoning, Cholula Hot sauce, and 2 cups water. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer the beef until nearly all the water has cooked off.
3. While the meat simmers, get the lettuce ready. Tear the Romaine Lettuce by hand into small pieces, place it in a Salad Spinner filled with ICE COLD water, and leave it for a couple of minutes. Pour off the water, then spin until the leaves are as dry as possible.
4. Transfer the Romaine Lettuce to a large bowl. Treat the Iceberg Lettuce the same way: tear it, soak it, and spin it dry. Mix both lettuces together in the bowl.
5. Get the salad dressing ready, drain the olives, set out the grated cheese, and cut up the avocado.
6. When the meat mixture has no liquid left, add salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste, then build the salads. Plan on about 2 big handfuls lettuce and 1 cup meat for each salad.
7. Place however much lettuce you want in a bowl and toss it with 2-3 T dressing.
8. Add the amount of meat you need for however many salads you’re making, and toss once more so the beef is evenly distributed through the lettuce.
9. Spoon the lettuce and meat mixture into a serving bowl, then finish with grated cheese, sliced olives, and diced avocado.
10. For make-ahead prep, portion the taco meat into containers for the fridge or freezer. Pack the lettuce in a large plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Store the olives and cheese separately, and wait to dice the avocado until just before you eat the salad.