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Summer is creeping up on us again; I had been waiting for our tomato volunteers to pop out of the garden, but they’ve been stubborn and my impatience got the better of me. I finally took the kids out to buy four tomato plants last week, which now sit happily in their garden beds, surrounded by giant wire cages that will hold up their tired little arms once the fruit starts to weigh them down. That’s been the extent of my 2025 gardening, besides trying to keep all the existing plants alive and safe from slugs—the garden may look a little bedraggled, but the children are alive and well, so that’s something.

The kids may be my full-time job now, but I did partake in the requisite Northern Californian tech-company job for a few years before having Phoebe. The company I worked for provided work snacks, which were mostly junk-adjacent, like cereal and crackers and nut mixes, but also individually plastic-packed peeled boiled eggs (which I did not touch) and Alter Eco chocolate truffles (also individually plastic-wrapped but infinitely more appealing than the eggs). The company also paid for a lunch service; the online menu made it seem like you could get meals from different restaurants, but they were all made in one place and, I’m sorry to say, were definitely not as good as the originals. Beggers can’t be choosers, however, so I tried many options before finally deciding none of them were to my taste—except for one taco salad. When I first tried it, I opened my plastic clamshell to find crunchy romaine lettuce deluged with black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, tiny tortilla chips, and a lovely, creamy sauce. It was the only meal I remember from those company-provided lunches, and fondly so.

When I saw a similar salad in Caroline Chambers’ book, I was very excited to try it. After making a few tweaks, the end result ended up almost exactly like that long-gone meal-service salad, but it’s better because it’s homemade, super fresh, and uses all great ingredients. It’s one of those meals that is so satisfying and easy to make that I could eat it a couple of times a week (and if you know me, that’s huge, as I love to constantly mix up my meal planning). If I still had paid work, I would bring it in to the office all the time (on my own dime!). And if I can enjoy this salad while being screamed at by a food-slicked toddler who’s “ah-duh, ah-duh!!” (all done) while simultaneously being climbed on by a 4-year-old who’s intent on tickling my armpits as I bring fork to mouth, imagine how good it will taste if you’re able to sit quietly and eat it without being physically and emotionally assaulted? What a life I used to lead.

To make this come together even faster at dinner time, I like to prep the turkey and bean portion in the morning while Wren naps, let it cool down, then store it in the fridge until needed. It’s the little short cuts that keep me sane.

Easily make this one vegetarian by omitting the meat and proceeding with the rest of the recipe. Simply use ½ tsp less of all the spices and salt.

Bean & Turkey Taco Salad

serves 5 / adapted from What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
one 28oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn kernels (or fresh, if you have it)
2 tsp DC kosher salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 lime

⅓ cup salsa verde*
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup sour cream
¼ tsp fine sea salt

1 large head of romaine or 2 romaine hearts or 4 little gems
1 bunch dino kale
1 bunch of cilantro
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping

tortilla chips, for serving
hot sauce (optional)
diced avocado (optional)

*I buy this in jars and it is a huge time saver, another great lesson learned from Caroline Chambers.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. When it’s shimmering-hot, add the ground turkey and spread into an even layer. Let cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes to let it brown, then flip it over and break it up into bite-sized pieces. Add oil as needed to keep the meat from sticking to the pan. Continue cooking until no longer pink, then add the drained black beans, 2 cups frozen corn, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and the juice from a lime. Stir to combine everything and cook until any liquid has been soaked up or mostly cooked off, about 1 or 2 minutes more. Taste and add salt or lime juice as needed. Remove from the heat, partially cover, and set aside until needed (at this point you can let it cool down, then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two days).

Now make the dressing. In a large jar, combine ⅓ cup salsa verde, ⅓ cup olive oil, ¼ cup sour cream, and ¼ tsp fine sea salt. With a lid on the jar, shake vigorously until fully homogenous. Alternatively, whisk it all in a small bowl. Set aside.

Thinly slice the romaine and throw it into a salad spinner. Tear the stems from the kale and thinly slice all the leaves, then add those to the salad spinner as well (if you don’t have a salad spinner, wash your greens whichever way you see fit). Wash and dry the greens thoroughly, then add them all to a large salad bowl. Finely chop the leaves and tender stems of a whole bunch of cilantro, then scatter that over the lettuce and kale. Top with all of the turkey and bean mixture along with 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and give it all a good toss. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is well coated.

Serve the salad with plenty of tortilla chips for crumbling over the top, along with your favorite hot sauce, extra sour cream, and/or diced avocado. Enjoy!