Dairy-Free Taco Salad

I had this awesome taco salad at a function recently.  I searched for a couple different recipes and adapted it to my own tastes (and what I had in my freezer).  Turned out really tasty.  While I haven't made the dairy-free version for our 3-year-old, here's what I plan to make.

Taco Salad

(original recipe)

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1  package taco seasoning mix
• 2 cups black beans
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle French dressing (I used Kraft Catalina)
• 1 head iceberg lettuce (I used spinach)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) package tortilla chips
• 2 cups shredded soy cheese
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons dairy-free sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa (optional)

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and drain.
2. Stir in the taco seasoning, beans and French-style dressing. 
3. Fill the dressing bottle 2/3 full of water and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Crush the bag of chips, open the bag, and toss the broken chips into a large bowl with the lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. When the meat mixture is done, combine it with the lettuce, tomatoes, chips and mix well. Then, add salsa and sour cream.

**Note this needs to be mixed together right before eating otherwise the chips get soggy.  I actually made this as a lunch/snack for a couple days and just kept all ingredients separate until right before eating. Then I just added how much I wanted to eat for that meal.  This would be very helpful if you are just making a small portion dairy-free.  The recipe can easily be halved.**