Home made tacos
I LOVE flavorful foods. Mexican and Middle Eastern are my two faves! I love cooking with spices and each of those cuisines lets me just enjoy those wonderful spices from those different parts of the worlds and my mouth just explodes with flavor!
I created my own taco 'seasoning' last night for my families dinner. I like doing this much better then buying the season mix at the store that is LOADED with salt. This way, I added as much salt (and it was sea salt, even healthier!) for OUR tastes!
I can give you a list of the spices I used, I can't give you an exact estimate, because I added as I cooked and the meat simmered. So. I'll just list the ingredients and give measurements as I can.
Ingredients:
1 lb lean beef
1 can ranch beans (or pinto in chili sauce) any style, we used jalapeno style
1 package taco shells (and I had my toasted pita for my serving)
1/4 - 1/3 cups water
spices used:
**Or use envelope of taco seasoning **
chili powder
cumin
Mrs. Dash southwestern chipolte seasoning
garlic powder
onion powder
minced dried onion
Condiments:
torn lettuce (I use my fingers because if you cut it, it will brown faster)
sliced olives (just buy the large can and slice them yourself and save the money!)
sliced green onions (I didn't have green, so I minced 1/4 cup sweet, or yellow onion)
shredded cheese (low fat)
Directions:
~Heat oven to 325 degrees
~Brown beef in skillet, drain and RINSE with HO****er
~Place beef back in skillet add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil before turning down to a simmer
~add a 1/2 of teaspoon of each spice and let the meat simmer for several minutes. Taste the mixture. If not spicy enough, add 1/2 a teaspoon of spices again. Repeat this process until the spices are to YOUR taste.
~add beans to meat mixture, do NOT DRAIN!! You want that wonderful sauce in your skillet and with your meat.
~Let meat and beans simmer while you place your taco shells and pita in the oven for 6 minutes, or until your pita is crisp.
Conclusion:
WONDERFUL, quick, and easy recipe! Just add spices you like and taste. There is no wrong way to make this! Add one spice, don't add another. It's all personal taste!
We omitted the sour cream because I didn't have any Greek yogurt. I don't use sour cream (unless a recipe specifically calls for and even then I do half sour cream and half Greek yogurt), it's simply TOO fattening even the light.
My kids asked for seconds of this and with my seven year old that just never happens! hehe I would caution if making this for a family with small kids, do not use jalapeno seasoned beans. Unless you do what I did and set aside some of the meat mixture for those that don't like spicy foods and then mix your beans in with the remaining meat.
The toasted pita was just like a tostada! It was soo yummy! I would much rather have my toasted pita then the taco shell!! It was that much better!
So get out there, get your spices, your pan and get cooking! Spice up your evening and your meal! Do it your way and you'll be happily surprised what you come up with!
Now the photo!
I created my own taco 'seasoning' last night for my families dinner. I like doing this much better then buying the season mix at the store that is LOADED with salt. This way, I added as much salt (and it was sea salt, even healthier!) for OUR tastes!
I can give you a list of the spices I used, I can't give you an exact estimate, because I added as I cooked and the meat simmered. So. I'll just list the ingredients and give measurements as I can.
Ingredients:
1 lb lean beef
1 can ranch beans (or pinto in chili sauce) any style, we used jalapeno style
1 package taco shells (and I had my toasted pita for my serving)
1/4 - 1/3 cups water
spices used:
**Or use envelope of taco seasoning **
chili powder
cumin
Mrs. Dash southwestern chipolte seasoning
garlic powder
onion powder
minced dried onion
Condiments:
torn lettuce (I use my fingers because if you cut it, it will brown faster)
sliced olives (just buy the large can and slice them yourself and save the money!)
sliced green onions (I didn't have green, so I minced 1/4 cup sweet, or yellow onion)
shredded cheese (low fat)
Directions:
~Heat oven to 325 degrees
~Brown beef in skillet, drain and RINSE with HO****er
~Place beef back in skillet add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil before turning down to a simmer
~add a 1/2 of teaspoon of each spice and let the meat simmer for several minutes. Taste the mixture. If not spicy enough, add 1/2 a teaspoon of spices again. Repeat this process until the spices are to YOUR taste.
~add beans to meat mixture, do NOT DRAIN!! You want that wonderful sauce in your skillet and with your meat.
~Let meat and beans simmer while you place your taco shells and pita in the oven for 6 minutes, or until your pita is crisp.
Conclusion:
WONDERFUL, quick, and easy recipe! Just add spices you like and taste. There is no wrong way to make this! Add one spice, don't add another. It's all personal taste!
We omitted the sour cream because I didn't have any Greek yogurt. I don't use sour cream (unless a recipe specifically calls for and even then I do half sour cream and half Greek yogurt), it's simply TOO fattening even the light.
My kids asked for seconds of this and with my seven year old that just never happens! hehe I would caution if making this for a family with small kids, do not use jalapeno seasoned beans. Unless you do what I did and set aside some of the meat mixture for those that don't like spicy foods and then mix your beans in with the remaining meat.
The toasted pita was just like a tostada! It was soo yummy! I would much rather have my toasted pita then the taco shell!! It was that much better!
So get out there, get your spices, your pan and get cooking! Spice up your evening and your meal! Do it your way and you'll be happily surprised what you come up with!
Now the photo!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. ~Michael Jordan
My Goals:
1) 200lbs ACCOMPLISHED
3) 170lbs
4) Run 5K
"Unneeded food is not any less wasted in a body that doesnt need it, than it is in the trash." ~Brandilynn
"Those that will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." ~William Penn
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. ~Michael Jordan
My Goals:
1) 200lbs ACCOMPLISHED
3) 170lbs
4) Run 5K
"Unneeded food is not any less wasted in a body that doesnt need it, than it is in the trash." ~Brandilynn
"Those that will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." ~William Penn
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
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