To carry on my love of butchering Mexican cuisine, tonight I will make tacos. This is my 9-year-old's most requested dinner, though not one of my personal favorites. Tacos are simple, right? It's a quick, easy-to-make dinner that can be thrown together in 30 minutes or less. I got off my dependence on seasoning packets, and even chili powder, while living overseas and have found that I still prefer to use the spice blends that I make myself. It's less expensive and I can be sure that there is no MSG, high fructose corn syrup, or strange wheat, corn, or soy derivatives lurking in our meal. My staple seasonings (sweet paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt) can all be bought in larger quantities. When I'm really organized, I make up a batch of my own taco seasoning (I also use a similar blend for chilis and fajitas) and store it in a glass jar.
Below are instructions for preparing refried beans and meat Emily style. Again, not at all authentic, I'm sure, but fast and easy. My recipe is definitely not spicy, to keep the young gentlemen happy, but you can add cayenne or other peppers to turn up the heat as desired. Of course, this meal is easily vegetarian-able by skipping the meat. Ingredients: Meat Mixture: 1 pound ground beef, turkey, or lamb 1 Tbsp sweet paprika 1 Tbsp cumin 2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp salt dash of black pepper 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1/4 cup water Beans: 2 cans (15 oz each) beans or equivalent amount of cooked beans (I use a blend of black and pinto or kidney, but have found that just about any bean works) 1 Tbsp sweet paprika 1 Tbsp cumin 1 tsp garlic 1/2 tsp salt dash of black pepper 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp water Place the meat in a skillet and the beans in a saucepan and place on burners. Turn burners on to medium. Add seasonings to each dish at the same time to save time. Stir. Add olive oil and water to beans, and allow everything to heat, stirring often. Once the meat is partially cooked, add the tomato paste and water, stir, and continue to gently simmer. After about 10 minutes of cooking, mash beans with a hand masher, turn off heat under both, and cover. All done. Preparing the taco toppings can be more time intensive than the meat and beans. I like to have really crispy lettuce, shredded, diced tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, shredded cheese, sour cream or yogurt, and salsa on hand. I will often put one of the boys to work shredding cheese while everything is cooking. Corn tortillas are a good gluten-free option. We have found brown rice tortillas to be tasty, but they crack when they are rolled up and that is completely unacceptable (for whatever reason) to the kids. So we stick to crunchy corn shells and floppy corn shells. I have yet to find organic floppy shells, but have found the Little Bear brand of crunchy shells to be a good option. (I look for non-GMO corn products whenever possible...many organic brands are also non-GMO.) I like to just make a big salad with all the toppings and skip the tortillas altogether. For a simple salsa option, try this recipe, taught to me by a previous neighbor and friend. Add the following ingredients to a food processor: 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped 2 Tbsp lime juice 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt Blend until everything is finely chopped. It's delicious. Will keep up to 2 weeks in fridge.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
All
Archives
June 2019
|