I’m still trying to avoid wheat, so I’ve been trying some new ways to fix some of my favorite things, like tacos! This isn’t exactly low fat or carb, but there’s no wheat in site so I thought I would go for it. I lightened up the taco meat filling by using half beef and half turkey, so there’s a positive for the calorie count. These turned out delicious and I will definitely make them again soon.
Here’s the list of ingredients – feel free to change up the spices or go for the taco seasoning packets – totally cook’s choice.
- 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground turkey (or 2 lbs. total of your choice ground meat)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 package Mexican chili powder
- 1 tbsp. regular chili powder
- salt/pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
- (1) 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 medium baking potatoes
- Cheddar cheese
- optional toppings: Salsa or chopped tomato, black olives, sour cream, lettuce, pickled or fresh jalapenos, red onion, cilantro, etc…whatever you like on nachos, pile it on
For the potatoes – scrum them clean and pat them dry. Coat them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook in a 400 degree oven for about 45-60 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. The internal temperature should be 300 for a potato to be cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow them too cool before prepping for the filings.
For the filling – heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground meat and sprinkle with about 1 tsp of salt and a few turns of fresh black pepper. Cook the meat, stirring often until it is all cooked through. Drain off any extra grease. Add the garlic and allow that to cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in all the dried spices – chili powders, onion powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne. Let the spices start to warm up and then add the tomato sauce. Turn the heat to low, and let that simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out some of the insides. (Use these leftovers in a frittata for breakfast!) Place a little butter in the bottom and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fill with as much filling as you’d like (you can also add a layer of refried beans in the bottom if you are in the mood) and top with some grated cheese I used cheddar here, but pepper or regular monetary jack cheese would be great – or mix it up will all of those. Whatever you like will work as long as it melts nicely. Toss in the oven at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes until the cheese melts and every thing is nice and hot.
Top with whatever toppings you usually like on your taco – this one is loaded up with sour cream, salsa, jalapeno and I put my lettuce on the side with some tomato and ranch. Enjoy!
Amy’s Kitchen 