Tips for Taco Tuesday: My taco turned into taco salad, using ingredients I had at home
Tacos have their origin in Mexico. A tortilla is a type of flatbread, and a taco is simply a tortilla wrapped around a filling. Like a sandwich, the filling can be made with almost anything and prepared in many different ways. Here are some tips for Taco Tuesday!
Many restaurants feature specials for Taco Tuesday, but you can make tacos at home! The variations of tacos are endless! When you make your own tacos, you get to the control the ingredients.
Be Mindful about MyPlate
To pack the most nutritional punch into your tacos, use MyPlate to design yours. Be mindful of the sodium and fat content of your food choices. Meats and cheeses will contribute to the fat content; they also contribute important vitamins and minerals. Cheese, canned beans, and prepared tortillas and chips will contribute to the sodium content. Read labels to select low-sodium varieties. You can include any ingredient, just consider the portion size. Fresh veggies add vitamins and minerals. They are naturally low in calories and sodium – they’re colorful too!
Make-Your-Own Taco Bar
If you set up a Make-Your-Own Taco Bar, you can satisfy everyone’s individual tastes.
Grain
- Soft tortilla (flour or corn)
- Taco shells
- Tortilla chips
- Cooked rice
Vegetables
- Pepper, chopped or in strips
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded spinach
- Cauliflower (roasted or fresh)
- Shredded carrots
- Diced onions
- Sliced avocado
- Shredded red cabbage
- Corn
Protein (see recipe for seasoning mix)
- Ground turkey or beef
- Shredded chicken or pork
- Fish or other seafood
- Beans – black, kidney, pinto, garbanzo, white, or combination
Dairy
- Shredded cheese
Other Toppings & Seasonings
- Chopped cilantro
- Squirt of lime
- Salsa or hot sauce
- Chopped green onions
- Red pepper flakes
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sour cream
- Black olives
Theresa’s Twist on Pandemic Taco Tuesday
I’m making limited trips to the grocery store these days. Since it’s been almost 2 weeks since I’ve been shopping, to make my taco I had to use the ingredients I had on hand.
Challenge accepted! I didn’t have tortillas, but I did have some tortilla chips, so my taco turned into taco salad. I still had some fresh vegetables and I had made my own chili over the weekend.
Tip: Layering the spinach between the tortilla chips and the chili kept the chips from getting soggy.
- Tortilla chips
- Shredded spinach
- Three-Bean Chili
- Shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- Cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Orange pepper rings
- Chopped red onion
- Sliced radishes
- Squirt of lime
Check out our Make-Your-Own Taco activity page here.
Packaged seasoning mixes usually contain a lot of sodium. Here’s a recipe to make your own.
HOMEMADE SEASONING MIX
Prep: 5 minutes
Yield: appx. 2 Tablespoons of seasoning, enough for 1 ½ to 2 pounds of meat or vegetables
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Equipment Needed:
- Measuring spoons
- Small bowl
Directions:
- Measure all ingredients and combine.
- Add seasonings as you are cooking meat or vegetables.
- If making ahead, store in airtight container.
I hope you have enjoyed these Tips for Taco Tuesday!
Yours in health,
#TacoTuesday #MyPlate #VaryYourVeggies #CookAtHome
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