Americans have a love for tacos. Whether they’re served at the family dinner table, a business meeting, or as a late-night snack at a local bar, tacos have made their way as being one of America’s most adored food. Afterall, any time of the day is the right time of the day to eat tacos!
There are many reasons why tacos are so appealing. As the main chef in my house, I love them for their quick preparation and cooking time. In less than 15 minutes, I can have a quick healthy meal on the table. Plus, tacos can be easily modified to fit everyone’s preferences and dietary needs. For a vegetarian or one’s desire for a meatless meal, substitute beans or tofu for the ground beef; use the salt-free taco seasoning recipe below for someone on a low-sodium diet, and to meet everyone’s likes, lay out a spread of toppings for each person to choose. Healthy options include avocado, grilled veggies, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and plain non-fat Greek yogurt. Not to mention, tacos are relatively economical, especially when using beans rather than ground beef. In fact, they’re so cheap (and so delicious), it’s tempting to buy more tacos than our bodies need when at our favorite taco eatery. However, as we all aim to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s best to limit our taco purchases and round out our plate with non-starchy veggies and fruit.
One decision you must make when choosing your taco menu is whether you’ll use corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Flour tortillas are typically bigger in size; they have over twice the calories and six times the amount of sodium as corn tortillas. One-hundred percent corn tortillas are also gluten-free for those with celiac disease. Flour tortillas, on the other hand, work better for heavier ingredients as they tend to be sturdier. Whether it’s Taco Tuesday, or any other day of the week, drop the utensils and grab a taco for an easy, delicious meal!
Salt-Free Homemade Taco Seasoning
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons paprika
1 Tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients and store in a tightly closed container.
Note: 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of mix equals a 1.25 oz. package of purchased taco seasoning mix.
Yield: ½ cup
This blog post first appeared in the Pantagraph on August 11, 2021.