'Healthy' Tacos

I don't know about you guys, but in my house, we LOVE tacos! They are delicious and super easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. However, you would never believe how much sodium is in a packet of taco seasoning. You shouldn't have to sacrifice your beloved tacos because of this. Below is an easy recipe for homemade taco seasoning. After serving this for dinner last night, I was told these were the best tacos my friends and family have ever had! It seems they didn't miss the sodium one bit!

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients

2 lb ground lean turkey

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1 small yellow onion
1/4 cup bell pepper
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup water, if needed

Add Ons: Lettuce leaves, taco shells, fat free shredded monterey jack cheese, chopped tomatoes, low fat sour cream

Brown turkey in a medium skillet. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and oregano. (This is going to be our 'sodium-free' taco seasoning.) Chop the yellow onion and bell pepper. Once the turkey is cooked through, add the taco seasoning and stir well to cover all the meat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the skillet. 

Once ingredients are well combined, add the tomato sauce. Slowly add the water as needed. Mix well. Cover skillet and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with your favorite taco toppings. You can also swap out taco shells for lettuce wraps if your really looking to be healthy. Enjoy!

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

I am discussing this recipe today due to the many requests I have gotten from my brother to make it! I figured if he loves it so much, you guys might too! I've termed this a salsa but you can also call it a salad and use it as a side dish. Since my brother loves it with tortilla chips, I figured I would continue with the theme and go with salsa! Once you make this once, you will quickly realize how versatile and easy it is. As I mentioned, it goes great with tortilla chips, but it is also a great side dish to just about anything. Nothing is more satisfying on a warm summer night than a cold salad to go with your BBQ meal.

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients

1 can sweet corn

1 can black beans 

1 large tomato

1/4 cup red onion

2 tbsp cilantro

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 lime, juice

1/2 tbsp olive oil

Drain the corn and pour into a medium mixing bowl. Drain and rinse the black beans and pour into the mixing bowl. Mince the red onion and add to the bowl. Mince the cilantro and add to mixture. Chop the tomato and add. 

Cover ingredients with the salt, pepper, olive oil and juice from one lime. Mix well. Cover the bowl with cellophane wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy with all your summer meals!

Kickin' BBQ Chicken

One of the best parts about the warm weather is cooking outside on the BBQ. Unfortunately for us, our BBQ was destroyed last year in a hurricane. Unable to cope with the idea of going through the summer without one, my dad and I went out and bought a small, portable coal-fired BBQ to use while we are renovating our backyard. Although it is small, it is powerful and effective and it gets the job done! Tonight I made a summertime favorite, my kickin' BBQ chicken.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients

4 pieces chicken breast (about 6 oz. each)

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp sea salt

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

4 limes, juice

Rinse the chicken breast under cold water. In a small ball, combine salt, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper. Rub seasoning on chicken breast, covering both sides. Place chicken in a medium mixing bowl. Mince the garlic cloves and put them in the bowl with the chicken along with the olive oil. Juice all four limes into the bowl. Mix around the marinade to cover all the chicken. Cover the bowl with cellophane wrap and place in the refrigerator for 45-60 min.

10-15 minutes before the allotted marinating time is up, begin to heat up your grill. Remove the chicken from the excess juice and place on the grill. Cook 8-10 minutes on each side. (Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken and the heat from your grill.) Once the chicken is cooked through and browned on the outside, it is ready to be enjoyed!

Piccata Styled Fluke

Piccata is an Italian preparation style most closely associated with chicken or veal, but today I am applying this method to fish. As you will quickly come to notice, we really enjoy seafood in my house. This is a great recipe for a lazy day because everything is cooked in the same pan, making clean up a breeze!

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients

20 oz fresh filleted fluke

2 lemons

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp capers, drained

Cooking spray

1/2 cup vegetable stock (chicken stock will also work)

1/4 cup white cooking wine

Fresh parsley, to garnish

Start by seasoning the filets with salt and pepper on both sides. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the filets in the flour, lightly coating both sides. (Piccata is generally made with a crispy coating achieved by dredging in flour, egg and bread crumbs. I skipped the last two steps to save on calories, but the dish will taste delicious using either method.) 

Heat your skillet to medium heat and generously coat the bottom with cooking spray. Place fish in the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. (You will know it is ready when the coating turns light brown). Helpful Hint: White fish becomes flaky when you cook it, so in order to keep the pieces of filet in tact, use a wide spatula to flip the fish. Once all the fish is cooked, remove from pan and place on a serving dish under a heat lamp. (If you do not have a heat lamp, place the fish on a baking dish and put them in your oven set to 170 degrees to keep them warm.)

The key to a piccata sauce is the pan drippings, so without cleaning your pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter in the pan. Once melted, add the stock, white wine, a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Slice one lemon in half and squeeze all of the juice into the pan. Put the lemon halves in the pan and bring mixture to a boil. 

Boil on high for 2 minutes, add the capers and boil for an additional minute. Remove the two lemon halves. Add 1 tbsp of butter and whisk vigorously. Once butter has melted and liquid has become slightly thicker it is ready to go. Plate the fish and pour sauce on top. Use slices of lemon and pieces of fresh parsley to garnish. Enjoy!

I Can't Believe It's Not Potatoes

Today's recipe for mashed cauliflower is so delicious, you would never think it could actually be good for you. This is a great way to switch out the carb loaded mashed potatoes for a healthy vegetable version.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower

4 cloves garlic

1 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Chives or Parsley to garnish

Fill a stock pot about 3/4 of the way with water and bring to a rolling boil. Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and chop 2 cloves of garlic. Add cauliflower and garlic to boiling water. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.

Once finished, drain the cauliflower and pat dry. Chop the 2 other cloves of garlic. Add cauliflower to a mixing bowl with butter, salt, pepper, chopped garlic and Parmesan cheese. Using an immersion blender, hand mixer or food processor mash the cauliflower and mix with other ingredients. Mix for 2-3 minutes to get the cauliflower to our desired consistency.

Transfer the mashed cauliflower to a serving bowl and garnish with freshly chopped chives or chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy!