Taco Tuesday

I used to occasionally ask, "Who doesn't love tacos?"

Well, last week, I heard from two different people who mentioned that they don't like them. (One of them likened them to large, messy chips.) Oh, well... if everyone loved the same foods, it'd be pretty boring.

That said, here are six yummy taco recipes to help you through the day, including Buffalo Style Tacos and Chicken Chili Tacos. And for those who don't like tacos, Double-Post Tuesday follows this. Enjoy!

CHICKEN CHILI TACOS

This is from the TODAY Show Recipes e-newsletter. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups prepared pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted

2 cloves garlic. minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 taco shells (crisp or soft/flour or corn)

Preparation

Place the chicken, pico de gallo or salsa, lime juice, cumin seeds and garlic in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (You can also cook on high for 3 hours.)

Allow to cool a bit. Scoop the chicken out with a big slotted spoon and place it in a large serving bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. The chicken will shred easily. Stir in some cooking juice from the pot and top with the cilantro.

Place the shredded chicken, your taco shells and desired fixings on the table and let everyone put together their perfect taco.

JAMAICAN CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “The yellow curry filling, mustard greens, and red pepper strips lend these spicy tacos the colors of the tropics.” Yield: Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. peanut oil

1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, diced (1 cup)

1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

2 1/2 tsp. curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 tsp. grated lime zest

4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup curly mustard greens, finely chopped

2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional

Instructions:

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. Stir in tempeh, pineapple juice, cilantro, curry powder, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, or until pineapple juice evaporates and tempeh starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.

Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture. Add red bell pepper and mustard greens. Top with peanuts, if desired.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 7.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 313 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 6 g

STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS

This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. peanut oil

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)

1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 Tbs. white miso

2 Tbs. orange juice

2 tsp. rice vinegar

2 cups broccoli slaw

4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

2 Tbs. sliced green onions

Instructions:

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g

BUFFALO TURKEY TACOS

Makes 8 servings

Source: Jennie-O

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

CHIPOTLE QUINOA SWEET POTATO TACOS WITH ROASTED CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE SALSA

I recently discovered Tieghan Gerard’s website, Half Baked Harvest. Some very yummy-looking recipes, including this one.

Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 a small sweet onion

1 clove garlic minced or grated

1 large sweet potato chopped (peel if desired)

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)

1 leaves can diced tomatoes (Optional; I normally these out, but sometimes add them)

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 canned chipotle chilies minced

1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo from the chipotle chili can

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne or to your taste

1 cup cooked black beans if using canned drain and rinse them

1 lime juiced

1 small bunch cilantro

6-8 four tortillas corn tortillas (warmed) or hard shell tacos (personally my family prefers hards shell, but all of them are good!), warmed

1 avocado sliced or diced, for topping

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping

cotija cheese crumbled, for topping

Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 canned chipotle chili chopped

1 lime zested + juiced

1 clove garlic minced or grated

1 jalapeno chopped and seed removed if desired

the arils from 1 pomegranate (learn how to deseed a pomegranate here)

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the salsa: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Place the cranberries, brown sugar, chipotle chili, lime zest + juice, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together until the cranberries are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until the cranberries burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and and let cool 10 minutes. Then add the pomegranate arils and toss well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and keep at room temperature.

While the cranberries are roasting start the tacos. Heat the olive oil over a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Cover the skillet and let cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy, stirring once or twice for about 15 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then crank up the heat to medium-high (adding more oil if needed) and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa get crispy and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, tomatoes (if using), the chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne, stir to thoroughly combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

To assemble the tacos, place some of the quinoa in a tortilla or shell. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, a large dollop the the roasted cranberry salsa, crumbled catija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Take in their beauty and then EAT!

BUFFALO STYLE TACOS

Makes 8 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1341

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g