Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Southwest Turkey Tacos and Easy Jerk Chicken Tacos. Enjoy!

CHILI-LIME MUSHROOM TACOS

This comes from Taste of Home, and begins with this note from Greg Fontenot (The Woodlands, Texas), "I used to make this dish with beef, but substituting with portobella mushrooms turned it into my family's vegetarian favorite. It's quick, nutritious, low fat and tasty."

Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes: 4 servings

View this online at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chili-lime-mushroom-tacos/.

Ingredients

4 large portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into strips

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

2 tablespoons lime juice

8 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions

Remove stems from mushrooms; if desired, remove gills using a spoon. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-in. slices.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms, red pepper and onion until mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, seasonings, lime zest and juice; cook and stir 1 minute. Serve in tortillas; top with cheese.

Health Tip: Making these tacos with lean ground beef adds almost 4 grams of saturated fat per serving. That’s a good reason for a meatless taco Tuesday!

GRILLED STEAK TACOS WITH CORN SALSA

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Upgrade your taco night with ease with these fresh veggie- and cheese-filled grilled steak tacos."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/grilled-steak-tacos-with-corn-salsa.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick

1/2 cup cooked corn kernels

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons diced red onion

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1 package (10 count) Old El Paso™ Stand ‘N Stuff™ Taco Shells, heated as directed on package

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (4 oz)

1 medium avocado, diced

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Directions

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In gallon-size resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix oil and taco seasoning mix. Add steak. Seal bag; turn to evenly coat. If not grilling immediately, place in refrigerator to marinate, up to 2 hours.

In medium bowl, mix corn, bell pepper and onion. Cover and refrigerate.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grill over medium heat (350°F to 400°F). Cover grill; cook 9 to 11 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare doneness (145°F internal temperature) or until desired doneness. Transfer steak to cutting board, and cover loosely with foil; let rest 10 minutes.

Cut steak into thin strips across the grain; then cut strips into bite-size pieces.

Divide spinach among heated taco shells. Top with steak and cheese. Spoon salsa over taco shells; top with avocado and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

Use whatever kind of cooked corn you prefer. Canned, cooked frozen or cooked fresh corn all work well.

Try these additional fresh toppings: sliced radishes, sour cream and sliced jalapeños.

SWEET POTATO TACOS

This is from the TODAY Show, and begins, "These tacos are simple to make and require minimal prep, making them an ideal dinner on hectic weeknights. You can dress up this veggie-based meal with avocado, a squeeze of lime, crumbled feta cheese and fresh cilantro."

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sweet-potato-tacos-recipe-t149463.

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

Extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

One 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

One 15.25-ounce can corn, drained

1 cup cooked quinoa

18 small corn tortillas, warmed

Toppings (optional)

Avocado, chopped or sliced

Lime wedges

Feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Toss diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey and cumin. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté. Add the black beans, corn, cooked quinoa and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of filling onto each tortilla. Top with chopped avocado, a squeeze of lime and feta cheese.

EASY JERK CHICKEN TACOS

This yumminess comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Want the fresh flavors of island fare but can’t take a trip to the Caribbean? Try these easy Jerk chicken tacos, loaded with fruit, veggies and warm Jamaican spices."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-jerk-chicken-tacos.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1/3 cup water

1 package Old El Paso™ Caribbean Inspired Jerk World Taco Kit

1 cup shredded green cabbage

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup peeled, diced mango

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.

Stir in water and seasoning mix (from taco kit); heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

While chicken is cooking, heat tortillas (from taco kit) as directed on package. Divide chicken among tortillas, and drizzle with sauce (from taco kit). Top with cabbage, bell pepper, mango, onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

For best results, pat chicken slices dry before adding to hot skillet.

No fresh mango? Diced pineapple makes a nice substitute.

Nutrition: 1 Taco Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 320mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 4g); Protein 12g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 10%; Calcium 4%; Iron 8%

Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Very Lean Meat, 1 Fat

Carbohydrate Choice: 1

TACO SALAD WITH CUMIN DRESSING

Recipe Yield: Servings: 8

Source: The Diabetic Newsletter

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/taco-salad-with-cumin-dressing.

Ingredients

8 tortillas

1 teaspoon powdered mustard

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon ground cumin

8 cups romaine lettuce

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 cups turkey, chopped and cooked

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Toast the tortillas on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes.

While hot, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.

Cool and break into bite-size pieces.

Chop the lettuce and arrange it in the bottom of a salad bowl.

Make the cumin dressing by combining the salt, vinegar, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, mustard, cumin, water and oil in a bowl or jar.

Heat the turkey in a skillet with the cumin seeds.

Sprinkle chunks of turkey over the lettuce.

Add the tomato pieces and cheese.

Pour on the cumin dressing and top with tortilla chips.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 205; Fat: 11 g; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Fat; 1/2 Bread/Starch; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Lean Meat

SOUTHWEST TURKEY TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Lean ground turkey, veggies and savory salsa meld in the slow cooker to make this deliciously easy taco filling."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/southwest-turkey-tacos.

Ingredients

1 package (20 oz) extra-lean ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups Old El Paso™ Thick ‘n Chunky salsa

1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained

1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained, rinsed

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 boxes (4.6 oz each) Old El Paso™ taco shells (24 shells total)

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

3 cups chopped lettuce

3 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

Preparation

In 12-inch skillet, place turkey and onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink.

Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix turkey mixture, salsa, beans, corn and chili powder.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.

To serve, heat taco shells in oven as directed on boxes. Stir cilantro into turkey mixture. Spoon about 1/4 cup mixture into each warm taco shell; top with lettuce and tomatoes.

Expert Tips

This taco mixture is also delicious served over rice and topped with chopped fresh cilantro.

Top with fat-free sour cream, if desired.

Exchanges:1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices:2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.