Healthy Taco Recipes - Share yours!

misswhitney1

I dunno about you, but tacos are pretty much my favorite thing. Fish tacos are my first favorite, then chicken, then squash. BUT all of my regular taco go-to's have a lot of calories in the form of beans, sour cream, and tortillas.

So I am on the hunt for a full arsenal of healthy taco recipes! Help?

ponycyndi

When we do taco night, i put the taco filling (meat and cheese) for one taco on a big salad, and crush the shell on top. A dollop of sour cream and a big scoop of salsa is my dressing. All the taco flavor with very few calories.

ponycyndi

Oh, we do fish tacos too. I use grilled fish instead of fried, then roast the tortillas on a dry pan for a few minutes, til they are a little bit crispy. Top with shredded cabbage and dressing made with mayo and sriracha, thinned with a little water. Sometimes I add cilantro and jalapeno.

Francl27

I'm in for fish and shrimp taco recipes! I never know what to put on them, so I don't make them.

We typically just mix McCornick taco seasoning with some beef or chicken and add toppings - cheese, salsa, sometimes avocado. We're boring.

missiontofitness

For mine, if I'm using hamburger, I choose 93% fat free hamburger, make my own taco seasoning at home (to control sodium), and use organic spring mix lettuce, salsa, chopped tomatoes, and a little bit of full fat sour cream as well.

You don't have to go healthy, but you can alter your recipes to make them a bit more macro friendly.

sbjmorgan

Soooo I am way too into tacos. Here are some of my faves...

Skirt steak + pico de gallo + cilantro + light sour cream + refried beans. I use less than a tbsp of beans per taco and only 1 tbsp of sour cream per taco!

Fish tacos: I don't batter fry. tilapia + corn + red bell pepper sauteed together with just a bit of oil and some cumin and black pepper. Cilantro, lime juice, pico or just onion, sour cream. Sometimes black beans or slaw (no mayo).

Pulled pork + pickled jalapenos + cheddar + light sour cream + salsa (or if you're into fusion, bbq sauce instead of salsa and a little slaw instead of the sour cream and jalapenos)

chipotle + lime juice + fajita spice marinated chicken with baby greens, onion, salsa, queso fresco and a bit of sour cream

Mygsds

Soooo I am way too into tacos. Here are some of my faves...

Skirt steak + pico de gallo + cilantro + light sour cream + refried beans. I use less than a tbsp of beans per taco and only 1 tbsp of sour cream per taco!

Fish tacos: I don't batter fry. tilapia + corn + red bell pepper sauteed together with just a bit of oil and some cumin and black pepper. Cilantro, lime juice, pico or just onion, sour cream. Sometimes black beans or slaw (no mayo).

Pulled pork + pickled jalapenos + cheddar + light sour cream + salsa (or if you're into fusion, bbq sauce instead of salsa and a little slaw instead of the sour cream and jalapenos)

chipotle + lime juice + fajita spice marinated chicken with baby greens, onion, salsa, queso fresco and a bit of sour cream

Yum, can you cook for me???

apparations

Yes, I ate chicken tacos allllll summer!!!

Boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated (I used PC Taste of Morocco marinade but I'd like something spicier next time)
Pico de gallo or just diced tomatoes if you're not feeling fancy
Brown rice (I usually use this instead of black beans, or you could use both but your taco gets full quite fast)
Shredded lettuce or arugula
Plain 0% Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream)
Franks red hot or Sriracha
Cilantro or Parsley

mmmmmmmmmm.

Krikit34

This is the spice mix I use for shrimp tacos:
1 TBS paprika
1 tsp each ground cumin, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano
1/2 tsp each salt, red pepper
Cook in a little olive oil. Put on a tortilla with cabbage, red onion, cilantro, squeeze of lime.
Adjust spices to taste.

I also do pork tacos using a lean pork loin, roasted and sliced thin. Put on a tortilla with a little sour cream, sea salt, red onion, tomato, cilantro and squeeze of lime. Really fresh tasting.

I over stuff one taco shell with double the filling to avoid a second tortilla.

LeonCX

25 calorie taco dinner!! recipe available on request.

amandanndel

I love tacos!!! Personally, I like using Greek yogurt in replacement of sour cream. I also usually do lettuce wraps. Sometimes I fancy corn tortillas more and prepare them by heating them on high in a dry pan (a few seconds on each side.) I love Mrs. Renfro's Habenero Salsa, it's life changing!!!! I'd also ditch the cheese, it isn't needed. For filling I like using ground turkey or fat free re-fried beans. Top them with any veggie your craving and bam!

dklibert

Baja Beach Tacos Two Ways
http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2013/09/baja-beach-tacos-two-ways.html
Serves 4

Ingredients

8 corn tortillas
2 tuna steaks (less than 8 oz each)
Olive oil
Spiced Salt, to taste (recipe on blog)
Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing (recipe on blog)

Toppings for Baja Beach Fish Taco:
Green cabbage, shredded or coleslaw mix
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Cilantro, roughly chopped

Toppings for Pacific Rim Fish Taco:
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (11 oz) can Mandarin oranges, drained
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat grill to high heat for 10 minutes. Pat tuna steaks dry with a paper towel. Rub tuna with olive oil. Season tuna with spiced salt (or salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes). Grill for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes a side on an open grill for rare. Place corn tortillas on the grill to warm about 1 minute. Remove tuna and tortillas from grill. Slice tuna against the grain into thin slices. Spread a heaping teaspoon of dressing in the center of tortilla. Top with several slices of tuna and add your choice of toppings from above.

dklibert

Suiza Rellenos Tacos
http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/07/suiza-rellenos-tacos.html
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 poblano peppers
1 poached chicken breast, shredded
8 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 tsp. green salsa or taco sauce
8 tsp. light sour cream
1 Avocado, sliced
Cilantro, to garnish

Directions

To grill the poblanos: Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Place poblanos on the grill. Grill for five minutes on each side until skins are charred. Remove poblanos and cover with plastic wrap. When poblanos are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin of the poblanos. Cut poblanos in half from stem to tip, remove seeds, stem and veins being careful not to split open the sides of the pepper.

To assemble the tacos: Place a poblano half on each tortilla. Place some chicken over the chili, top with cheese. Warm in the microwave for a 30 seconds to a minute to melt the cheese. Top with salsa, sour cream, an avocado slice and cilantro.

kevinsmithrn

I started using loose leaf lettuce instead of tortilla shells - I will never go back. The lettuce allow much more taco flavor to come through. Try it once - you'll loves it!

abatonfan

I am a big fan of giant taco salads. Typically, I include:
-3 cups baby spinach
-3oz ground beef (unfortunately, my family refuses to try ground turkey or chicken tacos)
-2-3 tbsp taco sauce
-1 tbsp ranch dressing
-Little bit of cheese
-5.3oz Greek yogurt (tastes a lot like sour cream)

It's a very quick and easy meal to make, less than 15-20g carbs (less insulin for me to take), and doesn't spike my BG up terribly.

MyOwnSunshine

I'm not sure why regular tacos are not "healthy."

If I'm trying to save calories, I use lean ground beef, fat-free refried beans, omit the tortilla and lettuce wrap instead, and carefully measure my sour cream and cheese.

Carbs and fat aren't deal breakers for me, as I use the IIFYM method. If I have the calories, I use a tortilla and use more cheese and sour cream.

misswhitney1

Great recipes! Tonight I made ground turkey tacos/ wraps

1 # ground turkey
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red onion

Cook together until turkey is cooked through, then add

1/2 packet Frontera Texas Skillet Taco Simmering sauce

Simmer 2 minutes until hot, then serve on lettuce cup or corn tortillas with tomato, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and hot sauce. Yom!

misswhitney1

Suiza Rellenos Tacos
http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/07/suiza-rellenos-tacos.html
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 poblano peppers
1 poached chicken breast, shredded
8 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 tsp. green salsa or taco sauce
8 tsp. light sour cream
1 Avocado, sliced
Cilantro, to garnish

Directions

To grill the poblanos: Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Place poblanos on the grill. Grill for five minutes on each side until skins are charred. Remove poblanos and cover with plastic wrap. When poblanos are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin of the poblanos. Cut poblanos in half from stem to tip, remove seeds, stem and veins being careful not to split open the sides of the pepper.

To assemble the tacos: Place a poblano half on each tortilla. Place some chicken over the chili, top with cheese. Warm in the microwave for a 30 seconds to a minute to melt the cheese. Top with salsa, sour cream, an avocado slice and cilantro.

Oh my! This sounds amazing!

ANewCrystal4Life

I started using loose leaf lettuce instead of tortilla shells - I will never go back. The lettuce allow much more taco flavor to come through. Try it once - you'll loves it!

I agree with this. I use bib lettuce to make wraps all the time now.

I use lean ground turkey, onion, a can of rotel, low sodium season packet, a can of pinto or black beans (drained) and use a lettuce wrap instead of tortilla, I top with a dollop of sour cream, jalapenos, and pico de gallo.

ANewCrystal4Life

I dunno about you, but tacos are pretty much my favorite thing. Fish tacos are my first favorite, then chicken, then squash. BUT all of my regular taco go-to's have a lot of calories in the form of beans, sour cream, and tortillas.

So I am on the hunt for a full arsenal of healthy taco recipes! Help?

Never thought/heard of using squash as a taco filling....do you have a recipe?

Aniluz7

Personally I LOVEEEE Mexican food especially tacos! They are my go to for weightloss. I make taco salads. There's been times where we have "Taco Tuesday" everyday for 2 weeks straight LOL! what I do is I use either shredded chicken with quinoa OR ground turkey with quinoa. I use LOTS of veggies (kale, spinach, arugula, chard, squash ,tomatoes) and add it to the slow cooker with the meat and taco seasoning.

Instead of sour cream, try using greek yogurt, I promise you will never notice the difference

I also use organic salsa and jalapeno peppers.

I buy organic tortilla chips from Costco that have flax and quinoa and other grains in them. I get a few and crush them on top of my salad. You can also throw in some black beans and corn to switch it up.

Another thing I do is I make sweet potato bean burritos.

I get refried beans and mashed sweet potatoe and I put them on a tortilla along with the toppings mentioned above, You can also make it as a salad and omit the tortilla altogether.

I have used romaine leaves as "Taco shells" and I have used shrimp in them with salsa. They are really yummy!

Another way you can do it is bake a sweet potato, slice it down the middle (not completely but halfway) and scoop out a little bit so you have a good hole in the middle. Scoop in some taco meat and the toppings and you've got a sweet potato taco!

OR you can do the same with an avocado! OR maybe even an eggplant or butternut squash!

I have also made quesadillas using chicken and sweet plantains. I only use one tortilla but use lots of lettuce and pico de gallo.

You could also stuff a chicken breast with pico de gallo (onions, tomatoes, cilantro) as well as a little cheese and bake it in the oven. Top with the "Mexican toppings" and enjoy with a side of quinoa.

There are so many ways you can switch it upo!

Enjoy!

AskTracyAnnK28

I'm in for fish and shrimp taco recipes! I never know what to put on them, so I don't make them.

We typically just mix McCornick taco seasoning with some beef or chicken and add toppings - cheese, salsa, sometimes avocado. We're boring.

I make shrimp taco salad at least once a week:

10 pieces of uncooked shrimp,
1 Tablespoon of Fish Taco Seasoning (I use Old El Paso)

1/4 cup of sargento low fat shredded Mexican cheese
1 Tablespoon of Fat Free Sour Cream
1/2 Avacado
2 tablespoons of Ortega Mild Taco Sauce
4 tablespoons of Fresh Gourmet Santa Fe Style Tortailla Strips
A bunch of your favorite greens (I use Dole Power Up Greens or Iceberg lettuce)

the total calories is 475

misswhitney1

I dunno about you, but tacos are pretty much my favorite thing. Fish tacos are my first favorite, then chicken, then squash. BUT all of my regular taco go-to's have a lot of calories in the form of beans, sour cream, and tortillas.

So I am on the hunt for a full arsenal of healthy taco recipes! Help?

Never thought/heard of using squash as a taco filling....do you have a recipe?

Mmmm it's so yummy. I grew up with them being called Calabacitas:

Zucchini squash, cubed
Yellow neck Squash
Corn (frozen works well here)
Red Onion, diced
Green chile or jalapeno, chopped

Saute all together with salt, cumin and red chile powder. for protein, throw in some black beans or tofu.

Serve in corn tortillas with cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado OR top with white cheddar. Yum!

njfitnessmom

I just recently tried this one from Skinnytaste.com, Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats and they came out so good. Here's the link to the recipe.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/07/taco-stuffed-zucchini-boats.html

Kate7294

bump

ash8184

I know tofu isn't a favorite for a lot of people, but when I was living abroad and vegetarian, the local asian shop had some amazing fresh firm tofu. My friend/roommate and I did a small dice of our portions of tofu and seared it with a pinch of oil and taco seasoning and then either loaded it in to shells or put it on top of lettuce. Believe it or not, aside from the texture being different, it was pretty similar to beef with a lot fewer calories/grease!

ANewCrystal4Life

Mmmm it's so yummy. I grew up with them being called Calabacitas:

Zucchini squash, cubed
Yellow neck Squash
Corn (frozen works well here)
Red Onion, diced
Green chile or jalapeno, chopped

Saute all together with salt, cumin and red chile powder. for protein, throw in some black beans or tofu.

Serve in corn tortillas with cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado OR top with white cheddar. Yum!
[/quote]

Thanks! Going to try!

Kate7294

Okay only tip I can give you here ....
I mix my serving of lean ground beef with a serving of cooked "Boco" frozen veggie crumbles. By doing this I'm able to enjoy my serving of 2-3 taco shells or have a filling salad while my family just eats the lean ground beef tacos. Before doing this I felt deprived with my servings.

williams969

Nothing "exciting", but I use lean meats (93% ground beef, chicken breast, lean steak, etc.), make my own fat free refried beans (or buy them, but the sodium--ouch!), use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, etc. Taste exactly like "real" because they really are. Oh, I always use corn tortillas, I think they're lower cal than the flour anyway, maybe?

I think with those simple subs (oh, but always REAL cheese, for me at least), I can get three or four tacos with all the fixin's for around 500 calories. I do also like to take all those toppings and just dump it on a pile of lettuce for a huge taco salad. What can I say, some of us love volume!

Natasha_Fit_Fab

Tilapia Fish Tacos
Black Bean Taco Salad

Hearts_2015

tracyannk28 wrote: »

I'm in for fish and shrimp taco recipes! I never know what to put on them, so I don't make them.

We typically just mix McCornick taco seasoning with some beef or chicken and add toppings - cheese, salsa, sometimes avocado. We're boring.

I make shrimp taco salad at least once a week:

10 pieces of uncooked shrimp,
1 Tablespoon of Fish Taco Seasoning (I use Old El Paso)

1/4 cup of sargento low fat shredded Mexican cheese
1 Tablespoon of Fat Free Sour Cream
1/2 Avacado
2 tablespoons of Ortega Mild Taco Sauce
4 tablespoons of Fresh Gourmet Santa Fe Style Tortailla Strips
A bunch of your favorite greens (I use Dole Power Up Greens or Iceberg lettuce)

the total calories is 475

Gonna have to try this, thanks!