My kids ask me to make these Healthy Turkey Tacos so often, I'm starting to think they may not be Italian! Little do they know how healthy they are because I hide so many veggies and superfoods into the meat mixture. Never again feel guilty about weekly taco night...these are seriously my go-to each and every Tuesday!
What can I say...these healthy turkey tacos are pretty, pretty, pretty good!
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Ingredients you'll need
Meat mixture
- Chili powder (the lime chili powder from Trader Joe's is my jam!)
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Onion powder
- Chia seeds (or flaxseed meal)
Gluten-free taco seasoning
- Olive oil
- Carrots
- Riced cauliflower (or riced broccoli)
- Ground turkey
- Black beans
How to make them
Step 1 - Make the seasoning. Add all the ingredients for the seasoning to a medium sized bowl. Mix and set aside.
Step 2 - Cook the vegetables. Heat some olive oil, and add the carrots and riced cauliflower (or broccoli) to the pan. Cook until the carrots are tender.
Step 3 - Cook the meat. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned.
Step 4 - Add the seasoning. When the meat is browned, add the gluten free taco seasoning.
Step 5 - Add the black beans. Add the black beans and cook until heated through. SECRET WEAPON - if you don't think your kids will eat them because of the beans, grab a masher and mash until all the beans are unrecognizable...works every time!
Step 6 - Choose your taco. Choose the taco of your choice (lettuce works well here too if you want to keep the carbs out) and top with your favorite toppings
Key ingredients for healthy turkey tacos
Chia Seeds - one healthy superfood, loaded with fiber, protein and antioxidants to name a few. The best part is...the kids have no idea they're even in there. Kids 0...Parents 1!
Riced Cauliflower (or broccoli) - another ridiculously healthy ingredient you can hide in this meal. The seasoning is pretty potent (smell wise) so it does a great job hiding either of these super healthy veggies.
Tips, Tricks, FAQs
'The Mash'
Don't underestimate how important it is to use 'the mashing' technique when you're adding the black beans. Most kids won't eat black beans so it's a great way to get that extra kick of fiber and protein without them knowing a thing! Try it...trust me...you can thank me in the comments 🙂
Serve on lettuce for an even healthier option
Feel free to skip the extra carbs and either eat this straight out of the bowl or put it on top of lettuce. I like to use Romaine because it's crispy and holds the meat pretty well, but any kind of lettuce will do. You can use Iceberg too and make a wrap!
Are turkey tacos healthier than beef?
Let me start out by saying that I love both meats. But, even if you get the leanest cut of ground beef, lean ground turkey still wins out on being healthier. Though they'll have similar figures in terms of protein, vitamins, and minerals, ground turkey will have less saturated fats which ultimately makes it a better choice for heart health. Ground beef is delicious, but as frequent as we eat tacos, for this reason, I opt for turkey meat.
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Ok, so if you made these Healthy Turkey Tacos...would definitely appreciate if you leave a comment below and let me know what you thought! Always love hearing from you guys...and don't worry I'm an Italian from New Jersey...I got thick skin!
Healthy turkey tacos...giddyup!
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Recipe
Healthy Turkey Tacos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup shredded carrots finely chopped
- 1 cup riced cauliflower riced broccoli works too
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 15 oz black beans canned
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 6 flour tortillas can use taco shells or lettuce too
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
Instructions
- Add all the seasoning together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the carrots and riced cauliflower and cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the ground turkey to the pan and season with salt & pepper. Using a cooking spoon, break the meat up and toss around until browned - about 7-10 mins
- Once the meat is browned, add the seasoning. Mix all together and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the meat is fully coated with the seasoning.
- Add the black beans. OPTIONAL STEP - using a masher, mash up the meat & beans mixture until the beans are all split and mashed up (this is how we hide it from our kids 🙂
- Serve hot on the taco of your choice (lettuce works here too) with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream or greek yogurt (healthier), guacamole, salsa, chopped tomatoes
- This will make about 6-7 medium tacos. We (2 adults, 2 children under 10) double up on this recipe all the time and I will always have 2-3 tacos left over for lunch the next day.
- Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking method and ingredients used. It's advised you calculate your own nutritional values if needed.
Nutrition
About The Skinny Guinea
Hey...how you doin'? I'm Tommy, The Skinny Guinea…just a busy dad who loves to cook. Offering easy to cook dinners and family friendly recipes, while always staying true to my Italian roots!
Great tasty dish for everyone in the family