Taco Tuesday, Healthy Hacks

You had me at taco! 🌮

Do you ever feel like in order to stick to your healthy eating plan, you have to give up the taco? No way sister! You can have your taco and eat it too!

Step 1:

The Shell

Everyone has an opinion about the right kind of shell. The healthiest option would be a lettuce wrap. And while that is good for you, it still smacks of "health food" and we want our tacos to still be "fun food". So I opted for a corn tortilla over a flour tortilla. Wheat can cause inflammation in the body. Corn isn't great in large quantities, but a little shell once a week isn't going to bother the average person.

The Meat:

The go-to at our house has always been ground beef. Even though we get our meat from a local farmer and the cows are raised and butchered clean, processing animal products does take a toll on the body. So, a plant-based substitute is a real winner. Plus you get to add it into the 7-13 servings of fruits and veggies we are supposed to be getting everyday! I am so in love with this cauliflower mushroom recipe! Leave me a comment when you try it! Cauliflower Mushroom Taco "meat

" Ingredients: 1 small head of cauliflower

(or bag of riced cauliflower)

4 oz. mushrooms

2 Tbsp. tamari or Braggs liquid aminos

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. salt

Corn tortillas or large lettuce leaves

(bibb, romaine, or collard greens work well)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until they're a rice-like consistency and add to a large bowl.

3. Cut cauliflower into florets and process in the food processor until rice-like consistency. Add to the bowl of mushrooms. (Or just add the prepared riced cauliflower from the package into the mushroom bowl).

4. Add seasonings and stir well to combine.

5. Place cauliflower mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 30 minutes. Stir lightly and bake for another 10 minutes.

6. Build your own taco and top with your favorite toppings. Makes approximately 4 servings.

The Cheese:

Having lived in Wisconsin,

I am a firm believer that everything is better with cheese. Except my gut. I have found out the hard way that my belly likes cheese entirely too much (or too little that it is trying to store it). So anytime I can substitute for cheese and not miss it, I call that a WIN! Enter: nutritional yeast. I didn't believe it myself, but this really does work in most recipes that call for shredded cheese. Just don't believe your eyes and trust your taste buds!

The Sour Cream:

There is reason Taco Bell calls this a premium topping! It's delicious! But again, not great for my waist line. This dairy free sour cream is a game-changer and so simple to make with only 3 ingredients: 5 oz plain plant yogurt (try coconut or almond)

1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice or bottled 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt Stir well and use immediately. (I have stored in the fridge for a couple days with no problem.)

Add your favorite taco toppings like: avocado, salsa, guacamole, jalapeños, lettuce and you've got a scrupmtious taco with absolutely no guilt!