Health
Healthy Recipe: Lighter Taco Meat
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By Rachel F. Johnson
If you came to our house to eat dinner, you would be surprised by how much Joe and I eat. We have seconds every night, and some form of dessert too. So why are we able to eat such a large volume of food and still maintain a healthy weight? The difference is in the type of food we eat. Studies have shown time and time again that whole, unprocessed foods keep you feeling fuller longer because they are nutrient-dense foods. Nutrient-dense food means that they deliver more nutrients per calorie. To increase the nutrient density of ground beef, I decreased the sodium by only adding ½ packet of seasoning mix and increased the nutrients by adding mushrooms, which are high in B vitamins and minerals like potassium and calcium, while only adding about 30 calories to the dish! Another bonus: it increases the volume of the meat, this should make about about 6 servings instead of the usual 4!
1 tsp. oil or nonstick cooking spray
1 ½ cup mushrooms, finely chopped
½ white onion, finely chopped
1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
¼ cup water
½ package reduced sodium taco seasoning
In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp. oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray and allow to warm over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and allow to soften slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Place in 1 lb. lean ground meat and let cook as usual, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, pour in ¼ cup water and sprinkle ½ of a taco seasoning packet on top (you can do the whole thing if you would like, but I do half to keep the sodium level lower and it still tastes great!)
Joe and I enjoyed this over a large bowl of chopped lettuce, tomatoes and onion along with ¼ cup shredded fiesta cheese and homemade wonton chips (if you missed that recipe in the paper, it can be found on my recipe blog at www.racheleatsalot.wordpress.com) We then dressed the salads with nonfat greek yogurt, homemade salsa and avocado! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Also, I LOVED seeing all of you at the Farmer’s Market last Saturday! Joe and I are looking forward to being there again this weekend and we will be bringing even more goodies! Hope you can come out to the Central Square and enjoy another community event!
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