For Taco Tuesdays, Friday Fiestas, Salsa Saturdays, etc.
Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning goes heavy on the chili powder! Photo: Jani H. Leuschel
You don't have to eat tacos on Tuesdays. Enjoy them any or every night of the week with this simple homemade taco seasoning blend that takes about five minutes to DIY.
It's particularly tasty on chicken, and my latest blog post gives you a couple of low-effort and low-fat ways to fix shredded chicken taco meat.
But you can sprinkle this blend of chili powder, cumin, and palate-sparking spices onto other favorite taco fillers. Ground beef, tofu crumbles, and roasted veggies become savory and Southwestern.
You could also use it for a pot of chili.
Healthier Tacos?
Here are three good reasons to take five minutes to make your own seasoning at home, although buying a packet is convenient and often cheap.
No salt, preservatives, or additives
Quality spices
Customization
Why is salt (sodium) in those packets? Don't we usually add salt to food when cooking anyway?
Going over the adult daily limit for salt (2,300 mg) is so easy, and food manufacturers add sodium to dazzle your tastebuds.
You'll also find sneaky additives like maltodextrin, which helps preserve the spice mix and replaces sugar. It can raise blood sugar and negatively affect gut bacteria. That said, the amount in a packet is not much.
When making taco seasoning at home, you have control over the quality of the spices and the final flavor profile of your house taco blend.
Want a fiery blend with ancho or guajillo chile powder? Or do you enjoy a slightly smoky flavor with chipotle chile powder and smoked paprika? You can keep it mild using regular chili powder. (Omit the cayenne pepper.)
Of course, this recipe is handy if you can't find a spice packet in the pantry and you're craving tacos!
It makes enough for at least a pound of taco filling. I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe so you'll always have seasoning on hand for taco time.
Safe and Healthy Taco Spices
My last newsletter contained information about the ongoing cinnamon recall. A large number of cinnamon products on the market are contaminated with lead.
This is concerning if you use this warm and delicious spice every day. The amount can add up if you put it in oatmeal, dessert, yogurt, etc.
(I recommend continuing to use cinnamon because it does have many health benefits. But, seek out "Ceylon" cinnamon.)
Fortunately, they found that spices used for tacos were less likely to have high levels of lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Whew!
So, please continue to use herbs and spices in your food for taste and health. But do be careful, especially with dried leafy spices.
CR suggests growing and drying some spices, particularly basil, oregano, and thyme. Almost all of these contained some heavy metals. These are some of my favorites....๐ข
Please take all this with a grain of salt! Small amounts of spices are usually used in cooking. However, you can read the CR article, especially if you have children at home.
As the kids are back in school and the summer is well into its dog days, you may want to cook a batch or two of taco filling for the freezer.
Hard-shell homemade chicken tacos with lime and cilantro. Photo credit: Jani Leuschel
If you've got tortillas or taco shells, it could turn one of those hectic weeknights into a mini-fiesta. No wrappers? No worries, taco salad is a popular alternative, but you will need chips (and salsa)!
Kind and healthy regards, โ Jani ๐ฎ๐ถ๏ธ๐ฅ
I help more than 200 people learn to make easy, delicious foods that support strong bones and muscles, as well as overall health. From breakfast to dessert, you'll find recipes and ideas for tasty, nutritious meals and snacks.
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