Healthy and Delicious Recipes:Tacos Edition

   I know I haven't posted any recipes in a while but I was in the mood for tacos the other day and as I searched for the best taco recipes, I decided to add my favorite recipes here so that you too could enjoy them.

1. Chicken Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa

Yield: 

4 servings (serving size: 1 tortilla, 1 chicken breast half, and 1/2 cup salsa)
Ingredients:

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced peeled mango
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
4 (8-inch) brown rice tortillas (or any tortilla of your preference)
Preparation

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Rub over chicken. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. 

4. Add Chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. 

5. Remove chicken from pan; let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

6. While chicken cooks, combine mango and next 6 ingredients; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. 

7. Warm tortillas; top evenly with chicken and salsa.

Nutritional Information

    (Amounts per serving)

• Calories 392
 
• Fat 9.3 g
 
• Satfat 1.2 g
 
• Monofat 4.2 g
 
• Polyfat 2.3 g
 
• Protein 42.4 g
 
• Carbohydrate 33.1 g
 
• Fiber 4.5 g
 
• Cholesterol 99 mg
 
• Iron 2.1 mg
 
• Sodium 711 mg
 
• Calcium 33 m

2. Carne Asada Tacos

Prep Time: 30 Minutes    
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Servings: 6


INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin,
cut into thin bite-size slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
crushed red pepper to taste
1 lime
1 (28 ounce) can tomatillos
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lemon
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place sliced meat into a shallow bowl, and season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Squeeze the lime juice over the meat, and turn until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine tomatillo and jalapeno. Puree for 15 to 20 seconds, or until thick. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Carefully pour in tomatillo mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in beef broth. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until mixture coats a spoon. Transfer mixture to a serving dish.
3. Heat tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Stir in 1/3 of the beef, and saute for 1 minute. Transfer to serving dish. Repeat with remaining beef. Meanwhile, heat tortillas in the oven or microwave, according to package instructions.
4. To serve, place two tortillas on top of each other. Add desired amount of meat, spoon over some tomatillo mixture. Top with onions, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro. Garnish with a wedge of lemon, to be squeezed over taco before eating.


3. Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing


Prep Time: 35 Minutes
Cook Time: 9 Minutes
Ready In: 6 Hours 44 Minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
Marinade

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons lime zest

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as

Old Bay™

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste

1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks

Dressing

1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream

1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle

peppers

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons lime zest

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such

as Old Bay™

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

1 (10 ounce) package tortillas

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 small head cabbage, cored and

shredded

2 limes, cut in wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.

2. To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.

3.Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat.

4. Remove fish from marinade, drain off any excess and discard marinade. Grill fish pieces until easily flaked with a fork, turning once, about 9 minutes.

5. Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro, and cabbage; drizzle with dressing. To serve, roll up tortillas around fillings, and garnish with lime wedges.

Cook's Note:

The marinated fish in this recipe can also be cooked in the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake fish in preheated oven until it easily flakes with a fork, 9 to 11 minutes. Assemble tacos according to directions. Mahi-mahi can be substituted for the tilapia.

4. MEXICAN BREAKFAST TACOS 

(This one is actually not that healthy but it's so delicious and full-filling that two will be more than enough to fill up a person)                                                                                         Prep time 15 mins     Cook time 15 mins     Total time 30 mins   Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
Pico de gallo
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• 2 tbsp lime juice (adjust to taste) (around 1 lime)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves
• ½ tsp salt
• Black pepper
Chorizo
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 7oz / 200g Mexican or raw Spanish chorizo, removed from casings (Note 1)
Mexican Scrambled Eggs ("Eggs")
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 birds eye chilies, deseeded and finely chopped (adjust to taste)
• 1 small onion (brown, yellow, white)
• 4 large eggs, lightly whisked (or 6 small eggs)
• 1 tbsp milk
• ¾ tsp salt
• Black pepper
To Serve
4 small tortillas, corn or flour (around 6" / 12 cm rounds)



Cotija or feta, crumbled
Avocado, diced
Cilantro/coriander leaves


Directions
1. Combine Pico de gallo ingredients EXCEPT THE SALT in a bowl and set aside while you prepare the rest of the breakfast.
2. Cook Chorizo: Heat olive oil in a non stick fry pan over high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up the pieces, until browned. Remove chorizo into a bowl. Drain excess fat but leave enough to cook the eggs.
3. Make the Eggs: Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, chilies and onion to the pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and starting to turn golden. Add the eggs and milk and stir slowly with a wooden spoon until the eggs start to set. Remove the pan from the stove while they are still a bit wet because they will keep cooking. Stir through salt and pepper - adjust to taste.
4. Warm tortillas in the microwave or oven, per packet instructions.
5. Add salt to pico de gallo and toss.
6. Assemble: Place some scrambled eggs in a tortilla then top with chorizo then pico de gallo. Garnish with cotija / feta, avocado and coriander/cilantro leaves.


NOTES
 1. Be sure to get raw Chorizo that are like sausages which can be removed from their casing and cooked, like you would with mince (ground meat). The more common Spanish Chorizo is cured and can be sliced and eaten as is, like salami / pepperoni.


2. Mexican Chorizo is the authentic option but we can't get that here in Australia (as far as I know), so I make this with spicy Spanish chorizo.


3. If you want to make this with cured chorizo (i.e. the one you get that you can eat without cooking), then dice it as finely as you can and cook for a shorter period of time, just to brown it.