We like to have a taco night at least once a month. Not only are these tacos delicious, but they are also a million times healthier for you than traditional restaurant tacos, which are usually full of lard, MSG, any number of common allergens, and an excess of sodium. These are made with only 1 tablespoon of heart-healthy olive oil and my allergy-free homemade taco seasoning you’ll feel practically virtuous serving this fast food. Using beef will make for a more crumbly taco filling, which my kids prefer; bison or buffalo meat is very lean and super high protein; and my husband and I like ours best with dark meat turkey. Pick your protein to suit your family’s palate. Use your Vidalia Chop Wizard with the finer grid to mince the onion and bell pepper in less than a minute.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 cup minced green bell pepper
- 1 pound ground dark meat turkey, beef, or bison or buffalo
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 0.66 cup water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 8 corn taco shells or 6-inch soft corn tortillas
- Guacamole (optional)
- Shredded Daiya vegan cheddar (optional)
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced onions
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro (optional)
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and turkey and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 minutes more, until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add the red wine vinegar and stir a couple of times. Add the tomato paste, water, and honey. Bring to a simmer, and then cook over low heat, loosely covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes more. In the last few minutes of cooking time, warm the taco shells.
- Place the taco filling in a bowl, surrounded by bowls with guacamole, vegan cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced onion, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro, and have each diner prepare his or her own tacos.