7 Taco Recipes Under 310 Calories

Steak Tacos with Red Peppers and Onions

Steak lovers are in for a treat with these hearty tacos made with seasoned beef, sautéed peppers and onions, and fresh cilantro. Get the recipe.

Shrimp Tacos

These mildly spicy shrimp tacos get flavor from cumin and chili powder and are topped with lots of fresh veggies. Get the recipe.

Chicken Tacos

Even though these simple chicken tacos taste like delicious comfort food, they have only 248 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving. It’s OK to add shredded lettuce or cabbage and salsa! Get the recipe.

Crunchy Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

These are a real crowd-pleaser. Sweet pineapple and crunchy radishes go perfectly with tender, slow-cooked pork loin in these mouthwatering tacos. Impress your family with these gourmet tacos that are surprisingly easy to make. Get the recipe.

Chipotle Vegan Tacos

Keep it fresh with these chipotle-spiced tacos wrapped in cabbage leaves instead of tortillas. They are low in carbs, and with only 166 calories per serving, they’ll keep you feeling light. Get the recipe.

Mexi-Cal Tacos

These versatile tacos are made with tofu, but feel free to swap in your favorite protein. They feature a lime and cilantro sauce and fresh salsa that can be as spicy or mild as you like. Get the recipe.

Black Bean and Veggie Tostadas

Top a baked whole wheat tostada with black beans and other veggies to get a filling, fiber-packed meal! Substitute pinto or kidney beans if you prefer them. Get the recipe.

Author: Kirsten Morningstar

Getting Fancy with the Garden Goods aka Ratatouille Recipe

Want to impress with your garden bounty - this is sure to do the trick. I love the movie Ratatouille© and this recipe in in honor of that. If your garden has been blessed you have zucchini in abundance about now and are starting to run out of recipes for it.  (Seriously how many have you given away to co-workers?!)  Here is one that can use not only your zucchini but your other ingredients as well.

For tomato/baking sauce:

• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large bell peppers, any color, diced small (I like different colors.)
• 12 oz tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced finely with juice reserved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-3 sprigs of fresh thyme and parsley
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon each
• Splash of red wine (optional)
• 
  

For the vegetables:

• 1 medium eggplant
• 2 medium yellow squash
• 2 medium zucchini
• 4 red onions
• 6 Roma (plum) tomatoes
• pinch sea salt, to taste
• 
  

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil, or light olive oil
• 1 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• chopped fresh herbs (I use parsley and dill OR parsley and basil)
• pinch of sea salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a small jar, combine all of your vinaigrette ingredients. Shake really well until all the ingredients are well incorporated; set aside.
2. Slice bell peppers in half. Remove guts. Place face down on a foil lined tray and roast bell pepper at 450 F until skin loosens. About 15 min.
3. Once cool peel off skins and dice - set aside
4. Wash eggplant, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt. Allow to thoroughly dry.
5. Using a sharp chef's knife, carefully slice. Try to cut as thinly and evenly as you can. Slice your onion into thin rings. Alternatively, you can use a mandolin. (I prefer this)
6. Very lightly, sprinkle your veggies with some sea salt.
7. To make the tomato/baking sauce, heat your oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in diced onion and garlic, sauté until caramelized and slightly brown. 
8. Add a splash or a good red wine and stir (optional)
9. Add crushed tomatoes, sprig of thyme and parsley and bay leaf. Stir. Let this simmer until it has rendered some of the liquid off. 
10. Add diced bell peppers, stir.
11. Season with a pinch of sea salt and pepper. 
12. Cover and cook on low heat until the liquid is cooked off and sauce is thickened, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once your sauce has thickened a bit, discard the bay leaf.  pulse it on a food procesor until it is a lumpy sauce. Set aside
13. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
14. Start assembling your ratatouille; pour your tomato/baking sauce into an 8x10 rectangle oven-safe baking dish and smoothly cover the bottom of the dish in your prepared sauce, using a spatula.
15. Next place your sliced veggies in an alternating pattern, eggplant followed by yellow squash, zucchini, onions, and tomatoes vertically on top of the sauce. So think stacks of coins on the table waiting to be used. It makes it easier to work with later.
16. Arrange your veggies in a pattern, or any design you want in your pan. This is the fun part.
17. mix a little fresh garlic, olive oil, pinch of salt and thyme/parsley. drizzle over veggies
18. Loosely cover the dish with parchment paper or foil and bake at 300 degrees F. for about 2 hours.
19. Once finished baking, remove the paper/foil from the dish and switch to the broiler. Broil until the top is nicely golden brown.
20. Prior to serving drizzle evenly with your vinaigrette.
21. Enjoy!

One Pan Meat & Vegetable Skillet

If you have an abundance of zucchini this is a great recipe for you. 

One Pan + 20 minutes = Dinner Done 

I’m still often amazed how just a few simple fresh ingredients can turn into a satisfying and delicious meal in minutes.

This skillet meal takes about 20 minutes, and all of the ingredients are very interchangeable and customizable to your preferences (use what you have on hand, it’ll turn out great!)

Every evening comes the dreaded question from my kids and spouse, “What's for dinner?” Uh... hmmm well lets see. I love meal prepping but I am a realist. I have little kids and I don't always make/have time to do that. This can be a quick solution.  On nights like that I just want to throw everything in a big skillet and call it good. No mess, one pan, and done.

If you want to do this for Meal-Prepping:

Divide your mixture equally into 4 separate air-tight containers. You could add 1/2 cup cooked quinoa to each serving, it makes a great alternative to rice.  Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsps avocado oil or olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 1 lb lean ground turkey, chicken, or beef (literally about any meat works)
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tsps dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 x 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes or fresh diced if you prefer 
• 1/2 cup Colby jack or cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• cilantro & limes wedges as garnish

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add in your onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
2. Stir in the ground turkey and cook, mincing the meat with a wooden spoon. Once the meat is nicely golden brown, set cooked meat aside on a plate.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil on medium-high heat. Add the zucchini along with the broccoli florets and cook until tender-crisp, for 4 minutes.
4. Return your cooked ground meat back into the skillet then stir in the tomatoes, seasonings, and half of the shredded cheese. Reduce heat to a medium, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly reduced.
5. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese, and allow it to melt for a few minutes more. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
6. Enjoy!

Canning Homemade Spaghetti Meat Sauce

Have you ever read the back of a jar and wondered "what the heck is that ingredient?" yup me too. Its one of the reasons I started canning food. I wanted to know what my family was actually putting into their bodies. If you have ever read my blog you know I like to garden and grow my own food. What better way to use that food than to make spaghetti sauce?!

You will need the following:

A large stock pot or a large roasting pan.

A large pot to blanch fresh tomatoes

6-8 Quart sized canning jars, lids, rims

Pressure Canner

Canning Lifter

Canning Jar Funnel

Debubbler

White Vinegar

Meat:

1-2 lbs of ground meat 

(I like to use 1lb lean ground beef and 1 lb ground chorizo)

Veggies:

15 - 20 Tomatoes depending on size - blanched and peeled - 

I find that paste tomatoes work best here such as Roma, Amish Paste, and so on but you can use other kinds too and I often do.

   (you can also use canned tomatoes too if you don't have fresh)

2-3 Onions chopped (I use red, white and yellow - your choice)

1-2 Roasted Bell Peppers - peeled and chopped

2-3 carrots shaved and diced.

Seasonings:

5 Garlic cloves minced

1 Tbsp each:

Basil, 

Italian Seasoning, 

Fennell

Red Pepper flakes (I do 1/2 Tbsp)

Salt/Pepper

1/2 cup sugar (if you like it in your sauce)

and any other seasoning you like 

Brown your meat first and then drain off any excess fat and return to pan.

Add chopped onions & carrots and saute on medium heat until onions are translucent 

Next add diced bell peppers and 

Rough chop tomatoes and add to pot

Let it simmer for a bit (10-15 min)

Add seasonings and give it all a stir

I usually let it simmer on low for 30 min and then give it a taste and that is how I determine how much sugar to add. (it is usually the full 1/2 cup if not more)

I will then let it simmer on LOW for most of the day stirring occasionally. The extra liquid cooks off and the flavor is lovely.

When you are satisfied that it is ready for canning, set up your clean jars, lids and rims.

Fill jars leaving 1 inch head space.

De-bubble 

wipe rims with a clean cloth or napkin dipped in vinegar (This gets any splash or oils from rim and helps ensure proper seal)

add lids and rims to finger tight

Place into your pressure canner

Because this recipe contains meat we do need to use a pressure canner.  Follow the instructions for your specific canner model and your altitude.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Spaghetti Sauce With Meat in a dial-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints	60 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb
	Quarts	70	11	12	13	14

Table 2. Recommended process time for Spaghetti Sauce With Meat in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints	60 min	10 lb	15 lb
	Quarts	70	10	15

If you prefer to omit the meat in your sauce use the table below to adjust your times.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat in a dial-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints	20 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb
	Quarts	25	11	12	13	14

Table 2. Recommended process time for Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints	20 min	10 lb	15 lb
	Quarts	25	10	15

Once you have completed the pressure canning, you just need to wait until the pressure indicator on your canner lets you know that it is ok to open the canner.

CAUTION: 

NEVER EVER open your canner before the safety indicator is down, EVER. It is extremely dangerous to do so. 

As I was saying, once it is safe to open your canner, use your jar grabbers to pull them out and set on a towel on your counter to finish cooling. Let cool in a NON-drafty area for 24 hours. Do not adjust rims. After 24 hours check that each jar is sealed and remove rims.

I usually will do 12-16 Quarts a year. My family usually has spaghetti or some pasta dish at least once a month if not more so this is really nice to have on hand. 

Sooo Many Green Beans...

So you grew green beans (well done) and now you have too many... What to do? Well of course you can can them but if you are looking to enjoy them fresh here is a great recipe to do just that.

Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
• 1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into pieces (you decide size)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger or you can use fresh (I prefer fresh minced)
• 2-3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 16 oz fresh green beans, cut into halves
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce 
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a small bowl sprinkle chicken with cayenne pepper, ginger, garlic, oregano, a pinch of sea salt and pepper. 
2. Mix well (I use my hands)
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. 
4. Stir fry chicken for about 5-7 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
5. Add in green beans, soy sauce and cook stirring frequently for another 3-5 minutes, or until softened just a bit.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Variations:

• Add toasted almonds and top before serving
• Use coconut oil
• Add fresh mushrooms with the green beans
• Serve with pasta or rice
• Try swapping the beans for broccoli or asparagus
• Use 1 tsp of cornstarch to thicken sauce