Taco Tuesday: A Healthier Way to Do Mexican
Taco, Pasta, Healthy Food for Kids
Tacos are delicious, but ever so messy. It’s so hard for little hands to wrap around the shell. While it may be quite the scene watching a child trying to eat a taco, they always end up with an empty shell and the contents all over the floor and table. For the benefit of taco-loving toddlers across the nation, I have invented a new way to eat “tacos” that my charges love, and it’s healthier than you may think, to boot. For this recipe, you ditch the shell and get your carbs in the form of pasta instead. Who knew tacos could take a cue from Italian cuisine?
What You Need
- A box of whole grain noodles (my charges like bowties or cellantani)
- One pound of ground turkey
- A 12-ounce bag of low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- Taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Let’s Get Cooking!
- Cook the box of noodles as you normally would and brown the ground turkey.
- Mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, sea salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Drain the meat and stir in the seasoning.
- Drain the noodles and combine with the seasoned meat and bag of shredded cheddar.
- Add sour cream, diced tomatoes, or salsa to each serving for a little extra flavor.
This will leave plenty for leftovers and it is just as appetizing reheated. Now your charges can enjoy taco Tuesday without the shell or the mess!