Tacos! Tacos! Tacos! Honestly, I don’t think I know anyone that doesn’t like tacos – adults, kids and Flawesome Foodies alike. And these healthier, unconventional tacos, are no exception! Stuffed to the brim with veggies that will fill you up – literally taking up space AND with nutritional goodness (think antioxidants, vitamins and fiber) – while at the same time, satisfying that savory taco flavor we all seek out, especially on Tuesdays. I can promise that your family is certain to be impressed and will think you spent hours preparing them, but in reality, these beauties are easy enough to whip up on a weeknight (and are even better for lunch the next day!).
I also include ground beef, but can just as easily be made with ground turkey or completely vegetarian! Feel free to add some more flavor with toppings – some of our house favs include avocado, salsa, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and jalapeños. Enjoy!🌮🌮🌮
Ingredients:
- 7 bell peppers, any color
- 1 1/2 lbs. (or so) ground beef (turkey works too)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3/4 cup grated cheese – pepper jack & cheddar mix
- 2 tbsp Alton Brown’s Taco Potion #19 (see recipe below)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat
- Add the meat to pan and season with salt and pepper and, 2 tbsp of taco seasoning mix (EASY recipe below – keeps you from ballooning up from all the sodium in those grocery store packets!)
- Break up the lumps with spoon as the meat is cooking. It is ready when it is starting to brown, ~ 8-10 minutes
- Place meat on paper-towel lined plate and dispose of the oil properly.
- While the meat is cooking, prepare your vegetables:
- Cut tops off 6 peppers. Remove and discard the stems, then chop the tops and set aside
- Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membrane as you can
- Place the peppers cut side up in a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers upright
- Take 7th pepper and chop the entire pepper, set aside with tops
- Dice the onion and the zucchini
- Wipe out the skillet and then heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat
- Add the onions and peppers and cook until begins to soften, ~3-4 minutes
- Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for another minute or two
- Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes
- Continue to cook until everything is heated through, then stir in the the chopped meat.
- Always taste! taste! taste! and adjust the seasoning as necessary. CF Tip: Nine times out of ten, we’re too light on the salt. Don’t be afraid to use it, as it will bring out the flavor in the meat and will help all the flavors meld together.
- Fill the peppers with the mixture and top each off with a sprinkle of cheese.
- Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the tops with a little bit of olive oil.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned
- Enjoy!
Alton Brown’s Taco Potion #19 🌮
This spice combo is so versatile! I recommend tripleing it or even quadrupling it for those nights when you just need some 💃🏻 on your chicken. Also a fantastic way to spice up your summertime grilling! 🌞 Simply mix all of the spices in a small resealable container. One batch fields ~1/4 cup 2 tbsp chili power.
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp corn starch (thickener)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 hot smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Be Healthy & Enjoy!
Coach Flawesome 👩🏻🍳❤️