Tacos: Building a Better Classic

Jump To a Version

We believe that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods. In this chapter, we’ll show you how we transformed our classic taco night—one small, sustainable step at a time. Each version introduces a simple upgrade you can try, at your own pace. Whether you’re just starting out or ready for a bigger change, there’s a version for you.

Version 1 – The Familiar Starting Point

To give you a frame of reference, our usual Taco Night was some variety of hard taco, burrito, nacho or bowl made up of beef taco meat, canned refried beans, shredded cheese and sometimes rice and a sriracha lime crema. We usually had chips and salsa on the side as well. For simplicity sake, the recipe versions will be focused on the primary protein source, Taco Meat!

What to Pay Attention To

• How much you serve yourself
• How full you feel afterward
• How long that fullness lasts
• How many extras it takes to turn the taco meat into a full meal

Version 2 – Leaner Protein & DIY Seasoning

This version focuses on creating your own taco seasoning and reducing calories and fat by using leaner meat. For us, this was important to reduce our processed food intake by just a little and work toward a lower fat meal for Amy’s gastrointestinal health

Simple Taco Seasoning (Pantry Size)

This is the taco seasoning you will use from this point forward, so it is designed to be mixed in a larger quantity for future use, and to use as much or as little as you want. Scale up or down as you would like using a base recipe of 2 parts Chili & Garlic Powder to 1 Part Cumin (example below).

• 4 tablespoon chili powder
• 4 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon ground cumin

**Note that this recipe does not include salt and is mild. We would not recommend adding salt to the base recipe and instead add it as needed while cooking. If you prefer a spicier taco seasoning, feel free to add cayenne pepper or chipotle powder, either while cooking or to your base seasoning.

Version 3 – Blended Proteins

This version focuses on adjusting your brain and taste buds to leaner meats using the familiar flavor of beef and adding ground poultry of some variety. It also is the natural beginning of batch cooking this meal to save you time and effort in the future. For us, this helped us stay on track when life got busy, by having an easy, flexible meal always on hand.

From here forward, added ingredients increase servings and satiety, not portion size.

Version 4 – Vegetable Integration (Flavor First)

What This Looks Like

• Vegetables cooked directly into the base, not added on top

Add

• Bell peppers
• Onion
• Poblano pepper

How to Cook

1. Heat the skillet over medium heat
2. Add a small amount of oil
3. Add vegetables first and sauté

Texture Control

• Cook longer for softer vegetables
• Cook briefly for more crunch

4. Add the meat directly to the vegetables
5. Cook everything together

Why This Matters

Fiber and volume increase without changing how the dish eats

Sautéing vegetables first builds flavor

Cooking meat with the vegetables helps everything integrate

Start by adding in what you can at first, chopped or sliced. The idea here is to start adding more filling, less calories and fiber into the meal. Work up to what you are comfortable with and pause there for awhile. Again these don’t happen over-night or from meal to meal.

Version 5 – Carbohydrate Progression (Rice → Lentils)

This step is about transition, not replacement.

What This Looks Like

• Starting with rice
• Slowly replacing rice with lentils as comfort increases

How We Actually Did This

1. Start with rice only
   • Cook rice the way you normally would
   • Season it with the same taco seasoning used for the meat
2. When you’re comfortable, begin replacing rice with lentils
   • Remove ¼ of the rice
   • Replace it with ¼ lentils
3. Once rice and lentils are mixed, cook them together
   • Rinse both
   • Add to the same pot
   • Use rice package water ratios
   • Add taco seasoning directly to the cooking liquid

Over time, continue increasing the lentil portion if desired

Why This Matters

Satiety improves noticeably at this stage

Lentils add fiber and plant protein

Gradual replacement avoids texture shock

Seasoning during cooking improves flavor absorption

Version 6 — Fiber Without Extra Cooking

What This Looks Like

• Beans and corn folded in at the end

Add (Required)

• Black beans
• Corn

How to Add

• Drain and rinse beans
• Fold beans and corn into the finished mixture
• Let them warm through without additional cooking

Why This Matters

• Significant fiber increase
• More volume with minimal effort
• No additional pans or cooking time

Version 7 — Satiety & Sauce Optimization

What This Looks Like

• A high-satiety starch
• A protein-forward sauce

Potato Integration

(For the 2-lb meat batch)

• 1 russet potato, cubed (½–1 inch)

How to Cook

1. Boil potato cubes until just al dente
2. Drain well
3. Lightly spray with oil
4. Toss with taco seasoning
5. Roast at 425°F for ~30 minutes
6. Fold into the mixture

Potatoes have an excellent calorie-to-satiety ratio, increasing fullness without excessive calories.

Sauce Upgrade (Required)

• Replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt

This keeps the texture while adding protein and improving satiety.

Optional: Sriracha Lime Crema

• Greek yogurt
• Sriracha (to taste)
• Lime juice
• Water to thin

At This Point, Something Changes

Without intentionally setting out to “meal prep,” you now have:

• A large, complete batch
• High protein
• High fiber
• Flexible use

When we make this at home using:

• 1 lb lean beef
• 1 lb chicken or turkey

We consistently get ~14 servings.

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Real-World Nutrition (Approximate, Per Serving)*Just the base meal (no toppings)*

• ~247 calories
• ~20.8 g protein
• ~5.2 g fiber
• ~8.4g fat
• ~22.5g carbs

**This is assuming 13 servings at 3/4 cup each & ONLY including the base meal NOT chips/tortillas/toppings**

These are outcomes, not targets.

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How We Use It

• Tacos or burritos
• Nachos
• Tostadas
• Taco salads

Preferred Salad

• Butter lettuce
• Taco mixture
• Greek-yogurt-based sriracha lime crema
• Cottage cheese mixed into the dressing for extra protein

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Final Principle

This chapter is not about tacos.

It is about learning that:

• You do not need less food
• You need better-constructed food
• Small changes compound faster than willpower

Same Flavors, Different Plate

Once you have the taco seasoning, sautéed vegetables, and sauce, you can branch out beyond tacos without learning new recipes. You’re using the same building blocks—just plating them differently.

This turns “taco night” into a sit-down Mexican-style meal by changing one ingredient and choosing not to mix everything together.

Option A: Taco-Seasoned Chicken Plate

What it looks like

• Taco-seasoned chicken (breast, thighs, or a mix)
• Peppers/onions/poblano cooked in the pan
• Beans + corn (folded in or served alongside)
• Potatoes + rice/lentils as sides
• Greek yogurt or Sriracha Lime Crema on top

How to cook it

1. Cut chicken into strips or bite-size pieces.
2. Toss with taco seasoning until evenly coated.
3. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through.
   • If the pan gets dry, add a small splash of water so the seasoning doesn’t scorch.
4. Serve with your sides and drizzle with crema (or plain Greek yogurt).

Option B: Taco-Seasoned Steak Plate (Sale-Friendly)

This works the same way with steak—especially when you can find a leaner cut on sale.

Good options when you see them

• Sirloin
• Top round / London broil
• Flank steak (trim if needed)
• Any “extra lean” cut that’s discounted

How to cook it

1. Slice steak into thin strips (against the grain if possible).
2. Toss with taco seasoning.
3. Sear in a hot skillet in a single layer (work in batches if needed).
4. Add sautéed peppers/onions to the plate and top with crema or Greek yogurt.

You get a totally different meal experience while staying inside the same system

Overnight Fajita Prep (Chicken or Steak)

This is the “make tomorrow easier” version.

What to do

1. Slice your meat (chicken or steak) into strips.
2. Slice peppers/onions/poblano.
3. Add everything to a large zip-top bag.
4. Add taco seasoning, then add a small splash of water (just enough to help the seasoning coat everything).
5. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

Next day

• Dump it into a hot skillet and cook until the meat is done and the vegetables are tender.
• Serve as fajitas, bowls, or plates. Add crema on top.

Why the water works
It helps distribute the seasoning evenly without needing extra oil or a complicated marinade.