Deliciously Healthy Beef Tacos (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Yes. It definitely takes more time to make a delicious, homemade meal, compared to drive through or delivery, But these Deliciously Healthy Beef Tacos are So Worth it.
Oh yeah. Did I say that tacos can be a really healthy meal too?
Absolutely!
A Little About Nutrients
Macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are The Fuel that your body needs to run well.
When you give your body recognizable Real food that’s loaded with real necessary nutrients, your body will thank you by working well, fighting dis-ease, and not telling you it’s hungry all the time.
Your digestive processes begin when your brain registers the sights and smells of what is sizzling in your skillet, blending in your blender, and getting chopped on your cutting board. When mealtime comes, your body is ready to receive potassium, zinc, Vitamins A, C, K, plus lots of Bs and more for easier absorption and digestion along with mental clarity, heart health, optimized hormone levels, and more.
We often add lots of raw or sauteed vegetables to the taco-building options around here. Served here regularly includes roasted or sauteed red peppers, roasted peppers like serrano and jalapeno, sauteed onions and garlic, freshly chopped purple cabbage with tomatoes and a variety of greens, sprouts and microgreens, freshly diced/sliced avocado, green onions. We’ve even added sauteed carrots slices for a yummy sweet/savory twang.
We like making our own salsas like our Red Salsa/Pico de Gallo or Tomatillo, but I’ve often found great options at the local farmers’ markets and stores and Lots of small businesses all over my great state of Texas.
But be sure to also consider fruits and vegetables for your side dishes and dessert. They can be so much faster and easier to prepare and really open the door wide to seasonal variety in your meals.
Tortillas
At some point, I’ll put up a post about tortillas, but as of this posting when buying gluten/grain free tortillas, we prefer Siete brand tortillas and Cassava tortillas in particular. They handle similarly and have a similar texture to your typical wheat flour tortilla and also only take 1-2 minutes to warm/brown to your liking. Siete brand has other types of tortillas (i.e., almond, chickpea, cashew, etc.) too. Check your local stores probably in the refrigerated gluten free section.
There are many other gluten/grain free tortilla options that you might prefer, so I do suggest you experiment and find your favorites. In fact, I’m currently trying out Unbun brand tortillas, which are more keto friendly. We’ll see.
Personally, I prefer homemade tortillas, and they’re not really that difficult if you have a good tortilla press. They are actually a lot cheaper homemade, but they are one more thing to do when you’re building meals.
If you’re interested, here are 2 homemade gluten free tortilla recipe posts you might find helpful:
- Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas – Healthy Quinoa Recipes (simplyquinoa.com)
- Cassava Flour Tortillas (Gluten-Free Tortillas) (downshiftology.com)
Don’t forget you don’t even need tortillas for your healthy beef tacos. Consider wrapping your taco fixings in a big leafy green like green tip lettuce or butter lettuce or building a taco bowl with all your fixings piled up in your bowl and maybe add some yummy rice or polenta.
About That Ground Beef
If I’ve bought ground beef in big packages, I usually try to transfer the meat, in meal size portions and preferably flat, to freezer containers to keep frozen until ready for use.
Ground beef can be easy to defrost and turned into a number of different meal choices, so I always try to keep a few pounds from a good source in the freezer and ready to grab.
Look for pasture-raised and finished organic beef whenever possible. I prefer getting beef from my favorite Texas sources, www.yonderwayfarm.com (ship/deliver in Texas only) and Three Sisters (order/pick-up in Houston area) and have also gotten some awesome deals on ground beef from Azure Standard. Of course, watch for good deals on clean, organic, grass-fed choices at the grocery store too, but don’t forget your local farmers and farmers’ market.
We love these homemade, easy and quick ground beef tacos that deliver a healthy meal with lots of topping options to eat the rainbow!
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut oil (Refined for no flavor)
- 1 Pound Ground Beef (Defrosted & preferably organic, grass-fed)
- 1/2 Cup Onion (Peeled, scar removed, diced)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (Skinned, scar removed, minced)
- 1/4 Tablespoon Cumin (Preferably organic & non-irradiated)
- Salt & Pepper (To taste)
- 1/2 Tablespoon Turmeric (Optional)
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Melt and distribute the oil in your skillet.
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Add ground beef to medium heat skillet and break apart while stirring to lightly brown all.
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Add the remaining ingredients when the meat is nearly done and stir in well (Adjust the seasoning amounts to your preferred taste as needed)
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Wrap in your favorite tortillas with your chosen toppings and enjoy!
- If you don't have fresh garlic, use 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder.
- If you'll be topping your tacos with minimal fresh raw and/or sauteed veggies, consider adding 1 Tablespoon of organic taco seasoning.
- Look for organic, grass/bug-fed meats and eggs whenever possible. Check out area farmers markets, farmers, and/or LocalHarvest for sources nearby.
- I recommend organic fruits and veggies whenever possible. If able, grow your own, but don't forget your local farmers market and other sources and/or check out LocalHarvest for sources near you.
- You might find the “The Clean 15” and “The Dirty Dozen” lists at Environmental Working Group EWG helpful when considering organic and conventional fruits and vegetables.
- You could substitute ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef if preferred.
Favorite Tools for My Healthy Beef Tacos
Here are some of my favorite tools for this recipe:
- Coconut Oil
- Tropical Traditions Expeller Pressed (this is my #1 choice)
- Nutiva Refined (this is my #2 choice) – one of many links, but check your local grocery
- Redmond Real Salt (Fine) – just one of many links on Amazon, but check your local grocery too
- Cumin (or Comino) – should be at your grocery store
- Cast Iron Skillet – one of many sizes available
- Cast Iron Tortilla Griddle – Mine is an oldie, but this is similar
- Cast Iron Tortilla Press – I have this Victoria 8 inch
Convenience and Conversation
Tacos have been a quick go-to meal most of my life Because there are so many opportunities to play around with ingredients. I can easily cook up a big batch of ground beef and freeze it flat when I have more time. Then on busy nights, I just defrost what I need, chop the rest from what I have in the refrigerator, and dinner is pretty much ready to go. Such a life saver after a tiring day.
And it’s even better when family joins me to divide the prep and enjoy conversation.
Have a great Taco Tuesday or Wednesday or whatever day of the week you like, and enjoy making your own deliciously healthy beef tacos!
