Historian Jeffrey M. Pilcher, professor of history at the University of Minnesota, believes the taco originated in the Mexican silver mines around the 19th century. Today, the popularity is booming with last year’s Taco tally amounting to over 4.5 billion tacos! But are Taco’s really a healthy food option? Well, I suppose it is all about how you are preparing them! With the opportunity to add loads of fresh whole food ingredients and yummy herbs & spices these good eats are in fact a great healthy and nutritious option. Of course, if you smother them with copious amounts of cheese and sour cream they depreciate in health value pretty quickly. Every Taco Tuesday I see tons of beautifully arranged tacos via Instagram that instantly make me salivate. Then it’s off to the market for me! Tacos are an affordable easy option for small and large families alike and can suit many different taste buds. Get creative and mix it up! New to tacos no problem, below is one of my favorite tacos to make.
Taco Tuesday Mania Tacos
Ingredients
Chicken
Shrimp
Taco Seasoning
Arugula
Tomato
Avocado
Sweet Onion (save one-two tablespoons raw for garnish)
Garlic
Olive Oil
Chipotle peppers
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Parsley
Lime
Small Stone Ground Corn Tortillas (soft)
Queso Fresco (optional) (like mozzarella)
Sour Cream (optional)
Ingredient amount depends on the serving size, adjust accordingly.
Prep
Dice onions, garlic, avocado, tomato, chipotle peppers, chicken, and shrimp. Zest the lime and then cut it into small wedges. Bruise and chop the cilantro and parsley.
Directions
Sauté the onion & garlic until lightly caramelized and toasted. Next add the chicken, shrimp, & taco seasoning and cook over medium heat until everything is fully cooked. Warm the corn tortillas in a separate pan on the stove top or in the oven. Assemble the tacos by topping a soft shell with the sautéed ingredients, a small sprinkle of cheese, tomato, avocado, raw chopped onion, arugula, 1/2 teaspoon of sour cream, and a sprinkle of the fresh-cut herbs, zest of lime. Leave the wedge of lime on the side of the dish for diners to squeeze onto the tacos themselves.
Pro tip: Use a skewer to display your taco mania like a pro! Simply stick the skewer through the assembled taco and…..Voila! Congratulations on those tantalizing mouth-watering tacos you have just created! Enjoy!
Love tacos and want to share your favorite recipe? Leave it in the comments below!
