Real Tacos

Taco Bell has been in the news of late concerning their meat or the fact that it is not really beef and mostly additives. I’m a bit surprised it took this long before someone noticed.

Several years a go I realized that what they were selling was more filler than cow but no one else seemed to mind and the commercials kept playing and the crowds kept buying so I figured either most are suckers to advertising or they found something tasty within the crust that I did not.

Between the three popular places, and I’m basing this on what we have available here in Oklahoma, Taco Bell, Taco Mayo and Taco Bueno there isn’t a whole lot of difference. Frankly, I think they just singled out Taco Bell; they are all just as guilty. Taco Bell is the top dog and most expensive so that could be why.

Taco Mayo is the one I frequent the most if I am out and don’t have time to make my own, but even they aren’t all real hamburger meat. I live in beef country, you can’t throw a stick without hitting a cow around these parts. We know what real beef tastes like and you can’t fool us very easily.

Not only are most drive through tacos full of extra God knows what, they also don’t drain the meat after they cook it and you end up with a puddle of grease. You also get less meat by product these days and more shredded ice burg lettuce, which has no nutritional value what so ever and is hard to digest. All in all saving a few minutes is not worth it.

Don’t you love the advertisements and commercials where they show the taco shell heaped up with meat. The pictures always have more beef than lettuce but when you go there you have to dig through the pale greenery and fat to find any trace of meat. I feel like the little old lady in the vintage Wendy’s commercials, “Where’s the beef?”

Here’s a better alternative:

You will need, a package of flour tortillas, precooked hamburger meat(check out my link above), taco seasoning, baby spinach and grated cheese.

All you have to do is put a little hamburger meat on a flour tortilla. The beauty of this is you can put the amount of meat you want and the grease has been drained so you know it’s better for you. Sprinkle a little taco seasoning on the meat, it doesn’t take much but if you like spicy food you can add more.

Cover and zap the tortilla and meat in the microwave for thirty seconds (more or less, all microwaves are different so take this into consideration). You can make as many as you want and cook them all at the same time.

If you have grated your cheese before hand or buy the kind that is already prepared this will be quick too. Also you can use whatever kind you want. White cheese has less fat than yellow. I like Colby Jack, which is a combination of Colby (yellow cheese) and Monterey Jack (white cheese). It’s an interracial bundle of dairy. ;o)

If you are lactose intolerant or don’t like cheese you don’t even have to put it on. The dairy producers aren’t standing by with pitchforks.

Instead of ice burg lettuce, which shouldn’t even be considered food in my opinion, buy baby spinach. It actually has vitamins, more taste and is easier on your digestive system. Leaf lettuce works too but spinach is healthier and you don’t have to shred it.

You can put whatever you want in your taco. If you have time you can cut up tomato or onion and add to your meal. Some like jalapeno or black olives. Beans can be put in place of meat if you are a vegetarian or in addition if you want a heartier taco. It’s your recipe and you can do whatever you desire.

I’ve also opened a can of chicken breast, drained the water and used instead of beef.

Now you have a quick meal that is much better for you and at least you know exactly what is in it, unless you want to get in a debate with a vegetarian about the beef but we won’t go there.