Recipe Remix

I don't know about you, but I tend to get stuck in a dinner rut.  About once a month I try to infuse some new recipes into our dinner rotation, but sadly I always find myself falling back to my good ol' standbys, especially when my husband is traveling for work.  After helping three kiddos with homework and shuttling them around to various activities every evening, the last thing I want to do is "negotiate" dinner.  Seriously, you know you have those nights when you feel like you're playing a poker game rather than eating a meal.  Your child asks, "How many more bites to I HAAAVE to take?", you in turn throw out a number, and the negotiations start until someone folds. Therefore I have 2 standbys that I know I can always go to that will ensure happy plates and faces all around.... tacos & pizza. 

Trying to incorporate wheat-free and healthier alternatives made me put on my thinking cap to give these two family favorites a much needed make-over.  I had a light bulb moment while strolling through the produce section of my favorite grocery store.  Portobello mushrooms would be my new pizza crust!  Why had I never thought of this before?!?!  It is absolutely my new favorite go to lunch and the kids love it too.  "Make your own pizza" nights have always been a huge hit in our house and cleaning a few mushrooms and snapping off the stems is much easier, healthier, and less elbow grease, than kneading pizza dough.  And bonus, dinner is ready in minutes with little to no prep work!

Portobello Pizzas

 

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Clean & remove the stem of the mushroom.  Place on a baking sheet, top with pizza or marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and favorite pizza toppings.  Bake for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

 

 

The taco make-over was a little more tricky.  I have been substituting turkey for our tacos for over a year and the kids have honestly never caught on.  However, getting rid of the tortilla or mound of chips my kids eat the meat on was a little more tricky.  I have found that with children, at least in my household, presentation is EVERYTHING, starting with what I call dinner.  For example if I say we are having turkey taco meat on avocado, I would immediately get resistance and groaning, but simply by eliminating the turkey reference, and calling the avocado a "boat", voila, they are instantly excited to try something new and think outside the "taco shell".  I came up with this little gem of an idea last week, and honestly I can't wait to have it again.

 

(ps.  To address the 2 questions that must be at the front of your mind... Yes, I do have other dishes, and no, I do not have a professional food stylist.  I know, you're shocked.  Lol!  These are my actual dinners that I have taken a picture of with my phone no less.  If they are blurry, it is because I was in a hurry so that I could dive in to my meal.  Remember, this is the beginning, and I'm keeping the "expectations" bar low.  Ha!) 



 

Taco "Boats"

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound ground white turkey

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder, or dried minced onion

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper (or for a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes)

1 tablespoon coconut flour

3/4 cup hot water

4-6 ripe avocados

 

Garnish: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, plain greek yogurt (tastes just like sour cream, but so much better for you!)

 

In a large skillet brown turkey meat until cooked through, stirring as needed.  While meat is cooking, combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, & flour in a small dish. When meat is browned and cooked through, drain off any grease and return pan to burner.  Add seasoning mixture to meat, and stir to evenly distribute.  Pour in hot water and continue cooking on medium heat (stirring occasionally) until sauce is thickened. (About 5 minutes) 

 

Slice avacados in half, remove seed, and fill with turkey taco meat.  Garnish as desired.