Thursday Night Tacos

Everyone loves tacos; right?  So how about a healthy take on tacos that is so much more delicious than the typical ground beef and packaged seasoning mixture we've all made in a pinch.  My tacos are packed with spice, heat and loads of kale for texture and flavor that's extraordinary.

For my tacos you'll need:

1 lb. Ground Turkey
3 Tbl. Olive Oil
2 Onions Diced
3 Cloves Garlic Minced
15 oz. Tomato Puree
3 Tsp. Worcestershire
2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
2 Tsp. Ground Coriander
2 Tbl.  Garlic Chili Sauce
1 Tsp. Cayenne
1 Tbl.  Salt
4 C. Cut and Cleaned Kale

Saute onions in olive oil, salt and worcestershire sauce until almost caramelized.  Add garlic and saute for 3 minutes.  Turn in turkey and cook thoroughly.  Add spices and chili sauce.  Cook for a few minutes for spices to release their flavor.   Add tomatoes and stir to combine.  Kale is added last and continue to turn gently until fully incorporated.  Kale will need about five minutes to soften.    Now you're ready to assemble. 

But first a little appetizer... one of the easiest treats that makes people go ga ga and I mean lip smacking oh my god these are so good are crispy tortilla chips.   Buy white corn tortillas and quarter.  Fill a saucepan with a quarter inch of vegetable oil.   Heat until a drop of water sizzles in the pan.  Add a single layer of the tortilla chips.  They will take about 30 seconds to crisp on one side.  Flip.  When they are golden remove from the pan and let rest on a paper towel covered plate.  Sprinkle generously with salt immediately.  This is key!   Serve with some easy fresh guacamole that I prepare by first cutting the avocadoes into large chunks and toss into a bowl.  Add salt and a minced garlic clove for a single avocado.  Mash with the back of a fork.  Squeeze in fresh lemon juice to taste.   And that's it.  Many variations depending on how you like your guacamole but I prefer to keep it simple and all about the avocadoes.  

While you and your guests are munching on chips and dip heat the corn tortillas over an open flame on both sides until browned.   Sprinkle with a generous amount of grated cheddar cheese.  Place under a broiler until melted.   Spoon turkey mixture over.   I cut up fresh tomatoes and tossed with lettuce, lemon juice and salt.  I added this last and presented my tacos open faced with a side of black beans.   And yes, I use canned black beans because they are easy and even easier to doctor up:  I add a whole chipotle pepper (mashed) to the beans, some salt and cheddar cheese.  Heat and they are smokin' good. 

Apologies for the extra bits on the plate but we weren't dining formally last night and I wasn't even sure I was going to blog about this new recipe until we all took our first bite and said, "wow, these are divine."  And they were.  So with a little preparation in the pantry (spices on hand) and a few key ingredients you wouldn't normally think of with tacos (kale and ground turkey) you'll have a new spin on an old favorite. My Mexican Granny would be proud. 

Adios amigos!

Lisa