Crunchy shell tacos are my FAVORITE! So when eating a lower carb diet it's really hard for me to live with a lousy taco salad on Taco Tuesdays. I look over at my husbands tortillas and cry a little inside....well, maybe it's not quite that dramatic but it is lame to be crunching on lettuce when what I really want is a shell, dang it!
So as I scoured the Internet searching for great lo-carb meals I found a free way to make those tasty tortilla bowls they keep advertising on infomercials! Let's face it, I am way to cheap to shell out $10 for a set of four legitimate tortilla bowl makers when I could use that money for something equally stupid that will bring me greater joy. So each time I see those things on the shelf at my local CVS, I turn away. But alas, I have found the solution! Insert amazing taco salad making music here.....
Here's what you need:
Lo-Carb Tortillias
Lean Ground Beef
1 Small Onion
1 Small Bell Pepper
1 Head of Lettuce
1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1/4 Cup Taco Seasoning
2 Tablespoons Salsa/Picante Sauce
Any other toppings you like in taco salad
First chop up anything you want to cook with the meat. I used a small onion and a small bell pepper. You could throw in tomatoes too if you want, just add in the calories/carbs. Then cook your ground beef and drain.
Then mix in 1/4 cup of taco seasoning.......(feel free to add more if you'd like, again, just add in the calories) and a couple of spoonfuls of water so it will mix up well.
Now for the fun part! Let's make a tortilla bowl. First, spray a tortilla with some non-stick spray. Then put it on a plate and heat it up for 15 seconds in the microwave.
Then take out an oven resistant bowl or mug that is kinda tall and drape the tortilla over it.
Pinch it in every few inches to create these creases. If you hold it for a second, they should stay.
Then put on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Take out and let cool about 5 - 10 minutes so it will firm up. It will still feel a little soft right out of the oven.
Then just add in your beef, toppings and enjoy! Hooray........Taco Tuesdays are saved!
The beef should make about 5 taco salads but my counts are based on one using the 1/4 cheese and 2 tablespoons Pace. Each one should be about 330 calories and 14 carbs......but you are getting a full taco bowl with lots of stuff in it! YuUUUUmmm! Viva la taco!
Happy Eating.
