Tacos Buenas Locos!!

That means "Crazy Good Tacos!!" Haha
I took a break for a couple of days, cus I was feeling lazy and didnt want to cook. Plus, we had a ton of leftovers! So we've been dining on Paleasagna, Chocolate Chili and Italtian Chicken again the last two days. Now I have room in my fridge for all sorts of tasty new meals!
As you may have guessed, tonight is Taco Night! Although, Im not sure why it is called taco night, because technically we're making burritos....but whatever! Its all yummy, yummy stuff! And tacos are good for celebrating....I have officially lost 20 pounds!! ~Fist pump~ Let's keep the momentum going!
I actually dont have a recipe I follow for this, as tacos are something that I was born knowing how to make (thanks Daddy, lol)! But I did take the time to write down what I do, so that I can pass it along to all you wonderful folks! I am using my homemade Paleo tortillas, and taco seasoning (which are in the Archive, but I still copied them down below). I also went out this afternoon and bought avocados for homemade guacamole; I do this because avocados seem to ripen very fast in my house, and I like them as fresh as I can get!
I am posting a recipe for salsa...this is a general outlline, please personalize this salsa any way you wish. My father took his fan-freaking-tastic recipe to the grave, and my siblings and I have been trying to replicate it since. So, again, the recipe is an outline; I have a few secret ingredients, and it is still not as good as my dad's, but I am getting closer!
Oh...and I make my own beans. Not strictly Paleo friendly, but also not something I eat often. And making your own is really the way to go; it is time consuming, but you get plenty for freezing and the taste of them is highly superior (plus no icky additives and blah blah blah). That recipe is somewhere down below too.
Oddly I do my tacos (burritos) two ways. I make all the fixins, and we then build our own; or I put them together, top them with a sauce and then bake them (kinda like enchiladas). Tonight we did BYOB (build your own burrito), but I have included my other method as well. This includes a recipe for the red sauce.

BYOB Method:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbsp. canned diced tomatoes
4Tbsp Taco Seasoning

12 oz. refried or whole black beans
2 tsp. lemon juice
4-8 Paleo tortillas (I estimate usually 2 per person)
1 fresh medium tomato, diced
1/2 C. shredded lettuce
3-4 Tbsp. fresh chopped onion
Guacamole
Salsa and/or Hot Sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot, but only because dad also took his hot sauce recipe to the grave)
Shredded cheddar or co/jack cheese (you can use Mexican Cotija or other cheeses as well)
Plain Greek Yogurt, or low-fat Sour Cream
Black olives, sliced

Directions:
In a medium skillet, over medium high heat, soften onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Crumble beef into skillet by hand and then sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning. Add in canned tomatoes and combine well. Stir occassionally to brown meat evenly, sprinkling with seasoning every time you stir. When meat is fully cooked, drain on paper towels.
In a separate pot, heat beans over low with the 2 tsp. lemon juice. Stir frequently, so they don't stick to the pan.
Serve meat wrapped in tortillas, topped with beans, guac, salsa or hot sauce, cheese, yogurt, olives and fresh veggies of your choosing. Pick it up and eat every, last, tasty bite!


Baked Burritos:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbsp. canned diced tomatoes
4Tbsp Taco Seasoning

12 oz. refried or whole black beans
2 tsp. lemon juice
4 Paleo tortillas (I estimate 1 per person here, unluess you are mighty hungry)
1 C. Red Burrito Sauce
1 fresh medium tomato, diced
1/2 C. shredded lettuce
3-4 Tbsp. fresh chopped onion
Guacamole
Shredded cheddar or co/jack cheese (you can use Mexican Cotija or other cheeses as well)
Plain Greek Yogurt, or low-fat Sour Cream
Black olives, sliced

Directions:
In a medium skillet, over medium high heat, soften onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Crumble beef into skillet by hand and then sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning. Add in canned tomatoes and combine well. Stir occassionally to brown meat evenly, sprinkling with seasoning every time you stir. When meat is fully cooked, drain on paper towels.
In a separate pot, heat beans over low with the 2 tsp. lemon juice. Stir frequently, so they don't stick to the pan.
Place beans, meat, cheese, and olives, down the middle of tortillas. Wrap them up, and place seam side down in a baking dish.
Pour red sauce over the top. Top with a little more cheese.
Bake at 350, 15-20 minutes, until heated through, and cheese is melted.
Top with guac, yogurt or sour cream, and fresh veggies.
Knife and fork that baby up!


Taco Seasoning
Ingredients:
1 part Chili Powder
1 part Ground Cumin
1 part Garlic Powder
1 part Onion Powder
1/2 part Crushed Red Pepper
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Mix all spices together


Paleo Tortilla #1
Ingredients:
9 eggs
1 1/2 C. unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 C. coconut flour
1/4 tsp. salt
You can add any other desired seasonings or flavors if you like

Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until completely mixed (10-15 seconds)
Heat an 8 inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add a quick spray of olive oil and pour 1/3 C batter into the skillet. Swirl pan to make sure the bottom is evenly coated.
Cook 4-5 minutes, then carefully flip to the other side, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove to plate and continue cooking other tortillas.

*The best way I found to flip these was to not even disturb them until the 4-5 minutes had elapsed. Then, usung a flexible rubber spatula, loosen the edges first, slowly working your way to the center of the tortilla. Place the spatula between the skillet and the tortilla towards the center. Then use your fingers to help flip it.

*These will have a texture more like a crepe than a traditional tortilla. Be prepared.


Salsa
Ingredients:

20 oz canned, diced tomatoes

1 small can diced green chiles

1/2 small onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded or not (depends on how spicy you like it)

1 teaspoon Truvia

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed

juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 good size ripe avocados

1 Tbsp lemon juice

cumin

ground cayenne pepper

garlic powder

black pepper

tiny pinch of salt

Directions:

Slice avocados in half lengthwise and remove pit. Scoop out of the peel and into a bowl.

Add lemon juice, pinch of salt, and other seasoning to your taste (best to start light, and add as desired).

Mash all ingredients together with a fork.

Serve immediately!

Refried Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb. dried beans (I prefer black, but pintos work)
2 Tbsp. Avocado oil
1 medium, white onion, chopped
1 large sprig fresh epazote (optional)
Salt

6 Tbsp. Avocado Oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
7 cups (all you just made) cooked beans, with just enough cooking liquid to cover them
Salt

Directions:
Check beans for stones or large clods of dirt. Scoop into colander and rinse well.
Pour beans into large pot, and add 2 quarts water. Bring to a rolling boil, then pour all into crockpot.
Add 6 Tbsp. avocado oil, onion and, if using, epazote.
Cook 8 hours (overnight works great!).
Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. salt, or more if you feel they need it.
Remove epazote.

Then, in large skillet, heat remaining 6 Tbsp. avocado oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, but not brown. Add the breans and allow them to come to a simmer. Once they have, coarsly mash them with a potato masher (or gently use a hand blender). Cook, stirring almost constantly, until they are the consistency of very soft mashed potatoes - about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

These beans freeze nicely in Ziploc bags laid flat.


Burrito Red Sauce
Ingredients:
2-3 canned chipotle chiles & 1 tsp. of canning sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (no sugar or salt added)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 C. chicken broth, plus a little extra as needed
Salt
1/2 tsp. Truvia

Directions:
Place a chiles, sauce, garlic, tomatoes, cumin and black pepper in a blender (this is preferred over a food processor). Blend until as smooth as possible.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over med-hi heat. Set a mesh trainer over the pan, and pour in the chile sauce. Press through the strainer to remove any ssmall bits. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of tomato paste, about 5-7 minutes. Pour in 2 C. broth, reduce heat to med-low, and let simmer 10 minutes.
Taste the sauce, and season with salt if necessary, and the Truvia. Stir in additional broth if the consistency has thickened beyond that of a light cream soup.

This also freezes well!

Note: Leftover taco fixins are nothing but good! You can make more burritos, or use your ingredients over Paleo Tortilla Chips (now in the Archive).