REC: sorta taco casserole

I love tacos and so do my kids and they're low-carbing and I'm trying to
get back to it. The following worked very well as a lower carb
substitute, replacing the shells with zukes and frying peppers.

Cut zukes and frying peppers in half, scoop soft seedy stuff out of the
zukes. Put in a baking pan with some olive oil and roll them around.
Begin baking in the oven--perhaps around 350.

Fry ground beef or pork and add chopped garlic and taco seasoning. I
only use part of a packet since it's too salty for me and then add extra
cumin, cayenne, oregano, and chili powder.

When zukes and peppers are almost done, put a spoonful of the meat in
each and top with grated jack cheese and put back in the oven until the
cheese is nice and melted.

Top with chopped lettuce, tomato, scallions, avocado, and sour cream.

I'm not sure exactly what the carb count is, but substituting zukes and
peppers for the tortillas should have cut them back substantially.

I served it with a salad.

Janet

Janet Price wrote:

I love tacos and so do my kids and they're low-carbing and I'm trying to
get back to it. The following worked very well as a lower carb
substitute, replacing the shells with zukes and frying peppers.

Cut zukes and frying peppers in half, scoop soft seedy stuff out of the
zukes. Put in a baking pan with some olive oil and roll them around.
Begin baking in the oven--perhaps around 350.

Fry ground beef or pork and add chopped garlic and taco seasoning. I
only use part of a packet since it's too salty for me and then add extra
cumin, cayenne, oregano, and chili powder.

When zukes and peppers are almost done, put a spoonful of the meat in
each and top with grated jack cheese and put back in the oven until the
cheese is nice and melted.

Top with chopped lettuce, tomato, scallions, avocado, and sour cream.

I'm not sure exactly what the carb count is, but substituting zukes and
peppers for the tortillas should have cut them back substantially.

I served it with a salad.

Janet
Sounds perfect.

I do this with jalapenos, as a finger-food meal. I split jalapenos in
half and scrap out all the white flesh and seeds (this is where all
the heat is). I then toss them in a collander under running cold water
as Im preping them all. I think the water may rinse any heat residue.
You would be surprised how non-hot a jalapeno is when you eliminate
the white flesh. I bake them till eveything melts but the jalapeno
still has some crnuch.

ALso I've done casserole style. Shredded lettuce, cheese, meat
mixture, tomatoes, olives, scallions, bell pepper, jalapenos, roasted
red pepper, sour cream, avocado, more cheese some Chi-CHi's Fiesta
salsa (2 carbs per 2 tbsp). Do it in layers, with small items spread
like pizza toppings. Bake to heat through. Then let others use as a
dip, while you can eat it rolled in a lettuce wrap or like a
salad-scooped on a plate. The two tricks in making a layered taco dip
is to reduce the water in all ingredients (get rid of pulp, dry
shredded lettucee in paper towels). I also use disposable aluminum
round cake pans. I pierce the edges at the bottom so accumulating
water can run/steam out and bake it in another dish to catch water. If
you dont manage water it can become soup. The high-carb version would
have a layer of refried beans.
DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)
350/304/Apr-299/200
Atkins since Jan 12, 2004
OWL-50 carbs/day (CCLL=?)