Here is a recipe that gets dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. I came up with this tasty filling when I was trying to incorporate more fiber into my diet. I remembered the three sisters method of companion planting which utilizes corn, squash, and beans. This method of growing was used throughout the Americas. It made sense to me that if the veggies grow together, then they'd be eaten together as well. You'll find the recipe doesn't add whole corn kernels. I find the quality lacking, and we don't really digest unprocessed corn all that well. Instead, I use corn tortillas when making tacos and corn chips when making a salad or nachos.
Recipe makes about 2 quarts. I like to portion in half cup servings.
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise and then make 1 cm cuts
- 1/2 green and red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 can of beans, drained and rinsed (black beans, pinto, red kidney)
- 1/2 jar of salsa, your favorite kind
- Seasoning mixture to desired taste
- 1/4 cup of water
Seasoning Mixture is good to make extra and keep in an airtight lid.
- 3 Tbsp Chili powder
- 1 Tbsp Paprika
- 1 Tbsp Turmeric
- 1 Tsp Black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp Onion powder
- 1 Tsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Cumin
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, begin browning the ground beef. Meanwhile, chop the onion into a fine dice. Add the onion, and begin breaking up the ground beef. You want to try to get some good browning on the meat. Next, chop the bell peppers and add to the mixture. Stir to combine. Chop the zucchini and add to the pan. Stir the mixture as needed. To season, start with one tablespoon of spice mixture. Add more as needed. Add the salsa, and a quarter cup of water. Allow the mixture to thicken and for some of the liquid to evaporate. Finally, add the can of beans and stir to distribute and warm through.
Tips: Use any color combination of peppers that you like. I also like substituting poblano peppers. Depending on the meals I have planned for the rest of the week, I go ahead and slice up the peppers, or take the unused halves add filling for stuffed bell peppers. Summer squash (yellow) can be substitute for zucchini. I only want the heat on for about three minutes once the zucchini is added. I only cook it for a minute before adding the salsa. I end up getting a really enjoyable texture that is cooked through, but not mushy.
This recipe is a cost effective way to stretch a pound of ground
beef. The filling is versatile and can be transformed into multiple
dishes. Here are few ideas of how to utilize the
mixture.
- Taco salad
- Burrito bowls
- Quesadillas
- Nachos
- Stuffed bell peppers
Tacos/ Taco salad
For tacos spoon the mixture into warmed taco shells. Either hard or soft. Add toppings to your liking such lettuce, tomato, cheese, and avocado. I use whole fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream. To make taco salad, spoon the mixture into a bowl and add lettuce, tomato, avocado, salsa, yogurt, cilantro.
Tip: Keep the chips on the side so they don't get soggy. You can spoon as little or a much topping as you want so you get the perfect bite every time.
Burrito Bowls
Make rice according to the package. I personally have a rice cooker, but you don't need one. I like to add spices like garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper, turmeric. I will also add cilantro stems which have great flavor. Keep these in larger pieces so they are easier to fish out once the rice is prepared.
Once the rice is cooked, pretend like you're at Chipotle and add your favorite mix of toppings. If your low-carb or keto, then you can substitute cauliflower rice, or skip it all together. I would just make sure to get some fat in there like cheese, yogurt, or avocado (or all three).
Quesadillas
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add your tortilla to the hot pan. I use large flax seed based tortillas, but use what you like or have on hand. Heat one side, and flip then sprinkle with cheese. I eyeball this but usually add one to two ounces. You want a cheesy quesadilla, but not too much. As for the cheese, I usually use sharp cheddar, but this would be a great way to use any odds and ends of leftover cheese. Pepper jack would also be really good in here as well. Add a quarter cup of the meat mixture on one half of the tortilla, and fold the other half over. Give it a good squish so the cheese adheres and voila. I like to cut into fourths and top each quarter with plain yogurt and salsa.
Nachos
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up. Place a layer of chips on the sheet pan. Sprinkle with cheese as desired. Put in the oven until cheese is melted. About 5 minutes. Spoon on mixture over the chips, and add another layer of cheese. Place back in the oven to melt the cheese. I like to scatter pickled jalapeños, salsa, and yogurt over the nachos.
Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are a great way to use up any extra ingredients from previous recipes. If you made the burrito bowls and have extra rice, then it can be combined with the leftover mixture as a filling for stuffed peppers. This recipe (only using the leftover peppers from the taco mixture recipe) doesn't make a full meal for the family, but it can make a nice treat for lunch or a snack. However, if you want to make this as a meal, then just add more bell peppers to the grocery list.
Stuffed peppers can get dry so I add more salsa to the mixture, once the pepper halves are filled, I top them with cheese. Place your peppers in a baking dish. Cover with parchment and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the covering and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is nice and bubbly with some browning.
I recently brought the mixture to a friend's house, and it was a crowd pleaser. It even got her daughter's approval. The mixture was turned into a salad, nachos, and a quesadilla. Everyone was full, and there were plenty of leftovers. The mixture stores for about 5 days, and reheats well. Enjoy!
What do you like to add to your tacos? Are you team cilantro? Let me know what you made with your filling.
~ Jackie
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