Taco Seasoning

Tacos have always been a weekly menu item in our home.  Either going to the local Tex-Mex restaurant for $.99 Taco Tuesday, the fast food greasy taco, you know the one that drips orange grease down your mouth or preparing a taco feast at home. 

I have always had my favorite packaged taco seasoning.  I've been buying the same little yellow envelope for many many years and it wasn't until I began the Keto lifestyle that I really even gave the ingredients and carb count a second thought.  Did you know that 1 tsp of  packaged taco seasoning has 3 carbs??? That seemed crazy to me, until I looked at the ingredients... Maltodextrin, corn starch, anticaking agent (I don't really like the sound of that one) and SUGAR.  But wait, sugar??? the nutrition says 0 total sugars.  This is how hidden carbs are added to your food without you even knowing. 

If you're allowing yourself 20 net carbs per day and you can't figure out why you're not in ketosis or your weight loss is slow or has stalled. This could be the reason.  Read the labels.

I started making my own seasoning blends a year ago.  My picky, store bought, processed food is better husband doesn't like the idea of me blending my own spices together.  So, I keep this yellow package in the spice draw.   I don't talk about it and just let him think that I'm continuously replacing this packet.

You can google taco seasoning recipes and get lots of different choices.  Most of them are very similar.  Usually, most of the spices are the same, the amounts may differ a bit.  This is the combination that I like the best.

Teresa's Taco Seasoning Blend

Yields approximately 6 Tbsp

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp ground chili powder

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you want a mild seasoning or double up for some heat)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried minced onion

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Place all spices in an air tight container and shake to combine.

How to use:

Depending on your taste you may want to add more or less.  In 1 lb ground beef, add 2 Tbsp of spice mix to beef.  If using extra lean beef you may want to add a couple Tbsp of water and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.  I use an 80/20 blend of ground beef and the fat helps the spices simmer into the meat without adding extra water.

Nutritional values per serving (approx 2 tsp per person)

calories 5; fat trace; total carbs 1; fiber 0; net carbs 1; sugar 0; protein trace