Recently, I was very excited to discover that one of the farmers at our local market started carrying grass-fed ground beef. My family is not a big meat-eating one, but whenever I can get my hands on grass-fed beef at a good price, I don’t hesitate to buy some. Among other things, grass-fed beef is significantly lower in saturated fat than conventional beef, as this 2006 article from Time Magazine states and I personally think it tastes superior.

Tacos are great idea to use ground beef in, but depending on your taste or diet, you can use any kind of ground meat. Gimme Lean is great for vegetarians or you can use ground chicken or turkey. The point is, no matter what you like, you can make Tacos–Your Way!

When I put out all the accompaniments for my boys to create their tacos, they were totally psyched. When kids (and dads) get to have an active hand in building their own tacos, I guarantee they’ll be way more excited about eating them too.

Tacos–Your Way! (Serves 4)

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped fine
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Lb Ground Beef (I used lean beef, but you could also use ground turkey, chicken or ground Gimme Lean)
1 Garlic Clove
1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
2 Tsp Cumin
Salt to taste
Corn Tortillas or Taco Shells
Desired Accompaniments: Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce and/or Tomato

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions for 2 minutes.
2. Add the red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the ground meat, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and cook for 5-6 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
4. Place meat mixture and desired accompaniments into taco shells or tortillas.
5. Serve.

As I’ve written here many times before, we love hummus. Actually, I find most kids really enjoy the smooth creaminess of hummus as a spread on sandwiches, as a dip for veggies or just on it’s own. Traditional hummus is made from garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice, but there’s no reason that you can’t get creative and come up with an array of new hummus flavors using different types of beans or nuts.

For this recipe, I wanted to do a Mexican inspired hummus with flavors I know my family likes, so I chose pepitas (pumpkin seeds), black beans, cumin and cilantro. And just to keep everything homemade, instead of buying fried chips at the store, I decided to make my own healthy, crispy ones. Both dishes are easy to make and kids have fun breaking up the tortillas into chips themselves.

Whether you’re inviting friends over for a party, want a protein-packed school lunch box snack for your little one or just need something healthy and delicious to nibble on throughout the day, this Mexican hummus delivers. Olé!

Black Bean Hummus with Toasted Corn Tortillas

1/3 Cup Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 Small Garlic Clove
1 15 Oz Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Water
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped (you can use the stems — they have tons of flavor)

1. Place the pepitas in a dry sauté pan and toast over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until the pepitas start to turn golden.
2. Place the pepitas and garlic clove in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
4. Serve.

Toasted Corn Tortillas

1 Package Whole Corn Tortillas (about 12)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place corn tortillas directly on oven racks and toast for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
3. Serve whole or broken into chips.