Beef and Black Bean Soft Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Dip

The last few days have been a whirlwind--and my poor husband has seen the effects of my busy week. The past couple of meals I've made were less than stellar, and yesterday was just a Chick-fil-a kind of day. But after a good night's sleep (and a couple of Zyrtec), I was actually excited about cooking supper tonight. The only problem: nothing was defrosted. So I ran some frozen hamburger meat under hot water for a quick defrost and decided to fix soft tacos.

     Beef and Black Bean Soft Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Dip

Nutritional Information
(for 2 soft tacos, about 2 tablespoonsful avocado dip, and 5 chips)
   Calories:               681
   Fat:                       21.6g
       Saturated Fat:   5.4g
   Cholesterol:          32.4mg
   Sodium:                1289 mg
   Carbohydrates      47g
        Fiber:               9.7g
        Sugars:             4.5g
   Protein:                 17.7g

Ingredients:

-1/2 lb ground chuck
-1 cup uncooked brown rice (I used Minute brand, but any brown rice will do)
-1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
-1 can black beans, drained
-1 small can tomato paste (not pictured)
-water
-Flour tortillas*
-Shredded Colby-jack cheese, to garnish (1 used about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon per soft taco)
-Shredded lettuce, if desired (not pictured)
-2 ripe avocados
-Lime juice
-Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper
-1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (not necessary, but it makes the dip a little creamier)
*For a lighter option, use corn tortillas (or none at all) instead of flour, and substitute one of the avocados with 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

Cook your rice according to package directions, then heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Cook your hamburger meat for a few minutes, breaking the meat up while it cooks.

Once the meat starts to brown, add about 3/4 of your diced onion, and sautee for a few more minutes, until the meat is completely browned and the onion is semi-translucent.

Add your drained can of black beans and couple shakes of garlic powder, and stir until combined.

Add your rice, and your can of tomato paste, then fill the empty tomato paste with water and pour in with everything else.

Mix everything up, and let it simmer on low while you mix up the avocado dip.

For the dip, just mash up the flesh of 2 avocados, 1/4 of your diced onion, a few shakes of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, about a tablespoon of Greek yogurt, and a dash of lime juice.

Then just spoon your ground beef mixture in your tortillas, top with cheese and lettuce, and serve with the avocado dip and a few chips.

This is a quick, delicious recipe that was very filling--and it made enough filling for FOURTEEN soft tacos, so there are plenty of delicious leftovers. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken Legs with Red Potatoes and Green Beans

Well, it's been a while! Life has been busy, and while I have been taking pictures of my meals, I just haven't found the time to get on here and post about them. So today I'm starting it back up with a simple, delicious meal that takes maybe 5 minutes of prep!

This is a great weeknight meal because all you have to do is throw it together, then throw it in the oven, and viola! 45 minutes later, dinner is done.

What makes this dish so great (other than the fact that you only dirty ONE dish!) is that it uses chicken legs instead of chicken breasts. Don't get me wrong, I love chicken breasts, but they can easily become dry and overcooked. Not only do chicken thighs have a wonderful skin that gets crispy and seals in the moisture, but its meat is darker and has a richer flavor than chicken breasts do.

   Baked Chicken Legs with Red Potatoes and Green Beans

Nutritional Information per serving:
   Calories:                 525
   Fat:                         15.7g (27%DV)
       Saturated Fat:     4.3g
   Cholesterol:           104.9mg
   Sodium:                 1,640.3mg
   Carbohydrates:      56.8g (44%DV)
        Fiber:                7.7g
        Sugars:              5.7g
   Protein:                  36.6g (28% DV)

Here are the ingredients:
-Package of bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (I rubbed the chicken thighs in a mixture of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cracked pepper, and Creole seasoning and let it sit in the fridge overnight--but you can leave this step out and it'll still be delish!)
-1 can Italian cut green beans, drained
-3 medium red potatoes (you can use any potato, but I prefer the taste of red potatoes)
-2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
-Olive oil
-Salt and Pepper, to taste
-Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, to taste (I used about 1 teaspoon or so)
I thought I wanted to put in red bell pepper and shallot, but decided last minute to leave them out

Preheat the oven to 450 F, then line a baking dish with foil (for easy cleanup). Pour your drained can of green beans into both sides of the dish, leaving a gap in the center for your chicken. Then cube up your potatoes and layer them on top of the green beans. Finely chop your garlic and sprinkle on top, then place your chicken legs in the center, skin-side up. Drizzle olive oil over everything, and sprinkle on some Tony Chachere's, salt, and pepper. Then just pop in the oven and set the timer for 40 minutes.

About 40 to 45 minutes later (or until the internal temp reaches 180 F), it's done! Take out the chicken and let it rest for a few minutes, and stir up the potatoes and green beans in the bottom of the baking dish.

Then just plate and serve!

 

 This dish made two healthy, hearty servings, and cleanup afterwards was a breeze! Enjoy!