Ingredient: sea salt

Devilishly Good Deviled Eggs

Devilishly Good Deviled Eggs
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One of my clearest food memories is of my Mom’s Deviled Eggs. I can still see the yellow Tupperware container with the special “egg holding” insert that she used. I wouldn’t say she made them all that often, but usually when you saw that Tupperware container come out, you knew there was a party or holiday meal about to happen!

Mom’s eggs were DELICIOUS. A little sweet and a little tangy, thanks in part to a “miraculous” mayonnaise style condiment that was pretty popular while I was growing up. It probably STILL IS popular with a lot of folks, but with its high fructose corn syrup, fragile and damaged oil and various thickeners and fillers, it’s not something that’s invited into my grocery cart anymore.

So I knew if I wanted to relive that childhood food memory, I’d have to ditch the processed stuff and create my own version. I think they are just as tasty as the one’s I remember eating growing up. Different, but just as good. Well, maybe ALMOST as good because does anything ever taste as good as what Mom made? It’s that “the secret ingredient is love” thing. Pretty sure.

The funny thing about deviled eggs is that they are one of the few foods that really don’t smell all that great (they ARE kinda stinky), but almost everyone loves when they show up at a get together! I’ve taken them to numerous shindigs (they are a great potluck item for those of us avoiding gluten or dairy). When I arrive, I uncover the deviled beauties while sheepishly mumbling an apology for the odor, only to be cut off with excited exclamations by fellow party goers! “Oooo deviled eggs! I haven’t had those in ages!” “Wow! I love these things! I never make them because they are so much work!”

Truth? They are REALLY easy to make. Yeah, they take a bit more effort than grabbing a veggie tray from the supermarket (which there is nothing wrong with, by the way), but they definitely give the impression you put a lot more work in than you did. That’s never a bad thing.

The hardest part of making deviled eggs is getting hard boiled eggs that you can peel easily. There’s not much worse than trying to peel an egg and ending up with something that looks like the dog chewed on it, full of gouges and holes. I’ve found that the Instant Pot makes perfectly peelable eggs EVERYTIME! Feel free to go old school on the stove top, if that’s your style. I have read that fresh eggs don’t peel as easily as older eggs. I’ve never had an issue with the Instant Pot, but if you are boiling on the stove top, maybe buy your eggs a week or so ahead of time.

Alright – enough chit chat! Let’s get to the good stuff! How to make these wickedly good little things!

First step is to boil (or pressure steam) those eggs. I’m going to run with the Instant Pot instructions here, but I have included stove top directions in the recipe card.

Place your eggs in a single layer on the trivet (rack) of your Instant Pot.

Add 1 cup of cold water to the pot. Place and lock the lid onto the instant pot.

Ensure that the venting dial is set to SEALING and set the timer to 6 minutes under HIGH pressure.

When the timer goes off, immediately turn the venting dial to VENTING, making sure to avoid the high pressure steam that will be released. Once the pressure has lowered enough so that the lid unlocks, you can either remove the eggs to an ice bath or take the lazy person’s way (like me) and use pot holders to lift the stainless steel insert out of the Instant Pot and run cold water over the eggs. Allow the eggs to sit in the ice bath or cool water for about 10 minutes.

This would be a great time to make your mayonnaise. Click HERE to get my quick, easy and healthy Mayonnaise Recipe. You can use a store bought Avocado Oil or Olive Oil Mayo (just make sure to read those labels carefully!), but avoid any with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Damaged, unhealthy fats make damaged, unhealthy bodies!!

Now the fun part! Peel those eggs! It is really SO easy with Instant Pot eggs – total game changer.

Once the eggs are peeled, slice each egg in half lengthwise and spoon out the yolks into a separate bowl. Set the whites aside for filling later. (Pro tip from my Mom…cook a couple more eggs than you need and use their yolks in the filling. This gives you a little extra filling to go around. Nobody likes skimpy deviled eggs! You can keep the whites to use in salads etc.)

Mash the yolks up with a fork and then add the mayo, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper (if using). The measurements I give in the recipe are to my taste. I’d advise that, instead of dumping everything in, add the ingredients separately (even a bit at a time) mixing well in between and taste as you go. Depending on your own palate, how big your yolks are and even how thick your mayo turned out, you may want to adjust quantities a bit.

Once you’ve got the filling mixed so it’s smooth, fluffy and tasting great, spoon the mixture back into the yolk divots in the whites you set aside. You can get fancy and use a piping bag, but spooning it in with a teaspoon is quicker, easier and you don’t lose a whole bunch of your delicious filling on the sides of the bag.

Once filled, let your creativity flow and garnish those bad boys with whatever floats your boat. Bacon, chives, scallions, dill, jalapeño, smoked salmon, paprika, kimchi(pat it dry first!)… the options are endless.

Chill until serving. Keeps well, covered, in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Enjoy! Let me know what topping you like on your devilled eggs in the comments!

If you want to find out more about the incredible, edible egg, check out my previous TRILOGY of posts on eggs!

Part 1 – What Do All Those Labels on Egg Cartons Really Mean?

Part 2 – Common Myths and Misconceptions about Eggs

Part 3 – The Nutritional Value of the Humble Egg

Print Recipe
 Devilishly Good Deviled Eggs
Perfect for picnics and BBQs, game day feasts or potlucks, these little devils are quick and easy to prepare, free of processed ingredients and full of protein and healthy fats. A true crowd pleaser!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings
deviled eggs
Ingredients
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings
deviled eggs
Ingredients
Instructions
Hard Boiling the Eggs (Instant Pot)
  1. Place the eggs in a single layer on the trivet in your Instant Pot.
  2. Add 1 cup of cold water to bottom of pot and place and lock lid. Make sure that the steam release valve on the lid is set to "SEALING".
  3. Turn the Instant Pot on and set it to cook under High Pressure for 6 minutes.
  4. As soon as the eggs have finished cooking, immediately release the pressure by turning the steam release valve to the "VENTING" position. (WARNING! Pressurized steam is HOT! Keep clear of the valve until pressure has released! You may also want to make sure your instant pot isn't directly under cabinetry so the steam does not damage the wood).
  5. Once the pressure releases to the point that the lid unlocks, carefully remove lid. Use tongs to transfer the eggs from the Instant Pot to an ice bath. Alternatively, you can remove stainless steel insert (using pot holders), place it in sink and run cold water over the eggs. Once cooled (about 10 minutes), you can store them in the fridge for about a week or, peel and use them immediately.
Hard Boiling the Eggs (Stove Top Version)
  1. Place the eggs in the saucepan in single layer and cover with cold water. The water should cover the eggs by at least an inch.
  2. Set burner to medium high heat and bring to a boil.
  3. Once the water reached the boil, cover and remove from heat.
  4. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  5. Drain and cool in an ice bath for approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can place pot in sink and run cold water over the eggs. Once cooled, you can store them in the fridge for about a week or, peel and use them immediately.
Devilled Eggs
  1. Peel eggs and slice them in half lengthwise, dropping the cooked yolks into a small bowl and reserving the cooked whites to fill later.
  2. Once all the eggs are halved and the yolks removed, use a fork to mash up the yolks. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper(optional).
  3. At this point, taste your mixture and make any adjustments to suit your preferences.
  4. Spoon mixture into the hollowed out eggs whites and garnish as desired (see suggestions below!).
Recipe Notes

Keep covered and chilled until serving. Keeps 3 to 5 days, covered, in fridge.

Plan to cook 2 more eggs than you need. The extra yolks will ensure you have ample filling and you can save the whites and use them later in a salad (or just eat them as a snack!).

Basic Mayonnaise Recipe Link

GARNISH IDEAS - Let your imagination run wild! The possibilities are endless!

  • Paprika (old school standard) - regular or smoked
  • Bacon
  • Dill
  • Jalapeno
  • Radish
  • Scallion or Chives
  • Kimchi
  • Smoked Salmon

Spiced Apple Muffins

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Okay, I know it’s TECHNICALLY not Autumn yet – in fact, we’ve had a bit of a heat wave here in the PNW. But, September gets me thinking about all those great autumn flavours – cinnamon, ginger, apples..YUM! And heck, if Starbucks can start selling Pumpkin Spice Lattes before summer is over, we can make muffins! At 50 grams of sugar for a GRANDE latte, my muffins are a lot better for you too!

Spiced Apple Muffins (GF, DF)

The inspiration for these, ironically enough, came from a recipe I was trying for a RESTART™ class that I teach. It is a 5 week nutritional education program that I teach to groups (for more info click HERE). It includes a 3 week “sugar detox”, so I was trying a muffin recipe that had NO added sugar. When my husband taste tested one, he said “with a little honey or maple syrup these would be really good!”(insert eye roll here – totally missing the point hon!). But an idea was born!

While definitely not appropriate if you are doing the sugar detox portion of the RESTART™ program. Afterwards, they are certainly something that could be enjoyed once in awhile (maybe even paired with a nice frittata for a balanced breakfast!)

I decided to use coconut sugar as the sweetener (instead of the honey or maple syrup suggested by the hubs) because I like the “brown sugary” flavour it imparts. If you want to use honey or maple syrup, you would have to decrease the amount both sweetener and liquid in the recipe. (Check back for recipe updates once I try this myself!)

Back to the coconut sugar…why not just use brown sugar? Although coconut sugar is STILL sugar, it does have some benefits over regular white or brown sugar. Coconut sugar is much less refined than regular sugar and hasn’t been stripped of all its nutrients. It contains small amounts of minerals like iron, zinc, potassium and calcium, antioxidants and inulin (a fibre that is beneficial for gut health). Granted, the amounts of these nutrients is very small, but it’s better than refined sugar which is completely stripped of ALL nutrients! Another benefit of coconut sugar is that it has a lower glycemic index than its highly refined counterpart. The Glycemic Index of a food indicates how much and how quickly a food raises blood glucose levels. Coconut sugar, having a lower glycemic index than regular sugar, raises blood glucose less quickly and doesn’t cause as much of a “spike” in blood glucose. This makes it less stressful on the body. All that said – sugar IS sugar and even “healthy” sugars can cause inflammation and/or trigger those sugar cravings. So while I still suggest limiting sugar consumption, if you are going to have it – you should definitely consider the less refined options!

The recipe comes together pretty quickly. I started by sautéing the diced apples, cinnamon and grated ginger in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes, or until they just start to soften. (This is when the other people in the house will wander into the kitchen to see what smells so good!!)

Pull the apples off the heat and allow them to cool while you measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs, milk and vanilla).

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well until fully incorporated.

Stir in your cooled apples, measure into your muffin tin and pop in a 350 degree oven for 24 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean). YUM!

I think that the next time I make these muffins, I might listen to my husband’s suggestion (don’t tell him!) and try them with honey as a sweetener. Pure, raw honey has pollen, enzymes plus a variety of nutrients and is considered one of the healthiest sweeteners out there (though, remember, it is STILL sugar!). I’d also up the spice game, I like a SPICY muffin – so a little more of everything for me please!

Finally, a note on the apples. Feel free to use whatever variety of apple you like. I actually used 1 Granny Smith and 1 Gala for this recipe, but I found that the Gala didn’t stand up as well and it kind of just melted into the muffin. The Granny Smith are a bit firmer and a little more tart, so they add a nice balance to the sweetness of the muffin.

Happy Baking! If you try them, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Print Recipe
 Autumn Spiced Apple Muffins
A gluten and dairy free recipe using apples, cinnamon and ginger to give these muffins a warm, autumn flavour.
Prep Time 25
Cook Time 24
Servings
large muffins
Ingredients
For Apple Prep
Muffin Recipe
Prep Time 25
Cook Time 24
Servings
large muffins
Ingredients
For Apple Prep
Muffin Recipe
Instructions
Apple Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with parchments squares or muffin cups.
  2. Peel, core and dice apples; grate ginger if using fresh (see notes).
  3. Melt coconut oil in saute pan, over medium heat; add apples, cinnamon (1 tsp) and grated ginger. Saute until just softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and move onto Muffin instructions.
Muffin Preparation
  1. Measure dry ingredients into large mixing bowl and stir until combined.
  2. Measure wet ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
  3. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well, ensuring that all dry ingredients are incorporated.
  4. Add cooled apple mixture to muffin batter and mix to combine.
  5. Spoon muffin mixture into prepared muffin tin, filling cups about 3/4 full (~1/3 cup mixture per muffin).
  6. Place filled muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
  7. Cool on wire rack before storing.
Recipe Notes

Store for 3-5 days in fridge. Store in freezer for 3 months.

Freezing your fresh ginger root and then grating it on a microplane is much easier than grating fresh unfrozen ginger. If ginger is organic, feel free to zest the skin as well.

 

Cinco de MAYO…..nnaise

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Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo

I know, I know..a mayonnaise recipe to celebrate Mexican independence is an odd choice, but really EVERY day is a good day to celebrate this easy(I mean, ridiculously easy)condiment recipe. It’s chock full of healthy fats and missing all the gunk found in most store bought brands. I also use this mayo as a base for a coleslaw dressing that I serve with carnitas…so there is a bit of a Mexican link after all!

Making your own mayo can seem daunting when you read recipes telling you that you must drizzle the oil in slowly, all while whisking like madman or your mayo won’t come together and you’ll be left with a soupy, oily mess. I can barely pat my head and rub my tummy at the same time, so this all sounds like a disaster in the making.

Enter the immersion blender… with this nifty tool, you can have easy, no fuss, no mess mayo in seconds. And, it’s a pretty cool party trick to boot! I have heard that high speed blenders and mixers can also be used  – but I have never tried it this way. If you get successful mayo from either of these methods, let me know in the comments!

So what is mayo? Mayo is an emulsion – or a mixture of two things that can’t normally be combined (like oil and water). This coming together of two different worlds requires the use of an emulsifier to keep them from separating. In mayonnaise, egg yolks play this role. Yolks contain lecithin, a fat emulsifier, which keeps the oil in tiny little droplets and prevents them from collecting into larger drops that will separate out of the mixture. The mustard also helps out as an emulsifier in this recipe. You can opt to leave it out, but I use to add a bit more stability and some extra zip to the flavour.

Avocado or olive oil are two healthy fats that can be easily whipped up into a delicious mayo. You want to avoid vegetable oils, not just in mayo-making, but in general. Oils, such as canola, corn and soy are generally highly processed and damaged during manufacturing, are often “deodorized” and bleached to hide signs of rancidity and can cause oxidative damage and inflammation. Yuck, no thank you!

I opt for avocado oil, as I find it has a more neutral flavour than olive oil. There are some decent avocado oil and olive oil mayos on the market. If you can find one that you like that doesn’t have any unnecessary ingredients in it, by all means, feel free! I’ve found that I much prefer the flavour of my homemade version!

Once you have the basic mayo down, you can add all sorts of extras to create a variety of dressings and spreads. I put a few of my faves in the recipe comments, but let me know what fun variations you come up with!

Now…on with the MAYO!

Print Recipe
 Mayonnaise
A quick and easy recipe for a healthier version of this versatile condiment!
Cook Time 5
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Cook Time 5
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Make sure to test that your blender head will fit into the mouth of the container you choose BEFORE you add the ingredients.
  2. Crack egg into the bottom of a mason jar or high sided container.
  3. Add all other ingredients to jar.
  4. With one hand holding the jar, place head of immersion blender over the yolk of the egg and turn the blender on, keeping the blades immersed in the liquid. You will see the color start to change to the white color of mayo immediately.
  5. Slowly move the blender up and down and side to side (keeping the blades immersed) until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture has thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
  7. Will keep, sealed in the refrigerator, for 3 to 5 days
Recipe Notes

Variations (per 1 cup of mayonnaise)

Garlic Aioli - Mix in 1 to 2 finely minced garlic cloves

Chipotle Mayo - Mix in a small amount of sauce from a jar of chipotles in adobo (start with 2 teaspoonfsul and work up, depending on taste). Alternately, you could add mayo to a blender with 2 chipotle peppers from the jar and blend until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon of lime juice and adjust to taste

Dilly Tartar Sauce - Mix in 1/2 a cup finely diced dill pickles, 2 teaspoons lemon juice,  1 teaspoon onion powder and a tablespoon of fresh dill    

Easy Egg Bake

Easy Egg Bake (GF, DF, Paleo
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When working with clients, one of the biggest hurdles for them when it comes to transitioning to real, whole, nutrient dense foods is figuring out the whole “breakfast thing”. Most of the foods that we’ve been programmed to consider breakfast foods, things like cereal, toast, pancakes and even fruit are lacking in two vital nutrients. Fats and Protein. Our (often heavily refined) carbohydrate heavy breakfasts are setting us up for a wild ride on the blood sugar rollercoaster. Needing to snack every few hours, getting jittery, irritable and hangry and feeling the need for a mid-afternoon siesta are all pretty good signs that you need better balance in your life. Each meal we eat should have a balance of the three macronutrients, carbohydrates (grains, vegetables, fruits), protein and healthy fats. The proper ratio of these nutrients will vary from person to person, depending on several factors including age, activity level and digestive health. Keeping a food and mood journal, tuning into how you are feeling and working with a nutritional therapist can help you identify any tweaks you can make in your ratios to best fuel your body and provide long lasting energy.

Have you ever considered having a big Cobb salad to start your day? How about some left over pot roast and sweet potatoes? Sound crazy? Creating a balanced breakfast is more of a mental game than anything else. It’s really just another meal! Your cells don’t care if it is 7am or 7pm, they just want food that is nourishing, provides them with the nutrients they need to do their jobs and gives them the energy to keep going until the next balanced meal. This mental shift can take some work, but luckily, there is a food that is kind of a “jack of all trades”at fitting in to any meal. The almighty egg! Using eggs as a base for a tasty breakfast dish can help you transition from those carbohydrate heavy breakfasts to a well balanced, energizing way to break your fast.

Enter the Egg Bake (or Crustless Quiche if you are feeling fancy)! This recipe has it all. It’s super easy to prepare, can be made ahead and supplies you with breakfasts throughout the week and is SUPER adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand. It is the perfect “fridge foraging” recipe. You know when you have a lot of bits and pieces of stuff to use up – make an egg bake! 

I’ll be honest. I’m a bit of a free-styler in the kitchen. I tend to go by feel, throwing a bit of this or that in and adjusting as I go. When my husband compliments me on a meal, I often joke that I’m glad he enjoyed it, because it’s unlikely to ever taste the same way twice! I come by it naturally, as my mom is much the same way. I have fond memories of her handing a tasting spoon to Dad and asking him if the sauce or chili needed anything else. More often than not, after some pensive consideration (and maybe another taste or two), he would pronounce it as being perfect. This, for those of you wondering, is the absolute CORRECT response when your significant other asks for your opinion on their cooking!

This way of cooking does create some issues when you want to share a recipe though. A pinch of this or a glug of that doesn’t really make for effective recipe blogging. So, when I set out to make this egg bake, I made sure to jot down measurements. That being said, this recipe is so versatile, you can feel free to change it up as you see fit! I kept the ingredients in this one pretty basic, mostly because we are in the midst of the whole “shelter in place” thingy and this is what I had to work with! Leftovers work really well here. Got some leftover taco meat? Make a southwestern version with some added peppers, cilantro and top with avocado before serving. Leftover bacon (is that even a thing?) combined with green pepper and onion  – voila a Western omelet egg bake. Play around, improvise – food should be fun!

For this egg bake, I whisked 18 pasture raised eggs (I wanted roughly 3 eggs per serving) with coconut milk and salt and pepper. The milk can be omitted, but I find that it helps to lighten up the egg bake and make it a little fluffier.

Check out that color! These pasture raised eggs have lovely orange yolks, are more nutrient dense than conventional eggs and a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants and B vitamins.

Next, I diced up some leftover ham, evenly distributed it into a greased 9X13 baking dish and poured the egg mixture over top.

Lastly, I placed the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on top of the ham and eggs, sprinkled with the basil, a little extra salt and pepper and the nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a great source of Vitamin B12 and it adds a mild hint of cheesiness to dishes. Since I love dairy, but am sensitive to it, I use nutritional yeast to make me feel like there COULD be some form of cheesy goodness in there!

This bottle came with us from Canada! Hence the English AND French label!

Finally, I popped it in a 350 F degree oven and let it bake for 45 minutes. And just like that, I have breakfasts (or lunches) for the week. This version is a little light on the veg (thanks, shelter in place), but pair it with a salad of mixed greens or some berries and you have a balanced meal that tastes great and supplies you with plenty of stable energy to keep you going until your next meal.

Print Recipe
 Easy Egg Bake
A super versatile recipe that is great for any meal of the day.
Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Make Ahead, Meal Prep
Prep Time 15
Cook Time 45
Servings
Ingredients
Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Make Ahead, Meal Prep
Prep Time 15
Cook Time 45
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Grease a 9X13 inch glass baking dish with the coconut oil
  3. Crack the eggs in a large mixing bowl, add coconut milk, salt and pepper
  4. Whisk well
  5. Lay diced ham evenly in the prepared baking dish
  6. Pour egg mixture over the ham
  7. Lay the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on the top of the egg mixture
  8. Sprinkle basil, nutritional yeast and a little extra salt and pepper over the top
  9. Bake in oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the eggs in the centre of the dish are set. I like to check it after 30 minutes and monitor from there.

Taco Seasoning Mix

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It’s Tuesday folks and do you know what that means? It means that it is TACO Tuesday in our household! Tacos are in regular rotation around here, usually served as a taco bowl topped with fresh tomato, cilantro, guacamole, dairy free sour cream and, of course tortilla chips (Siete Foods and Thrive Market both have some great grain free chip options)

One positive that I hope is coming out of this period of self-isolation that we are all finding ourselves in, is that more people are cooking at home and realizing that preparing healthy meals with real ingredients CAN be done and that you feel better for it!

Healthier Taco Seasoning

So let’s walk through my taco routine shall we? First, I brown up some grass fed and finished ground beef (usually 2 pounds for our 2 person household because, duh, LEFTOVERS!!), I add in some colourful bell peppers and onion and let it all cook down, then I grab a packet of taco seasoning mix from the pantry..

WOAH – put the brakes on Nelly!  No pre-packaged seasoning mixes for this cook! While they may seem super convenient and, let’s face it, were pretty much a staple in most of our childhood kitchens, whipping up a batch of your own taco seasoning is :

  • quick
  • easy
  • cheaper than store bought
  • customizable to your own taste
  • can be made in bulk so you are ALWAYS ready for Taco Tuesday 🌮
  • most importantly, free of the additives you find in those store bought packets

I know, some of you are thinking “Seriously Shannon, it’s JUST spices!” – but let’s break it down, shall we?

So here are the ingredients in the red and yellow packet o’seasoning from MY childhood memories:

Chili Pepper, Maltodextrin, Salt, Onion Powder, Spice, Corn Starch, Sea Salt (Potassium Magnesium Chloride, Salt). Contains 2% Or Less Of: Vegetable Oil (Canola, High Oleic Soybean And/Or Sunflower Oil), Corn Flour, Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent), Citric Acid, Sugar, Natural Flavor.

I’ve bolded the ingredients that are not needed and that, in general, are not at all health promoting.

  • Maltodextrin – a sneaky way to say REFINED SUGAR
  • Salt – while salt is not bad for us, unless specified as SEA SALT, it has usually been stripped of most of its minerals and we are left with just sodium and chloride. Too much of this “naked” salt can lead to electrolyte imbalances and impair kidney function.
  • Corn Starch and Corn Flour – Likely added to bulk up the mix, act as a thickener and keep mix from sticking together. The issue with these ingredients is two-fold. Firstly, a vast majority of corn is genetically modified. We do not yet know the health ramifications of GMO crops. We DO know that the majority of GMO crops are engineered to be herbicide tolerant. This means that the use of toxic herbicides has increased dramatically since GMOs were first introduced. Besides the health risks and toxic burden from our food being exposed to these herbicides, the heavy use of these chemicals is producing more resistant weeds and bugs that, you guessed it, require the use of even MORE chemicals (https://www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/). Secondly, corn is known to be cross-reactive and may cause symptoms in people who are sensitive to or allergic to gluten.
  • Sea Salt – Ok – I’m fine with this ingredient, but I’m left wondering WHY they need salt of both the naked variety AND sea salt? Why not just use all mineral rich sea salt? Things that make you go hmmm 🤔
  • Vegetable Oil – These oils are rich in Omega 6 fatty acids and most of us already get way more omega 6 than we need. An imbalanced Omega 6 to Omega 3 (from foods like fatty fish, flax seeds, walnuts) ratio prevents our bodies from being able to properly control inflammation. This is made worse by the fact that these oils are prone to oxidation and very easily damaged during processing, manufacturing and in our bodies as we metabolize them. These pesky, fragile oils create free radicals and damage our cells.
  • Silicon Dioxide – I had to do a bit of research on this anti-caking additive. Silicon Dioxide is found naturally in foods like leafy greens, beets and bell peppers and is generally considered safe to consume. Synthetic silicon dioxide is often manufactured so the particles are extremely small (nano particles), which provides better anti-caking ability. There are some concerns that there has been insufficient studies done regarding the effects of these nano particles on health. The European Food and Safety Administration has recommended that the EU adopt stricter guidelines until further studies are done.(https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5088)
  • Citric Acid – Most manufactured citric acid is made using the fungus Aspergillus niger, which is a known allergen. Although more research is needed, there have been case studies surrounding inflammatory reactions caused by manufactured citric acid (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6097542/#sec0005title). If you really need that citric acid kick in your tacos, try going old school and get your citric acid from, well, CITRUS. A squeeze of lime over the top of your taco bowl and you are all set!
  • Sugar – Refined sugar is devoid of any nutrients and, in my opinion, totally unnecessary in tacos! Sugar, especially highly refined white sugar, is toxic to the body. The body needs to use other valuable nutrients to metabolize and clear it from the system. And, in case you forgot, we already have another source of sugar (maltodextrin) in this mix. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky!
  • Natural Flavour – Seems legit, natural is good right? While natural flavours have to have an original source that is plant or animal, the mixtures concocted in food manufacturing laboratories can also contain many different chemicals, preservatives and solvents. As long as the original source is plant or animal, it doesn’t matter what else is added, it can still be deemed “natural flavour”. 

Now all this info is great and eye-opening, but it can definitely feel a little overwhelming when you are cruising the grocery aisles. A good rule of thumb is – if you don’t know what the ingredient is, your body definitely won’t know what it is either. Stick to single ingredients as often as possible, aim for packaged foods that contain 5 (real, pronounceable, recognizable) ingredients or less and look for ways to circumvent the use of processed and packaged mixes that are cheaply and easily made at home!

My Taco Seasoning mix is pretty darn good as is, but don’t be afraid to experiment with the ratios. Want to leave out the salt and season your meat to taste? Do it! Want to up the spice factor? Let your freak flag fly! Can you use it for more than just tacos? Absolutely! I put this stuff on pork shoulder, beef roast and have even used it on steaks in a pinch. Once you realize how much easier and healthier it is to make your own mix, those little packets will be a thing of the past.

I usually triple (at least!) this recipe so that I always have some on hand. To use, I mix 2 to 2.5 tablespoons per pound of meat with some water to form a loose paste and add it to my cooked ground beef and veggies. You can also just sprinkle the spice mix in and add a bit of water to the pan, like my hubby does. Different strokes for different folks! It all turns out yummy! Feel free to play around with the proportions to suit your individual tastes!

Enjoy! Taco Tuesdays just got a whole lot healthier!

Print Recipe
 Taco Seasoning Mix
An easy, affordable and healthy version of a pantry staple. All the yum without any of the ick!
Course Seasoning Mixes
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword seasoning, taco
Prep Time 5-10 minutes
Servings
pounds of ground meat
Ingredients
Course Seasoning Mixes
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword seasoning, taco
Prep Time 5-10 minutes
Servings
pounds of ground meat
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to bowl and mix thoroughly. Store extra in an airtight container for future use. For each pound of ground meat, use 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of spice mix. Adjust to taste.