recipes

  • Healthy Taco Recipes You’ll Find Yourself CRAVING Every Week. I Promise!

    Taco Tuesday Will Be a Regular Thing In Your House After Trying These Healthy Taco Recipes.

    healthy taco recipe

    These Healthy Taco Recipes Will Become Your Newest Obsessions. I Can Promise You That.

    Who doesn’t love TACOS? Do you think you can’t have tacos because there aren’t any healthy taco recipes out there? Think again? Honestly– I think Mexican food is one of the easiest to hack and make healthier and still taste DELICIOUS. My husband and I have played around in the kitchen and made up several healthy taco recipes that are now staples in our monthly routines. In fact I’d say we are obsessed.

    In this blog post, you’ll find all these healthy taco recipes plus tips on how to mix and match additional ingredients to make them more or less spicy or add your own twists with different proteins/veggies etc.

    I have 3 healthy taco recipes for you in this post and each of these healthy taco recipes is less than 600 calories per serving and can be easily customized for food intolerances or flavor preferences. Further– when I make these — my man LOVES them and he’s not necessarily TRYING to make “healthy taco recipes” he just wants “YUMMY TACO RECIPES” LOL — they deliver!!

     

    One of the things we all know is of utmost importance in losing weight– watching what we eat. Watching how much we eat. We know that in order to lose fat– you gotta “diet” to some degree. And it’s very easy if you don’t count calories, read labels or measure your food- or if you eat out a lot — to overeat BIG TIME– even on “healthy” foods. 


    Read that again. You can be working out regularly and eating HEALTHY FOODS and — you can gain weight. Or just not lose weight. It actually happens to more people more often than you think. In fact, one of the women I have recently stumbled on on YouTube- “High Carb Hannah” shares her story regularly about how she went Vegan and gained 40lbs- she was eating mostly fruit and a lot of it. 

    Am I saying to avoid fruit? Nope. But- too much of anything can equal weight gain. For me, dieting is more about focusing on making great tasting meals with VOLUME FOODS— ideally a lot of vegetables and yes fruits– and protein– and from High Carb Hannah I learned how you can eat more food by cooking creatively and using less HEALTHY FATS (READ THIS POST to learn more about why you need to watch the healthy fats if you are trying to lose weight.) So, if you need to watch the calories you consume — make the calories you ARE consuming ENJOYABLE– delicious (yes it’s possible) and full of nutrition– give yourself a lot of bang for the buck. 

    Let me share some examples of what I’m talking about above. 

    First– how can you gain weight or be unable to lose weight eating “healthy” foods– 


    1) If you eat out a lot and choose healthy options but aren’t aware of the calories- based on my experience, the AVERAGE “healthy” sandwich at a fast food or fast casual dining restaurant is 700-850 calories. For a sandwich!! Not counting chips/apples on the side. If you are like me and when I started my caloric deficit number was 1600- that’s more than half my calories in one meal- one sandwich! 


    2) If you eat out- most sit down restaurant salads- even with grilled chicken or shrimp etc. can be upwards of 1200-2000 calories. Yup. You could exceed your daily caloric intake in one meal with a salad. 


    3) Sushi restaurants are EASY when ordering rolls with mystery sauces and fried fish- to get your calories up FAST. You do a few high calorie chef special rolls and maybe some spring rolls and a couple fortune cookies- easy 1500 calories in one meal. 


    4) Lots of folks going vegan or vegetarian go overboard on pasta/breads/fruits and gain a ton of weight. 


    5) Going to Starbucks a lot? Your AVERAGE very conservative latte/cappuccino is 200 calories– that’s conservative. Many people get a coffee drink 2-3x a day. That can be an extra 600-1000 calories you aren’t counting up. 

    READ THIS POST as well for some information on how CAN EAT OUT on a regular basis and avoid these traps but still enjoy your food. 


    Why you want to make your meals DELICIOUS and FILLING– focus on volume foods vs. convenience foods and lots of “fake” carbs”


    1) If you eat a meal – for example- one of my favorite “diet foods” is (seriously) Lean Cuisine Spinach Pizza. One Pizza is 360 calories and it’s DELISH. I’m obsessed. But I can EASILY EAT 2 OF THEM. Read that again. I can eat 2 and barely be full. Does it have protein? Sure. But it’s light fluffy bread crust (probably why I like it) . I can eat 2- and I Have to convince myself mentally to only do one…..but 45 minutes later I am HANGRY.


    2) Compare that option to a protein bar- many people think they can diet by having a protein bar for lunch vs. lunch. Same concept. You won’t be full. You’ll eat a lot of sugar. It’s not a meal. 


    3) Conversely- when you creatively make a big-ass-bowl or a Taco with a ton of protein and veggies- that meal, with maybe slightly more calories will keep you full for HOURS. Big difference in your daily experience when you are full and satisfied vs. having a growling stomach all day. 

    So let’s look at some of me and my man’s FAVORITE dinners (or of course you can make these for lunches too) – I mean these are FILLING and DELICIOUS and MACRO FRIENDLY – perfect for your next Taco Tuesday. I promise, once you make these, you’ll make them again and again and again.

    Those Healthy Taco Recipes You've Been Asking For!!

    healthy ground turkey taco recipes

    We just made this one last night. This is more of a “Taco in a Bowl” recipe- but you can take the same food situation above and slap it in a crunchy taco or a flour tortilla (or if you are like me and are avoiding gluten, we use Siete Tortillas almost exclusively– my doctor wants me avoiding gluten and now that I am keto I’m all about it– plus I cannot do corn tortillas myself or I break out in bad bumps on my neck. Get some Siete Tortillas in bulk on Amazon and- you’re welcome) and there you go. This is such a great combination of flavors= and I came about this, with my man, because I always enjoy a lot of hot food on top of a salad- crunchy romaine ideally. I also love how our favorite Mexican place will combine sweet and savory and use mango or peach in with the tomatoes/onions/peppers — then you add some heat and tang- from jalapeno and maybe cilantro or other herbs– bam. You’ve got a taste explosion. You’ll see in these recipes there is always a combo of hot and cold, sweet and savory, protein and vegetables etc. 

    Here’s my “Recipe”:
    Take one package of ground turkey- lean or super lean. Add to a skillet and cook through. We are currently using this cookware from Our Place and truth be told- they sent it to us to test out and we are OBSESSED. Truly obsessed!  This is non-stick cookware that’s not going to make you die like SOME OTHER COMPANIES- that’s right, it’s non-toxic. And it works like a BOSS. I’m not exaggerating- we love our cast iron pans for things like steak but we use this for everything. In fact- truth- just last night as we made this my man said “we need to buy this entire cookware line” . I cannot tell you how easy it is to clean and it’s just so dreamy. I love the cover and that you can rest the spoon that comes with on the pan handle! Brilliant. Below is a photo of this artistic piece of cookware. GET YOU SOME! (Click the photo to purchase)

     
     

    After you have cooked the ground turkey- add a packet of taco seasoning. Then I add a can of Ro-Tel. Then I add in 2 oz of extra sharp grated cheddar. Mix it all up so it’s melted and gooey. Turn heat down low to keep warm. 

    healthy taco recipes chicken

    Next up my man makes his rice- OMG so amazing. We use Jasmine Rice. He chops up garlic and jalapeno and sautes for a few minutes in a little bit of olive oil (watch your fats! click here to read why) then add the rice, saute that for a bit- add chicken broth and your preferred seasonings- we use oregano and cumin- bring to a boil, cover, cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and cover with cilantro and let sit. You have no idea how good this is. No he doesn’t measure the above ingredients- follow the instructions on the rice. Next up- now that the rice is cooked and the turkey mix is cooked- you can cook up a can of organic black beans in a pan– season with garlic salt and cumin- and then get ready to layer away! Start with chopped romaine lettuce in a big bowl. 

    healthy taco recipes with ground turkey

    Add the rice (measure it out, I suggest if you are counting calories/macros) and then the beans (1/2 cup each is a good portion), then top with turkey mixture. 

    Then add your toppings: I add cilantro, chopped mango, chopped red onion or green onion and then this epic hot sauce: Yellowbird Serrano Sauce. OMG OBSESSED. I also top this with avocado– measured. This whole taco salad below is likely around 400 calories (I measured the whole recipe divided into 4 parts and each was 481 calories but I actually had a smaller portion so I’d say I was closer to 400) If you wrapped this in 2 separate flour tortillas you’d add more carbs and about 200 calories. Still not bad at all. 

    You can also substitute shredded chicken here- cook in the instant pot and then warm up on the stove with spices and cheese and Ro-Tel. You can also do grass fed beef! Other great toppings- chopped up peppers, tomatoes, a sweet salsa etc. 

    Healthy Fish Tacos Recipe- Option One with Blackened Tilapia

    Y’all- these are soooo good. And so fast and easy to make. We are– you guessed it- obsessed. My man and I every time we make them are like OMG THESE ARE SO GOOD!! So easy- 
    So, tilapia is not an ideal fish but get over it – sometimes you go fast and easy. Get some tilapia filets and my man will season them with Emeril’s Blackening Seasoning and cook them in that Our Place pan- easy peasy. Then, he will toast up the tortillas (he does corn, I do flour or – will try some gluten free ones in the future. My experience is that gluten free are higher calories so what gives…I go for flour) so they are crunchy and delish– again, here’s where you watch your oil. He uses olive oil. I will spray the pan with Pam or Avocado spray. I need to watch my calories and fat intake more than him so I do that. While he’s doing the tilapia and tortillas- I chop up:
    avocado- add SALT after you chop up your avocado they are so much more flavorful trust me!
    cilantro
    mango
    pre-made cole slaw — but only the cabbage not the dressing
    We then just make our own tacos- I lay the tortilla down and cover the bottom with this avocado crema sauce we just discovered (measure it!!) or this is another sauce we just found and love– you can try this one too: spicy chipotle mayo. MMMM. Then I add the cole slaw then I add tilapia then avocado and mango then sprinkle with cilantro and top with the Yellowbird Serrano Sauce.  
    ENJOY. You’ll be obsessed.

    The Latest Addition: Healthy Mahi Mahi Tacos Recipe. OMG

    healthy shrimp taco recipes

    I’m a little embarrassed that I don’t have fancy blogger photos of this meal- but we are making this again probably tomorrow LOL I’m not joking- so I’ll take some then. I had “street tacos” at our favorite Mexican restaurant Tiago’s- and it was sooooo good I had to try and copy. So I looked up on their menu what was in it and we re-created it– it’s essentially:
    Mahi-Mahi– you can buy in fish taco chunks at the grocery store- brilliant!
    Steve cooked them up with olive oil and fresh basil and garlic and oregano- it was to die for.
    Cheddar- sharp cheddar cheese
    Cilantro
    Mango
    Cabbage
    Chipotle Mayo
    As you can see– we did the same thing. Cooked the tortillas (I use Pam not olive oil)- I spread the measured chipotle mayo on the bottom- add cheddar (measured) and then the cole slaw mix, then the fish, then avocado and mango and fresh cilantro. HEAVEN! HEAVEN. You can have 2 of these as prepared like that for about 500 calories. 
    This is healthy living. There are so many combos and tastes to mix up it’s awesome- and each meal is a great mix of protein/carbs/minimal fats. As long as you don’t “wing it” with throwing all these ingredients together and eating a TON — you can be pleasantly full with a wonderful delish experience and — stay on track with your diet plans. 

    BUENO. What recipe are you going to make first?? Do tell! And share your ideas with me too! 

    Update: You Must Try Egglife Tortillas. OMG.

    I think I randomly discovered these bad boys when ordering from Amazon Prime Now and OMG thank God I ordered them. We still love Siete but these…..I can’t describe it- they are more supple, they are more tortilla-ish to me. More flexible. 25 calories each. If I could buy in bulk like in boxes of a hundred I would. Order however you can, they are the bomb.

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  • How To Make Delicious and Healthy Protein Balls.

    If you spend any time on Pinterest, no doubt you’ve seen plenty of protein ball and energy bite recipes floating around. Once you start making some of these protein balls at home- and you realize how easy it is to make homemade protein balls- and how perfectly portion-sized they are — you’ll understand why EVERYONE is obsessed with making homemade healthy protein balls. (Please note: this post was originally published on FitFluential, I’ve updated it and added my own ingredients/ideas)

    Honestly, I now make a batch for my man and me about every other day. I don’t make HUGE batches, and I’ve become comfortable enough with the ingredients/ratios to experiment a bit and come up with my own “recipes” if you will.

    These little nuggets of deliciousness not only taste great, but are super easy to make and so good for you. And in non-quaratine times, they are outrageously portable too. A perfect way to control the ingredients in what you eat (avoiding added sugar or preservatives), these bites will serve many purposes throughout your busy week. This is really a key point to consider- especially if you are like me and have to avoid specific foods/ingredients due to food reactivity or food intolerances.

    This would be me most days around 2pm wanting something with WHEAT or GLUTEN in it and not being able to have any.

    To summarize, based on the Oxford Technologies food reactivity test I had done– I currently have to avoid: Corn (most reactive for me- and OMG y’all, corn is in EVERYTHING packaged– as corn syrup and even corn starch is in a lot of things), Wheat, Yeast, Flax, Soy, Bananas, Mangoes, Turkey, Zucchini, Peppers, Onions, Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and a few others– oddly enough, I did NOT test reactive to DAIRY and I’ve been avoiding dairy most of my adult life!! When I realized that so many of these things that I need to avoid (and many of you- if you are Celiac or you are working on your gut health etc.– you have to be diligent about not consuming ingredients/foods that will aggravate your gut and cause distress or an autoimmune response) are in even some fantastic healthy foods (for example, my favorite healthy brownies from Flax4Life have…..FLAX in it- I can’t have it)- I realize that for me, if I want to satisfy my raging sweet tooth, it’s best for me to make homemade healthy snacks where I KNOW exactly what is in them. Hence, the protein balls addiction has become a thing.

    NOTE: The folks from Oxford Labs will be on our podcast coming up- because every time I share how life-changing that test was, EVERYONE asks me about it and how to get it- be sure you are subscribed- on iTunes or Spotify, I Heart Radio etc. Or you can simply catch all new episodes here on TheKellyOShow.com. BOOYA.

    Chocolate Protein Balls

    I also LOVE the portion size: most of the recipes I’ve made are about 125-150 calories per ball– so you can’t go eating them without restraint. For me, ever since I started focusing FIRST AND FOREMOST on caloric deficit in order to lose weight (and realizing that this is what WORKS- FYI I am down 5lb in my first 2 weeks of my new challenge. Details in the next blog post coming up- be sure you are subscribed!!) — AND now that I am weighing myself every morning (huge accountability factor!) knowing the calorie count for each protein ball keeps me in check- both my man and I have given each other permission to make sure we only eat 2-3 at a time.

    Yup- this is me about every other day making these peanut butter balls.

    Want to eat sweet treats and still lose weight? I’ve got you.

    Ok- so smack dab in the middle of this post I must call this out. My passion is getting FIT and healthy and helping YOU do the same. So I want to be sure I direct you to some of the best and most relevant posts/podcasts I’ve published on WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BUST THROUGH THAT PLATEAU– because I don’t want you to make the mistakes I made for too long- like thinking “oh if I just eat CLEAN- and make healthy sweets recipes like this one on Kelly Olexa’s blog– I’ll lose weight!!”- nope. I’ve broken through all the fitness BS I’ve been listening to for too long and I’m losing weight! (5lbs in the past 2 weeks y’all by keeping the main thing the main thing! I want to HELP you do the same!)

    So-here are some links — I STRONGLY URGE you to listen/read all of them- because once you have the huge A-hA moments I did- and you get that caloric deficit is the #1 most important thing for you– then you can come back here and make protein balls every day- and not be scared about bingeing on them– because your mind is in the right place.

    • CLICK HERE to read why you need to cut out snacking, in my opinion (hint: the man and I eat protein bites yes but 90% of the time it’s our DESSERT. I occasionally have a snack but never mindless snacking- and more often we have treats like this as DESSERT after a meal)
    • CLICK HERE to listen to my podcast with Bonnie Pfiester on why we need to get a grip and learn that we must DIET and DIET RIGHT for a short period of time to lose the weight.
    • CLICK HERE to read my detailed blog about why you probably aren’t losing weight and how to fix that.
    • CLICK HERE to read my post on what I’m doing NOW to get fit and keep losing weight during the Coronavirus Quarantine.
    • CLICK HERE to read my post on how NOT to GAIN WEIGHT during Coronavirus Quarantine time.
    • CLICK HERE to follow my Pinterest Board with tons of Protein Balls/Energy Balls recipes.
    • CLICK HERE to follow The Kelly O Show Pinterest Board with tons of Bombtastic Balls Recipes.

    Grab a couple for breakfast along with some fruit and Greek yogurt. Grab a bite before your workout for an energy burst. Hungry in between meals? These bites are your friend. In fact, any time you want to grab something quick and convenient to satisfy hunger pangs— protein bites are a perfect solution. Also: they are kid-friendly. Little hands love grabbing these little healthy bites.

    Here’s what you’ll get nutrition-wise from these bites:

    • a nice pop of protein, from the whey powder and the nut butters – Please note, I use Isagenix Undenatured Whey Protein- because I wanted to find a protein powder that was Sucralose-Free and offered #plantbased options- if you’d like to order some from me, use the Contact Me form, I’m happy to help as I am an independent rep for the company now, because my man and I are obsessed with their nutritional products.
    • fiber from the oats and nuts
    • healthy fats from the nut butters

    Since there are about a million different recipes and variations, it can get a little overwhelming to know where to start. If you’ve never tried making these healthy bites before, this post will break down the basics of what types of ingredients go into protein balls.

    How to make protein balls

    After you make your first batch, you may want to experiment with different flavors and add-ons. There’s really no wrong way to make these, so get creative with the flavors and ingredients you like best.

    Here are the basics:

    • Pick a nut butter: you’ll need to choose one in this category, because of the sticky consistency. The nut butter will help to hold the other ingredients together. Some of my favorites: NUTTZO and Nuts N More and Smuckers All Natural
    • Pick a protein powder: again this category is essential to the bites as it provides the protein and flavor while counteracting the stickiness of the nut butters. I use Isagenix Undenatured Whey Protein- because I wanted to find a protein powder that was Sucralose-Free and offered #plantbased options- if you’d like to order some from me, use the Contact Me form, I’m happy to help as I am an independent rep for the company now, because my man and I are obsessed with their nutritional products.
    • Add an extra or two: You can choose one of more from this category. Oats, dried fruits, chocolate chips, coconut, or crushed nuts. For a flavor boost, try vanilla extract or cinnamon.
    • Add seeds if desired: Superfood chia seeds, hemp or flaxseeds are great choices that provide some extra nutrition.
    • Make it sweet: honey, applesauce, maple syrup are great choices for their sticky texture. Liquid stevia also works well, depending on your taste. One of the recipes I’ve been obsessing over lately uses 1 TBS of Coconut Oil too.

    Now that you’ve chosen your ingredients, all that’s left to do is:

    1. Mix your ingredients together
    2. Form into bite sized balls
    3. Chill before eating. THIS IS KEY- and often I find if I chill the dough BEFORE making into balls, they are easier to handle.

    Basic Protein Bites Recipe – yields about 18 bites

    • 2 Scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
    • 1/2 cup nut butter
    • 1/4 cup sticky sweetener
    • 1 cup oats
    • extras as desired (chia seeds, etc.)

    Mix together your dry ingredients first. In a separate bowl, combine nut butter and sticky sweetener (if desired, microwave for about 8 seconds for easier mixing). Add sticky ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together. Add your extras if desired. Roll into balls and chill before eating! Enjoy!

    These bites can stay about a week in the fridge, but usually they don’t last that long.  Each recipe is slightly different, and you’ll want to experiment with the ratio of dry ingredients to wet, to find the right consistency for your favorite bites. If you use fewer sticky ingredients, you can always add a bit of almond milk to help make the ingredients easier to stir.

    BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

    Ok- so if you are digging this post-I have some more for you. First of all, I have really been digging this recipe from Erin Lives Whole blog. CLICK HERE to check it out. This has been the one I’ve been making a lot of — notice she does not use protein powder — I am experimenting with varying some ingredients here and adding my favorite Birthday Cake flavor protein from Isagenix– stay tuned; note, it’s not as simple as just adding some scoops of protein powder to a recipe- you gotta nerd around with it to get the proportions right or you’ll have the equivalent of a bunch of sand in a bowl. 😉

    So- do YOU have a favorite protein ball recipe? Let me know in the comments below or use the contact me form to send me a link, I’ll do a round up on amazing balls recipes next month if I get a good number of links!

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