Taco Tuesday using a Slow Cooker

It’s TACO TUESDAY! (Lebron James voice) I love tacos but don’t most people? This week, I’ll give you recipes that help you utilize your kitchen Christmas gifts. To make these low carb, sub the tortilla for lettuce.

Carne Asada Tacos

This tender steak slow cooks down into a delicious mound of meat perfect for adding to corn tortilla shells.

What you’ll need:

2 pounds flank steak

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1/4 cup soy sauce 

2 tablespoons white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Corn or flour tortillas

To garnish:

Cilantro

Pico de Gallo

Cojita cheese

Avocado

How to:

1) In a small bowl, blend spice and oil together to create a marinade.

2) Rub marinade on each side of the flank steak, coating throughly.

3) Whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, and vinegar. Grease the crockpot then pour in half of the juice mixture.

4) Place the steak in the crockpot and pour the rest of the juice over the top.

5) Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

6) Remove steak from crockpot and let sit for 5-10 minutes.Thinly slice the steak against the grain then put back in crockpot to mix with juices.

7) Serve with corn tortillas, cilantro, pico de gallo, avocado, cotija, or other desired toppings.

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos are loaded with flavor, especially when slow cooked. Opt for a lighter meal by topping with avocado cream and lime.

What you’ll need:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup salsa

1 cup canned Rotel tomatoes

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chilli powder

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 Teaspoon Oregano

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

How to:

1) Combine salsa, canned tomatoes, and seasoning.

2) Place onions & chicken in the slow cooker and top with tomato mixture.

3) Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

4) Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Return to slow cooker and stir in juices.

5) Serve and top as desired.

Ground Turkey Tacos

Ditch the beef and eat the leaner version of a taco favorite!

2 Pounds Lean Ground turkey

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chilli powder

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 Teaspoon Oregano

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

2 Cups Salsa

How to:

1) Place ground turkey into slow cooker.  Top with seasonings and salsa.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. 

2) Serve with your favorite taco shells, burrito shells, tortilla chips, and toppings!

Jackfruit Tacos

This vegan treat is a guaranteed hit amongst plant based eaters! The jackfruit absorbs the spices of the taco seasoning and is perfectly cooked for stuffing a taco or taco salad.

What you’ll need:

1 small onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

canned chipotle in adobo, chopped

2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 can 14.5 oz diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup vegetable stock

cans jackfruit , drained and rinsed

Salt, pepper, Tony’s, garlic and onion powder to taste

How to:

1) Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir in jackfruit to coat.

2) Cook on high for 2 hours. Then, shred the jackfruit with two forks and stir it together with the sauce. If desired, transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and place it under the broiler for 5 minutes until the jackfruit get lightly charred and crispy.

3) Serve as desired with toppings.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp tacos are my absolute favorite! I love the juicy shrimp combined with the overflow of toppings inside a corn tortilla.

What you’ll need:

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and tails off

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

14.5 oz can fire roasted stewed tomatoes

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper

2  tsp minced garlic

Tony’s, salt and pepper to taste

3–4 tbsp chopped cilantro (2 –3 tbsp for plating)

Optional toppings – green onion, sour cream, avocado, jalapeno pepper, etc.

Tortillas to serve

How to:

1) Place slow cooker on high for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

2) Layer your raw shrimp at the bottom of pot.  Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Then mix in your chopped onion.

3) Pour fire roasted tomatoes and its juice over shrimp then add bell pepper and the rest of your ingredients, including your seasonings and cilantro. Stir all together.

4) Check on shrimp around 1 hour. If they look almost done, place on medium for another 30 minutes to hour.

5) Serve as desired.

Sadijah WallaceComment