Carb Solutions: Steak Tacos with Mango Pear Slaw
By Dennis Linden
Of course, there is no substitute for that wonderful flavor of a shredded beef taco topped with traditional Mexican cheese in a crunchy toasted shell. The most popular cheese variety for this combo is Cotija, which is extremely high in salt and saturated fat. Not to mention that any quick ‘net search will produce multiple studies supporting what is now believed to be dietary fact: consuming too many fried foods will increase the risk of cardiovascular issues. One order of tacos to go, please, with a side of heart disease?
In fact, here’s a convenient list of the taco “stuff” that should be avoided that will at least limit calories, fat, and salt: fried shells, fried meats-seafood-or-vegetables (including fried avocado!), queso sauce, crema, sour cream, sugar-sweetened salsas, mayo-based sauces and refried beans made with lard. Without these tasty condiments, this sounds like the perfect recipe for a very boring, yet healthy, taco without all that good stuff. However, with a little creativity (cheese is so unimaginative!), shredded beef flavored with one of Melissa’s salsas and topped with a few seasonal fresh fruits-turned-condiments, then Taco Tuesdays can be a deliciously low carb, fat and salt-free weekly tradition.
September kicks off the new crop pear season. The Anjou pear has always enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best varieties for cooking (poaching, baking, grilling) because they hold their shape well. However, when eaten out of hand or sliced into a salad, the variety is extremely juicy with a creamy texture and subtle sweetness. That said—a fresh pear in a taco, anyone? Why not add a little tropical flare to the mix with a ripened mango?! Both are so much better nutritionally than the previously mentioned list of condiment culprits! Although, this slaw did not start out as a taco topping…
On the way to celebrating the fall harvest in this blog space with a standalone pear-cabbage slaw, I bumped into a tasty taco topping! That is, once the side dish slaw was decided upon it generated a quick fridge search looking for a main course to pair with it. However, the only cohesive ingredients were some tortillas, a bowl of shredded beef and a tub of Melissa’s salsa. PLAN B: The side dish turns taco topping with the help of some cilantro, lime juice and a fresh mango! Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Taqueria salsa makes for a ready-made marinade. Instead of using a marinated meat, this slaw has a lightness about it that would also work deliciously on fish tacos! And, though the topping idea was ingredient driven, this dish could still be served as a refreshing side dish with grilled chicken or steak! The point is that with smart topping choices Taco Tuesday does not have to also be the busiest night of the week at the ER!
Mango-Pear Slaw
Ingredients
½ lb. steak strips, marinated
Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Taqueria Salsa (marinade)
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 ripe pear, chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
Small corn tortillas (slightly seared over open stove flame)
Preparation
Slice your favorite steak cut into thin strips, and marinate overnight in Melissa’s Taqueria Salsa.
Prepare all the slaw ingredients.
Toss to combine, add in lime juice and toss to coat. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Taco assembly: Sear steak strips to taste over high flame while also cooking tortillas to taste. Fill each tortilla with the desired amount of beef the top with slaw. Garnish with additional lime if desired.
Over half of the U.S. adult population, some 154 million, qualify as being overweight or obese. Another 29 million of us have Diabetes, many as a direct result of being overweight. Then there are the 23.9 million overweight children who are dutifully following the example of their XXL adult role models. Diabetes and these extra pounds cost this country billions annually in both medical and economic resources; not to mention the effect these weight-related maladies have on a person’s overall mental well-being and happiness. However, both diabetes and being overweight are very manageable, even preventable, with a few lifestyle tweaks. By maintaining a sensible diet in conjunction with some consistent exercise, no matter how minimal, we can all be in total control of our own weight. One easy way to start taking that control is to make decisions about the foods we eat based on the glycemic index [GI] and glycemic load [GL].
Simply put, our bodies convert all foods into sugar calories that provide energy to the body via the blood stream. The Glycemic Index assigns a score of 1 to 100 to all foods based on how speedy the body converts that food into sugar. Foods that break down slowly enable the body to assimilate theses calories of energy more efficiently without overwhelming the body with more sugar than it can process. While this is especially important for diabetics who process sugars much slower than others, everyone can benefit from eating foods that have low glycemic scores since they also reduce appetite and encourage the metabolism to burn body fat. Conversely, a diet of foods high on the glycemic charts have been proven to actually increase appetite and impede effective fat oxidation.
A QUICKIE GLYCEMIC PRIMER:
If one just counts the basic taco ingredients of shredded meat and lettuce sprinkled with a hot sauce, wrapped in a small corn tortilla, then tacos can be a good source of protein and fiber that is low in calories. However, all those other favorite condiments and toppings that we love to pile on, in and around the taco can significantly increase calories, fat content and salt. This is particularly true when dining out. One order of tacos (2) from a traditional Mexican taqueria, which is the word used for taco stands in Mexico, could contain more than 1,500 calories and sixty grams of fat!Simply put, our bodies convert all foods into sugar calories that provide energy to the body via the blood stream. The Glycemic Index assigns a score of 1 to 100 to all foods based on how speedy the body converts that food into sugar. Foods that break down slowly enable the body to assimilate theses calories of energy more efficiently without overwhelming the body with more sugar than it can process. While this is especially important for diabetics who process sugars much slower than others, everyone can benefit from eating foods that have low glycemic scores since they also reduce appetite and encourage the metabolism to burn body fat. Conversely, a diet of foods high on the glycemic charts have been proven to actually increase appetite and impede effective fat oxidation.
A QUICKIE GLYCEMIC PRIMER:
- The glycemic index of a food compares its effect on blood sugar level to that of pure glucose, which has a score of 100. White breads, which are made of processed white flour, are at the top of this scale, scoring a “perfect” 100 on the glycemic index. For perspective, a score of 55 or below denotes a low glycemic index food; 70 or above is considered very high. Serving size is not a consideration in arriving at a food’s Glycemic Index number.
- The glycemic load, on the other hand, focuses on how much digestible carbohydrates (sugars) a food contains in a typical single serving, which is defined as approximately 3.5 ounces. For glycemic load, a score of 20 or more is high, while 10 or less is low.
Of course, there is no substitute for that wonderful flavor of a shredded beef taco topped with traditional Mexican cheese in a crunchy toasted shell. The most popular cheese variety for this combo is Cotija, which is extremely high in salt and saturated fat. Not to mention that any quick ‘net search will produce multiple studies supporting what is now believed to be dietary fact: consuming too many fried foods will increase the risk of cardiovascular issues. One order of tacos to go, please, with a side of heart disease?
In fact, here’s a convenient list of the taco “stuff” that should be avoided that will at least limit calories, fat, and salt: fried shells, fried meats-seafood-or-vegetables (including fried avocado!), queso sauce, crema, sour cream, sugar-sweetened salsas, mayo-based sauces and refried beans made with lard. Without these tasty condiments, this sounds like the perfect recipe for a very boring, yet healthy, taco without all that good stuff. However, with a little creativity (cheese is so unimaginative!), shredded beef flavored with one of Melissa’s salsas and topped with a few seasonal fresh fruits-turned-condiments, then Taco Tuesdays can be a deliciously low carb, fat and salt-free weekly tradition.
September kicks off the new crop pear season. The Anjou pear has always enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best varieties for cooking (poaching, baking, grilling) because they hold their shape well. However, when eaten out of hand or sliced into a salad, the variety is extremely juicy with a creamy texture and subtle sweetness. That said—a fresh pear in a taco, anyone? Why not add a little tropical flare to the mix with a ripened mango?! Both are so much better nutritionally than the previously mentioned list of condiment culprits! Although, this slaw did not start out as a taco topping…
On the way to celebrating the fall harvest in this blog space with a standalone pear-cabbage slaw, I bumped into a tasty taco topping! That is, once the side dish slaw was decided upon it generated a quick fridge search looking for a main course to pair with it. However, the only cohesive ingredients were some tortillas, a bowl of shredded beef and a tub of Melissa’s salsa. PLAN B: The side dish turns taco topping with the help of some cilantro, lime juice and a fresh mango! Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Taqueria salsa makes for a ready-made marinade. Instead of using a marinated meat, this slaw has a lightness about it that would also work deliciously on fish tacos! And, though the topping idea was ingredient driven, this dish could still be served as a refreshing side dish with grilled chicken or steak! The point is that with smart topping choices Taco Tuesday does not have to also be the busiest night of the week at the ER!
Mango-Pear Slaw
½ lb. steak strips, marinated
Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Taqueria Salsa (marinade)
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 ripe pear, chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
Small corn tortillas (slightly seared over open stove flame)
Preparation
