Healthy Taco Casserole and Skillet Taco Meatballs Recipes

Apr 28 2016
Looking for a new spin on Mexican food? Each of these healthy new recipes has a taco-licious twist!



Hungry Girl's Healthy Cheesy Taco Casserole Recipe

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1/6th of casserole: 225 calories, 7.5g total fat (3.5g sat. fat), 665mg sodium, 16g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 25g protein

Click for WW Points® value*

Our BFF cauliflower rice is at it again! It works SO well in this recipe. Beefy, cheesy, veggie goodness...

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Cool: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

5 cups roughly chopped cauliflower, or HG Alternative

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 lb. raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less), or HG Alternative

2 cups chopped brown mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup frozen sweet corn kernels, slightly thawed

1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup seeded and chopped tomatoes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9" X 13" baking pan with nonstick spray.

Pulse cauliflower in a blender until reduced to rice-sized pieces, working in batches as needed.

Bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook and stir cauliflower until partially softened, 6 - 8 minutes.

Transfer cauliflower to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup cheese, 1 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. each onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix thoroughly.

Evenly transfer cauliflower mixture to the baking pan, and smooth out the surface.

Clean skillet, if needed. Re-spray and bring to medium-high heat. Add beef, mushrooms, onion, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. each onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Cook, stir, and crumble until beef is fully cooked and veggies have softened, about 8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer skillet contents to the large bowl. Stir in corn and beans.

Spread beef mixture over cauliflower layer in the baking pan, and smooth out the top. Top with tomatoes and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake until entire dish is hot and cheese has melted, about 20 minutes.

Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

HG Alternative: Instead of blending 5 cups of roughly chopped cauliflower into rice-sized pieces, use 4 1/2 cups of premade cauliflower rice or crumbles, like the kinds by Trader Joe's and Green Giant.

HG Alternative: If made with lean ground turkey (7% fat or less), each serving will have 235 calories, 9.5g total fat (4g sat. fat), 678mg sodium, 16g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 4.5g sugars and 24.5g protein (SmartPoints® values*: 5 on Green Plan, 4 on Blue Plan, 4 on Purple Plan).

Hungry Girl's Healthy Skillet Taco Meatballs Recipe

Print Skillet Taco Meatballs Print

1/4th of recipe (5 meatballs with sauce): 263 calories, 8g total fat (3.5g sat. fat), 640mg sodium, 15.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 5.5g sugars, 31g protein

Click for WW Points® value*

Take the flavor of classic tacos, roll it up into meatballs, and top with cheese -- how can you go wrong? (You can't. That wasn't a real question.)

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 lb. raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less), or HG Alternative

1/4 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup egg whites (about 2 large eggs' worth)

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese

Directions:

Bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Cook and stir pepper and onion until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.

Add garlic, and cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Transfer skillet contents to a large bowl. Add crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. onion powder, and 1/8 tsp. paprika. Mix well.

In another large bowl, combine beef, breadcrumbs, egg whites, and remaining 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. onion powder, and 1/8 tsp. paprika. Mix thoroughly. Firmly and evenly form into 20 meatballs.

Clean skillet, if needed. Re-spray, and return to medium-high heat. Place meatballs in the skillet. Cook and rotate until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low. Carefully add tomato mixture, coating the meatballs. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Rearrange meatballs so they are close together in the center of the skillet. Sprinkle with cheese. Re-cover and cook for 2 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

HG Alternative: If made with lean ground turkey (7% fat or less), each serving will have 278 calories, 11g total fat (4.5g sat. fat), 660mg sodium, 15.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 5.5g sugars, and 30g protein (SmartPoints® values*: 6 on Green Plan, 5 on Blue Plan, 5 on Purple Plan).

Chew on this:

It's National Blueberry Pie Day, April 28th. Blueberries are fine, but we've got our eye on this Upside-Down Strawberry Pretzel Pie!

Taco Thursday can be a thing too -- click "Send to a Friend" now!

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*The WW Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the Points® trademark.

Questions on the WW Points® values listed? Click here.

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