This recipe is an amazing way to sneak in a lot of kale without having picky eaters complain! I was so pleasantly surprised at how the kale blended away among the spices and was not even noticeable. Kale is so good for you and I am always interested in new ways to incorporate it in a meal. In this case, it gets completely lost in all the other flavors of the dish. I love that the spice blend in this recipe is incredibly simple, yet it tastes even better than the (not-so-healthy) packets of taco seasoning from the store. Overall, it is not very spicy but it does have a little kick. If you want more spice, increase the amount of cayenne pepper to taste.
I served this kale, beef, and bean mixture on a bed of crisp greens for me and in small tortillas for my husband. I was curious to see how he would react to the kale being cooked into the mixture, but he did not even mention it and told me the dish was awesome! Win!
Did I mention this easily came together in well under 30 minutes? It is a great choice for a homemade meal on a busy weeknight. I have a feeling we will be enjoying this dish again soon!
I used lean, organic ground beef in this recipe, but I actually originally intended to use ground turkey. After reading this report (and several others) regarding the disgusting addition found in over 90% of ground turkey in the U.S., I am so hesitant to buy ground turkey now. Does this news enrage anyone else, or is it just me? I hate not knowing what goes into the food we put into our bodies. Anyway, perhaps organic, local, grass-fed beef is the way to go…at least for now.
You MUST try this recipe and let me know what you think. I have a feeling your whole family will enjoy it!!
Healthy Kale Taco Filling
Ingredients:
- 1.25 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 cups of chopped kale
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I only used 1/4 tsp)
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
1). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ground beef. Stir until cooked through. Add the diced red pepper.
2). Add the kale and mix together well until wilted. Add the spices and the black beans. Stir occasionally until heated through.
3). Remove from heat and serve in tortillas or on a bed of salad. Enjoy!
Servings: 6. Nutritional Information per 1/6 serving: Calories: 247 Fat: 8g Carbs: 17g Protein: 25g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 2g
WW+: 6 Old points: 5
Recipe adapted from http://greenlitebites.com/2012/10/11/kale-turkey-black-bean-taco-filling/
Audrey's Apron 
Thanks for the recipe. I think my family will love it. However, as a someone who needs to work with and verify many statistical reports I would be careful about believing anything by consumer reports. They rarely sight their sources which are always private owned companies (a red flag they are skewing their data for a specific benefit) and never show t-values or standard deviation. I would just find a lot more reliable sources before you change anything you do because you could be changing to a less safe/reliable/healthy product without knowing it.
Wow, Kristina, that is great information! Thank you so much for your comment! That is really insightful and I appreciate your knowledge so much. Thank you!!
Just wanted you to know that this is our family’s favorite recipe of the summer, I think. I get kale every week with our CSA and it’s a challenge to use it all. Now I use it for this and our family loves it (even the twin 4 year olds!) – so thanks! 🙂 A fun way to mix it up is to use it as a topping on baked sweet potatoes – sounds crazy, but it’s good!
Sara thank you SO much for stopping by and letting me know!! I’m so glad your family loved the recipe. And I love the idea of putting on a baked sweet potato…I can totally see how it would be delcious! I will have to try it! Thanks!! 🙂
I made these for dinner last night, with a few modifications (I never make anything exactly per the recipe!). I used TJ’s taco seasoning (since I had some), turkey, onion and kale. I served it with TJ’s salsa style refried beans, cheese and tortillas. It was a hit! Even my (starting to be picky) 22 month old ate it. My husband is avoiding grains so ate it without the tortilla and loved it.
Thanks!
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for reporting back! 🙂
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