Happy Taco Tuesday! These hard-shell burritos are one of our favorite Mexican dishes. They’re fun to prepare and very versatile with their variety of toppings, sauces, shells, fillings, and spices.

STEP ONE – Preparations

1. Get out a medium pot, a small pot, and a glass measuring cup.
2. Get out two small bowls.
3. Get out a potato masher and a cheese grater.

STEP TWO – Prepare the Fillings

Spanish Rice Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup of medium grain rice
¼ cup of minced onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 ½ cups of vegetable broth
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
½ teaspoon of fine sea salt

Instructions:

1. Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes the broth in the glass measuring cup and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in the medium pot and add in the rice.
3. Stir to coat and cook until the rice is lightly browned.
4. Add in the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add in the broth, tomato paste, and salt.
6. Bring the rice to a boil, lower to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the rice from the heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

Refried Beans Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1 15-ounce can of beans (black, kidney, pinto, etc.)
Chili powder, cumin, salt
Lime juice from ½ a lime

Instructions:

1. Warm the oil over medium heat in a small pot and add the garlic to cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add in the drained and rinsed beans, along with 1/2 a teaspoon each of the spices and lime juice.
3. Cook for 5 minutes and mash to a smooth consistency with a potato masher.

Other fillings:

Grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey jack, Colby, etc.)
Chopped vegetables (lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red peppers)

STEP THREE – Prepare the Sauces

Pico de Gallo Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, diced
¼ of an onion, minced
Dash of hot sauce
Lime juice from half a lime
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
½ teaspoon of salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Cover and refrigerate.

Guacamole Ingredients:

1-2 avocados, mashed
1 small tomato, diced
¼ of an onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Lime juice from ½ a lime
1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, minced
½ teaspoon of salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Cover and refrigerate.

STEP FOUR – Assemble the Tacos

Set out the following ingredients in bowls or on plates with serving utensils:

• 1 package of hard-shell tacos warmed briefly in the oven
• Refried beans
• Spanish rice
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped vegetables
• Pico de Gallo
• Guacamole
• Sour cream

Instructions:

1. Put 2-3 shells on a plate.
2. Fill with your choice of ingredients.

Recommended serving size: 2-3 tacos

Exchanges: 2 starch*

*The Exchanges for the fillings are:

⅓ cup of rice: 1 starch
½ cup of refried beans: 1 starch OR 1 protein
1 ounce of cheese: 1 protein
1 cup of vegetables: 1 veg
2 tablespoons of guacamole: 1 fat
2 tablespoons of sour cream: 1 fat