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  3. 19 Healthy Taco Recipes to Make Over Your Taco Tuesday

19 Healthy Taco Recipes to Make Over Your Taco Tuesday

January 25, 2014
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Credit: Kan Kanbayashi
These lightened recipes turn up the heat, but keep the calorie count low.
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Healthier taco recipes

Tacos 3 Ways! Cut the fat with turkey. Or fish. Or make 'em vegetarian!

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Soft Tacos With Spicy Chicken

Credit: Leigh Beisch

Try this recipe: Soft Tacos With Spicy Chicken

Marinating the chicken breasts with vinegar, spices, and onion adds flavor and creates a tender base for this easy recipe. Add salsa, lettuce, and avocado slices to top these tacos off.

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, bay leaf, oregano, chipotle chiles, red onion, white wine vinegar, olive oil, dark beer, corn tortillas, cilantro, salsa

Calories: 225

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Fish Tacos With Cabbage-Carrot Slaw and Spicy Crema

Try this recipe: Fish Tacos With Cabbage-Carrot Slaw and Spicy Crema

Tilapia offers lean protein and a mild base for all the zesty flavor from adobo sauce, chili powder, and cilantro. You'll love the crunch from the red cabbage, a veggie hailing from the same disease-fighting family as broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Ingredients: Light sour cream, adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles, jicama, red cabbage, carrots, cilantro, lime, olive oil, salt, pepper, tilapia fillets, chili powder, paprika, cumin, corn tortillas

Calories: 357

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Steak Tacos With Simple Guacamole

Try this recipe: Steak Tacos With Simple Guacamole

This taco has a decadent taste, but is completely diet-friendly. Instead of using cheese, which is high in saturated fat, this recipe uses guacamole, which is rich in hearty-healthy fats. You'll be satisfied without doing damage to your waistline.

Ingredients: Vegetable oil, Mexican oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic, flank steak, onion, red and yellow bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, avocados, lime juice, flour tortillas

Calories: 490

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Pork-and-Black Bean Tacos

Credit: Kate Sears

Try this recipe: Pork-and-Black Bean Tacos

This recipe uses leftovers from Horseradish-Crusted Pork Tenderloin to create an unusual but delicious dinner. And with 23 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, you won't be tempted to have a midnight snack.

Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, black beans, olive oil, Brussels sprouts, garlic, cider vinegar, sweet potatoes, chipotle chiles, corn taco shells, red onion, sour cream, limes

Calories: 363

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Skillet Veggie Tacos

Try this recipe: Skillet Veggie Tacos

This low-cal taco adds a kick with the addition of jalapeño peppers. Plus the veggies and beans add 5 grams of filling fiber and 8 grams of protein.

Ingredients: Red bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, jalapeño peppers, garlic, olive oil, cumin, oregano, sweet white wine, pinto beans, fat-free tortillas, feta cheese

Calories: 200

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Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Tacos

Credit: Yunhee Kim

Try this recipe: Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Tacos

A salsa, cilantro, and lime juice topping adds a spicy layer to these otherwise mild tacos. And shrimp is rich in iron, which gives you energy and keeps your immune system healthy.

Ingredients: Shrimp, black beans, scallions, avocado, salsa verde, cilantro, limes, flour tortillas, red bell pepper

Calories: 453

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Tex-Mex Beef Tacos

Try this recipe: Tex-Mex Beef Tacos

This recipe satisfies your craving for Mexican food, contains little fat thanks to lean ground sirloin, and is easy and quick to prepare. You can also serve it with fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, salsa, and fat-free sour cream.

Ingredients: Onion, garlic, sirloin, frozen corn, black beans, tomato sauce, chipotle chiles, fat-free tortillas

Calories: 266

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Fish Tacos

Credit: Quentin Bacon

Try this recipe: Fish Tacos

Mango and avocado create a rich mix of sweet and salty flavors, while the marinated tilapia adds a tangy citrus element. The radishes have a mild bitterness, a nice complement to this 450-calorie dish.

Ingredients: Red wine vinegar, sugar, chili powder, red onion, radishes, tilapia, limes, garlic, mango, avocado, cilantro, canola oil, corn tortillas, salsa verde

Calories: 449

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Adobo-Lime Chicken Tacos

Credit: Con Poulos

Try this recipe: Adobo-Lime Chicken Tacos

Tired of your same old chicken breasts? Shred them and toss them with these south-of-the-border flavors for an exciting update to your regular quick chicken dinner.

Ingredients: Roasted chicken breast, fresh cilantro, light sour cream, lime juice, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced garlic, sea salt, ground black pepper, packaged, broccoli slaw mix, seasoned rice vinegar, radishes, taco shells, jarred salsa verde

Calories: 248

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Fish Tacos With Sesame Ginger Slaw

Credit: Jim Bathie

Try this recipe: Fish Tacos With Sesame Ginger Slaw

Replacing mayo with Greek yogurt helps cut the fat content from the slaw atop this tasty taco, which gets its tangy flavor from sesame oil, lime juice, fresh ginger, honey, and low-sodium soy sauce for Tex-Mex with a twist.

Ingredients: Tilapia fillets, cooking spray, salt, pepper, Greek-style low-fat yogurt, lime juice, dark sesame oil, low-sodium soy sauce, ginger, honey, coleslaw mix, corn tortillas

Calories: 390

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Mojo Turkey Tacos

These tacos get a healthy makeover by using turkey as the main lean protein. It all comes together with some beans, avocado, and a little cheese. It’s the perfect, easy weeknight dinner.

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Chicken Pomegranate Guac Tacos

Credit: Jonny Valiant

Try this recipe: Chicken Pomegranate Guac Tacos

This fruity taco comes from Devin Alexander, New York Times best-selling author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook series. Pomegranate seeds, like similarly hued red wine, contain loads of inflammation-fighting antioxidants.

Ingredients: Boneless and skinless chicken breast, olive oil spray, salt-free Mexican seasoning, salt, avocado, pomegranate seeds, lime, garlic, corn tortillas, red onion, red cabbage, low-fat queso fresco.

Calories: 374

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Skirt Steak Tacos

Credit: Greg Dupree

Try this recipe: Skirt Steak Tacos

Beef is an excellent source of vitamin B12, a nutrient essential for energy, and skirt steak is leaner than some other cuts of red meat. Radishes add some refreshing flavor, as well as potassium and folate.

Ingredients: Skirt steak, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, red onion, limes, grapeseed oil, tomato, radishes, extra-virgin olive oil, corn tortillas, cilantro, queso fresco

Calories: 390

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"Chorizo" Tacos

Credit: Quentin Bacon

Try this recipe: "Chorizo" Tacos

Our faux "chorizo" is sure to fool even the biggest carnivores. Flavorful chili powder helps tofu mimic the meaty original while substantially cutting back on saturated fat. Don't worry: You're still taking in 18g of protein per serving, plus vitamin C from the red bell peppers, onions, and lime.

Ingredients: Corn tortillas, olive oil, red onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, firm tofu, red bell pepper, chili powder, limes, fresh cilantro, fresh scallions

Calories: 317

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Shrimp Soft Taco With Mango Lime Salsa

Credit: Photo: Jim Franco

Try this recipe: Shrimp Soft Taco With Mango Lime Salsa

It only takes six ingredients to whip up this sweet and tangy mango lime salsa–and you'll want to put it on everything. The fruity mixture pairs perfectly with the lean protein in shrimp. Shrimp also offers energizing iron and vitamin B12.

Ingredients: Red onion, mango, cilantro, lime juice, salt, cayenne pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, shrimp, black pepper, four tortilla, fat-free sour cream

Calories: 573

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Black Bean Tacos

Credit: Jim Bathie

Try this recipe: Black Bean Tacos

Thanks to their fiber and protein, black beans are a lightened-up-taco lover's best friend. If you use pre-washed lettuce and pre-shredded carrot, you can have this filling meal ready in 10 minutes or less.

Ingredients: Black beans, corn tortillas, shredded cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, carrot, salsa

Calories: 380

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Baja Fish Tacos

Credit: Leigh Beisch

Try this recipe: Baja Fish Tacos

Cut back on the fat in beef tacos with a leaner protein, like these mahi mahi tacos (which can be made with any firm white fish fillets). You'll get healthier fats from the omega-3s in the seafood and the monounsaturated kind in creamy avocado. Cilantro and lime combine for a refreshing and tangy topping, while the cabbage adds vitamin C and fiber.

Ingredients: Mahi mahi, fajita seasoning, green cabbage, lime juice, salt, cilantro, corn tortillas, reduced-fat sour cream, avocado, salsa, lime wedges

Calories: 235

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Squash Tacos With Avocado

Credit: William Brinson

Try this recipe: Squash Tacos With Avocado

You can make these vegan tacos with butternut or acorn squash–just look for a vibrant gourd that feels heavy for its size and firm to the touch. Either way, squash delivers a dose of vitamins and antioxidants for very few calories.

Ingredients: Butternut or acorn squash, chili powder, garlic, corn tortillas, avocado, cilantro, white onion, lime, olive oil, salt, pepper

Calories: 336

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Pulled-Pork Tacos

Credit: Kan Kanbayashi

Try this recipe: Pulled-Pork Tacos

Rich pork becomes ultra-tender in the slow cooker. You'll love the smoky flavor combination of unsweetened cocoa and chili powder. Add a little hot sauce if you can handle the heat; the active ingredient in spicy peppers, capsaicin, can help rev your metabolism.

Ingredients: Salsa, chili powder, dried oregano, unsweetened cocoa, pork butt or shoulder, corn tortillas, cilantro sprigs, sour cream, limes

Calories: 574

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Everything in This Slideshow

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1 of 20 Healthier taco recipes
2 of 20 Soft Tacos With Spicy Chicken
3 of 20 Fish Tacos With Cabbage-Carrot Slaw and Spicy Crema
4 of 20 Steak Tacos With Simple Guacamole
5 of 20 Pork-and-Black Bean Tacos
6 of 20 Skillet Veggie Tacos
7 of 20 Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Tacos
8 of 20 Tex-Mex Beef Tacos
9 of 20 Fish Tacos
10 of 20 Adobo-Lime Chicken Tacos
11 of 20 Fish Tacos With Sesame Ginger Slaw
12 of 20 Mojo Turkey Tacos
13 of 20 Chicken Pomegranate Guac Tacos
14 of 20 Skirt Steak Tacos
15 of 20 "Chorizo" Tacos
16 of 20 Shrimp Soft Taco With Mango Lime Salsa
17 of 20 Black Bean Tacos
18 of 20 Baja Fish Tacos
19 of 20 Squash Tacos With Avocado
20 of 20 Pulled-Pork Tacos

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19 Healthy Taco Recipes to Make Over Your Taco Tuesday
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