I was grinning like the Cheshire cat as my family ate dinner the other night.  Why?  I was watching them eat a meal filled with foods that normally might have required some cajoling, but instead it was being gobbled bite after bite.  We had tacos, which doesn’t sound spectacular, I know.  What was done with the tacos, however, was what led to my happy smile.  Rather than plain old greasy meat in a shell, this tiny wonder boasted four vegetables, a lean protein, fiber-rich beans, and low-fat dairy.

Happy Tacos

Rather than a fatty ground beef, I used a 99% fat-free ground chicken, seasoning it as usual.  (Even if you stop at this step, you’ve already improved your meal tremendously).  Next I added ½ cup of pureed butternut squash, a trick learned from Deceptively Delicious, followed by a medium-sized zucchini, shredded into the mix.  A can of black beans and two finely diced tomatoes (canned would work fine) went in last, and then I mixed well.  Neither of my daughters would normally eat tomatoes, and zucchini is always a wild card, but tonight there was no discussion.  Spooned into taco shells and garnished with baby spinach, low-fat sour cream, and shredded cheddar, no one was the wiser.  Only the healthier.

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