Foodsday Tuesday: Comfort Food

For some people, it's chicken soup. For others, mac'n'cheese or mashed potatoes. For me, it always comes in the form of something spicy and Mexican. Enchiladas, usually. One problem: enchiladas are decidedly diet-unfriendly, and, well, I'm dieting. So what's a girl to do when she's craving some good ol' South of the Border comfort food but can't allow herself all that oil and cheese?

She makes soft tacos - or burritos. And she fills them with a healthy—or at least, healthier—alternative to what you usually find therein. What follows is the recipe for the delicious meat filling that I made over the weekend. All told, it was significantly healthier than anything I could have gotten at Plaza Garibaldi. As always with my recipes, amounts given are inexact, and extra ingredients may be added to your liking.

Spicy Beef and Potato Taco Filling
1.25 pounds lean (90% or higher) ground beef
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon light cooking oil
Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste
1 medium-sized potato
1/4 tomato, sliced
1 jalapeño, chopped finely
1 4-oz. can of chopped green chiles
1 12 or 16-oz can of diced tomatoes with chilies (the spicier the better)

Sautee onions in oil until they begin to turn brown. Add meat to pan, season liberally with salt, pepper, and cumin. As meat is browning, punch holes in potato with a fork, then microwave for six minutes, or until it is soft and almost completely baked. Cook meat until it is almost browned but still slightly pink, then drain. Return to pan, then cube potato and add to meat. Turn heat to medium and add tomato and jalapeño; stir constantly until they have softened, then add remaining ingredients and heat through.

Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas. Top with shredded low fat cheese, if desired.

Serves at least four.

Image that amused me for some reason via Flickr user General Wesc.