One of the first things we ever gave up from the SAD (Standard American Diet) was taco seasoning. When I realized that MSG was a primary ingredient, I got angry. Angry that I had been deceived for so many years into thinking it was a benign ingredient and that if I didn’t get a headache from it, like so many do, then it was okay to eat. It’s NOT okay. Ever.
Yes, MSG can occur naturally in some foods but we’re not talking natural. We’re talking chemically produced in order to signal your brain to eat more, to excite your taste buds to crave and give your body unnatural signals. That’s NOT okay with me.
Making my own taco seasoning was the solution and honestly, folks, it’s so darned easy I can’t believe everyone doesn’t do it. Those yellow packets are expensive for what you’re actually getting.
Now, I have also switched over to organic spices so, of course, my mixture will be more expensive than your every day spices on the grocery store shelf. That’s okay. Start somewhere. Start today. They don’t have to be organic.
The reason I switched is because spices are dried and therefore concentrated. We generally don’t use a lot of them all at once so it may be something you’d like to switch to organic over time, replacing each bottle as you finish it. That’s how I did it and now I have a whole drawer full of organic choices. It feels really good.
I played around with spice mixtures for years, making one then tweaking it. Making another then tweaking it. I finally landed here. It works for us but it can be amended if you like it spicier or milder. For a while I couldn’t eat black pepper so I left that ingredient out.
Best way to do this is to gather all the spices you need then line them up. I measure them out individually in small containers then mix it up. That way if you mess up an amount, it doesn’t alter up the whole mixture. It’s called mise en place. (The preparation of ingredients before assembly.) I use this technique every single day. In my opinon, it’s the cornerstone of good cooking.
- ½ c. + 2 Tbls. chili powder
- 2 ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 2 ½ tsp. onion powder
- 2 ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 ½ tsp. oregano
- 2 ½ tsp. paprika
- 5 Tbls. cumin
- 4 Tbls. salt
- 2 Tbls. cup ground black pepper
- Mix all together and store in a cool dark place.
- To use for seasoning meat: Use 2-3 Tbls. plus ½ cup water to 1 lb. of meat.
- Simmer over medium heat until liquid is gone.
[gview file=”http://www.mrfarmersdaughter.com/wp-content/uploads/Taco-Seasoning-pint.pdf”]