No preservatives taco seasoning

Winter is really holding on here in Upstate NY, so I figured I would wade my way back into blog land by sharing some all season recipes. I love the simplicity and ease of seasoning mixes, it is amazing how fast a meal can come together when you just have to brown some meat, mix in some seasonings and simmer! What I don't love is ingredients I can't read, and really know I don't want to ingest. So I have been experimenting with my very own seasoning mixes! It took a little trial and error (and everyone's tastes are different) but this taco seasoning is an awesome, and chemical free substitution for those little packets!

So Here is what you will need:

Cumin, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Measuring Spoons, Bowl, and a container to store your mix!


Measure out your seasonings, you can definitely alter the proportions to your tastes, but this is what I use for a seasoning blend with just a slight kick.

One whole tbsp of:
Cumin
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika

One whole tsp of:
Chili Powder

One scant tsp of:
Black Pepper
Salt

Anywhere from 1/2 to 1 tsp of:
Cayenne Pepper (Cayenne is really strong! So play with how much you put in. If you are a wimp like me start with the 1/2 tsp, if you like it hot hot hot, go for a whole tsp!)


Stir your mix up,

And then put it in your container of choice. I love Simply Organic seasonings because they come in really nice glass jars and I love reusing them! Usually I just refill the jars with bulk seasonings from a coop, but sometimes I don't need more of something and can use the jar for seasoning mixes!

And here you have taco seasoning mix you can feel good about!

Now, will this mix give you that bright red/orange color that the packets do? No. Mostly because there is no artificial coloring in this one, clearly a good thing! If your taco meat is not a pleasing enough color for you, sprinkle in a little more paprika, it adds a lot of color without altering the flavor too much. Another thing this seasoning doesn't do that the packet does is thicken on it's own. Now that may not be important to you, but if it is we can make that happen easily. Once your meat is cooked through sprinkle in a few tbsp of flour and stir it into the meat and let it cook for a minute or two. Then add water like you would with the packet mix, stir, and simmer until it is a good thickness.

I usually make this in a double or triple batch and store it in my glass jar with the rest of my spices, because we have taco's fairly regularly in my house. I usually use ground turkey breast for my taco meat, and add a small palmful of the seasoning. I also toss in a dash of my favorite cajun seasoning to kick up the heat if we are in the mood for spicy that day.

Enjoy this seasoning mix and remember it is super versatile, try adding it to beans, rice, and dips for an extra kick. As always happy eating!