Turkey tacos an easy midweek treat

Here's a healthy, easy midweek menu that should make everyone happy: Turkey tacos served in crispy shells.

I haven't made these in a while and had a hankering. They remind me a bit of the horrible lunches from grade school. Thankfully, times have changed and my homemade version is simple to prepare and tasty.

There's a good recipe to follow in the "Joy of Cooking," but I only used it for inspiration.

Cruising the aisles of Trader Joe's is where I found the bulk of what was needed: ground, lean turkey meat; a can of fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles; and a box of crispy corn taco shells. You can find all these ingredients elsewhere too. I happen to like Trader Joe's for price and quality.

Brown up the turkey meat (you could easily substitute ground beef, chicken, pork or tofu); add seasonings including chili powder, cumin, garlic, cilantro, coriander and salt and pepper. The pre-packaged taco seasonings usually are overloaded with sodium and don't taste as good as blending spices yourself. One exception: I have Penzey's Chicken Taco Seasoning that adds bold flavors without too much heat or packaged mix blech. A splash of Tabasco or a pinch of cayenne would heat things up.

Heat the shells for a minute in a toaster oven and serve with sour cream, fresh salsa and guacamole. I served the tacos with a fresh salad too.

What are some of your favorite midweek menus? Let us know by posting a comment below.