Homemade Double Decker Tacos

I love Taco Bell. Don't ask me why, I don't know. There's something about cheap, unhealthy Tex-Mex that's like a siren call to me. It was love at first bite when I had my first Bean Burrito many, many years ago. Unfortunately, my adult mind knows how unhealthy their food is, so I'm stuck trying to re-create healthier options at home.

I actually got this recipe from Cooking Light. Yep, that's right. Cooking Light. The hubby said he would never guess any double decker taco recipe would come from Cooking Light. So I showed him the recipe, which you can find here. Their recipe is lightened up from the fast food version with lean ground beef, fat-free refried beans, reduced-fat sour cream, and some restraint with the cheese. I found this delightful, and didn't even miss the calories. The hubby didn't even know I used fat-free beans and reduced-fat sour cream. If I wasn't watching my diet I would have served this with spanish rice, however I ended up serving this with a romaine lettuce and tomato salad with an avocado lime cilantro dressing. Still yummy :)

Cooking Light's version offers its own taco seasoning, however I had some of my own homemade taco seasoning so I used that instead.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1(lb) 93% lean ground beef
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup fat-free refried beans
4 (6 in) flour tortillas
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
4 hard taco shells
1/2 cup thinly sliced lettuce
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef to pan, stir to crumble. Cook until browned.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder through onion powder. Add spice mixture to the beef, along with 1 cup of water. Cook until water is reduced, and the sauce is thick (1-2 minutes).
4. Spread refried beans onto flour tortilla. Top with 2 tbsp of cheese. Place on a baking sheet, and put under broiler. Broil 1-2 minutes, or until cheese melts. Carefully wrap flour tortilla around a hard taco shell, pressing gently on the sides until the cheese sticks to the shell. Repeat with other tortillas. Fill taco shell with beef mixture, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream.
5. Enjoy your homemade and healthier Taco Bell :)

I hope every had a fun-filled Memorial Day Weekend!

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light*