Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 medium red onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1lb ground meat (pork, turkey, beef, mix, or plain veggie ground)
3 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coriander seed powder
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp water

Lettuce wraps: boston lettuce, crisp romaine, endive, raddichio, etc.
Toppings: avocado/guacamole, cashew sour cream, sautéed bell peppers, pico de gallo, sliced onions, feta/cotija, etc.

Method

1. Heat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat.
2. Add olive oil and diced onions to the pan and sauté until golden brown.
3. Add garlic to the pan, stir, then add the ground meat.
4. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Allow to cook until the pink of the meat has just disappeared (or the veggie ground is almost heated through completely), breaking up the meat occasionally as it continues to cook.
6. Add spices to the meat and mix to coat the meat entirely.
7. Add the water to the pan and allow the meat to cook until most of the water is evaporated and the meat is cooked through (breaking up the biggest chunks of meat to reveal the interior is the best way to tell if it’s cooked through; you should no longer see any pink).
8. Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
9. To assemble: break off and wash the number of lettuce leaves that you will be using to wrap your taco fillings in. Microwave your taco meat for 1.5-2.5 minutes (depending on how powerful your microwave is). Top the lettuce wraps with choice of meat and choice of toppings and enjoy!

Notes:

1. Choose lettuces that naturally create a taco or pocket shape to hold the ingredients in, and are malleable enough to wrap the food without breaking but crisp enough to easily bite through.
2. My favourite topping is avocado because it adds creaminess, but avos are expensive in Canada and not always available. If I don’t have avos, I’ll make the cashew sour cream from Oh She Glows since I always have cashews on hand – I don’t need to spend money on additional ingredients!
3. If your meat is a bit dry or lower in fat, you may want to add 1-2 tsp of water to the taco meat mix before microwaving it. You can also heat the meat up in a small pan or sauce pot with the same amount of water if you are opposed to using or do not have a microwave.