All Purpose Mexican Seasoning

The most frustrating thing about dealing with food allergies is that they put allergens in the stupidest places.  Places that you would never imagine to find it.  LIKE wheat in soy sauce.  Or eggs and wheat in fake Rice Krispy Treats from Aldi.  Or taco seasoning.  I do realize that the flour serves as a thickening agent, so you don’t have liquid dribbling down your arm when you crunch into your taco, but there has GOT to be a better way!

I first looked into making my own seasoning when I was pregnant with my son and wanted to try to watch my salt intake.  I found and tweaked a recipe and then lost it, so I had to start all over again.  This is by far my favorite, and you can tweak it to your liking, if you like things milder or spicier.  I’ll post the recipe and then how I fix it with ground beef or chicken or whatever.  You can also make a huge batch of this and always have it on hand.

See below for some great taco tips!

All Purpose Mexican Seasoning
1 tablespoon gluten free flour (safe oat or rice flour would work)
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (Spice Islands from Sam’s Club)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
1/4 teaspoon sugar

*you can add some interest by using Ancho Chile Pepper or Chipotle Chile Pepper, both made by McCormick.  Check out their “Enspicelopedia.”

For ground beef (or turkey):  Cook 1 pound of ground beef and drain fat.  Add seasoning and 3/4 cup water and cook until sauce thickens.

For chicken: Cut chicken into pieces and cook in 1 TB oil until no longer pink.  Add 2 TB seasoning and a few tablespoons of water until sauce thickens.

I learned a neat trick from my mother in law and I will NOT go back!  I use a small can of tomato sauce instead of water in my ground beef.  It really adds a nice flavor and depth to the meat.  I only do this for tacos and burritos, though.