This is my go to recipe for chicken or beef tacos. It's super easy and doesn't take long to prepare however is full of flavour and very delicious. It's important to use grass fed or organic beef/chicken and organic toppings if you can as this will ensure that you are eating actual food without chemicals, additives, hormones etc. Have you looked at the ingredients of taco shells or tortillas? You'll be surprised once you look. There are so many different kinds of additives, fillers and chemicals that are not necessary. Try to choose tacos/tortillas made from non GMO corn and that don't have too many additives/chemicals. I use the brand "Garden of Eatin"

Ingredients:
.90 kg of extra lean ground chicken or lean ground beef
t tablespoon coconut or olive oil (only if you are using extra lean chicken or beef)
1 tablespoon of garlic
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of cumin
1/4 tsp of onion powder
1/2 to 1 tsp of red chilli powder (optional)

Garnish/toppings (optional):
cilantro
chopped onion
chopped tomatoes
chopped jalepeno peppers
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
shredded cheese

Serve in crispy or soft tortilla

1) Add coconut or olive oil to sauce pan and heat (skip this step if you aren't using extra lean meat).
2) Add ground chicken or beef  with garlic to heating pan and cook on medium until meat is almost done.

3) Add all the spices and cook until meat is completely ready.

4) Add lemon juice and garnish/toppings to your soft or crispy tortillas or taco shells.

Makes approx: 8 to 10 medium size crispy tacos
Calories per taco (without shell and toppings) for chicken: 126, Fat: 10g, Protein: 17g, Carbs: 1g, Fiber: 0g, Sodium: 151mg

Calories For beef: 142, Fat: 7g, Protein: 19g, Carbs: 1g, Fiber: 0, Sodium: 139 mg

The origin of this recipe is from my Gully Auntie who is known for making these so well. She had given me the recipe when i was in university and you can see my scribbled down recipe below in the "ingredients" picture. I have updated it or re-vamped it of course using my gluten free flour blend and coconut oil instead of margarine and coconut palm sugar instead of white sugar. These turn out great and have an awesome coconut flavour!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar or maple sugar (i don't like these too sweet, but if you do then add a bit more sugar)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of baking powder
a pinch of baking soda
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1/2 cup of coconut oil
1.5 to 2 cups of gluten free flour blend (i use 1.5 because i like them crumbly, so i substitute .5 cup of rice suji instead of the flour)
3 tablespoons of rice suji

natural food colour (yellow and red mixed together or orange)(OPTIONAL)
or you can decorate with a nut/raisin/a bit of chocolate in the middle

1) Add the first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl and let it sit for 10 mins.
2) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

3) Add coconut oil, flour and suji (add more suji if you like it crumbly using the measurement guide above).

4) Mix well with spatula and it will form a small ball.

5) Break tiny pieces off and roll them in your palm and then press flat.

16) Add orange dots in the middle using food colour. This gives you the traditional look for nankhatai but you can be creative and add a nut, raisin or a bit of chocolate to the middle.
17) Bake for approx. 20 mins or until the bottom is a golden brown colour.

Makes approx. 18 medium size cookies
Calories per cookie: 135, Fat: 7.5 g, Carbs: 9 g Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 6 g, Sodium: 324 mg, Protein: 2 g

Traditionally there is a lot of full fat cream in butter chicken and so i've been experimenting with different recipes not only to reduce the fat content but to also keep the creamy buttery taste. This is tough, because if you reduce the fat content too much the creamy taste disappears. I figured that the best alternative is to substitute for a healthier fat and use enough of it to get the creamy taste without the calories. My version uses a little bit of coconut cream, coconut milk and some greek yogurt to keep the creamy flavour but reducing the fat content. You can also substitute unsalted butter for coconut oil if you want a more authentic butter chicken taste.

Ingredients:
8 to 10 pieces of chicken (i use 3 chicken breast chopped up and 4 thighs chopped, skinless and boneless)
1/4 cup of low fat/skim organic greek yogurt (optional to make it more creamy/thicker)
1/2 cup of organic coconut cream
1-2 cups of skim organic unsweetened coconut milk
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoons of organic, extra virgin coconut oil
2 can of organic tomato sauce
4 tsp of garam masala
2-4 tsp of red chilli powder
1 tablespoon of crushed garlic
1/2 tablespoon of crushed ginger
2 tsp of turmeric powder
1.5 tsp of salt
2 tsp of black pepper
2 tsp of coriander powder
2 tsp of cumin powder
2 tsp of paprika
2 tsp of organic coconut sugar
1/4 cup of unsalted organic butter or 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

OPTIONAL:
Garnish with cilantro and chopped cashews
Add 2 tsp of mango powder to the spice mixture above
Add 2 tsp of cinnamon to the spice mixture above

Alternative Crockpot Version (more fat):
1) Instead of coconut cream and coconut milk, marinate with 1/2 cup of greek yogurt and half of the spices (black pepper, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika,turmeric, red chilli and garam masala.
2) Put oil or butter and saute onion with ginger and garlic with rest of the spices.
3) Add tomato sauce and saute for a few minutes.
4) Add marinated chicken to crockpot and then add tomato mixture on top and mix well.
5) Cook for 4-5 hrs on high.
6) Turn to low and add 1 litre of half and half (or full fat cream) and 1/4 cup of butter.
7) Stir and mix well.
8) Serve with rice and naan.

Instant Pot Version
1) Add oil or butter on sauté mode.
2) Add chopped onions and sauté well until golden brown
3) Add spices and sauté until fragrant
4) Cancel sauté mode and add washed chicken.
5) Add tomato sauce and layer another 1/4 cup of butter for a more authentic taste.
6) Close lid, seal and high pressure cook for 12 mins.
7) Natural release for 10 mins.
8) Stir in cream, yogurt, milk or cashew cream.
9)Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice and naan.

Vegan Version
Follow directions as per cooking method above, but instead of butter, use vegan butter. Instead of chicken use cauliflower and peas or tofu. Instead of cream or yogurt use soaked cashew. 1 cup of cashews soaked in hot water for a couple of hours or overnight. In food processor blend soaked cashews with 1/2 cup of water to create a cream.

1) Wash and chop chicken into cube size pieces and then marinate for at least an hour in 1/2 cup of coconut cream with 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander, cumin and paprika powders and 1 tsp of garam masala.
2) Chop onion and saute in coconut oil until golden brown.

3) Add remaining 1/2 tsp of black pepper, salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin and paprika powder along with 1 tsp of garam masala, red chilli powder and garlic and ginger.

4) Add chicken once you've sauteed the spices for a few minutes and then saute a few minutes more.

5) Add tomato sauce and coconut milk and simmer for 10-15 min or until chicken is cooked.

6) Turn off the stove, remove from heat and stir in the yogurt.
7) Garnish with cilantro and chopped cashews (optional) and serve with gluten free naan or cauliflower rice.

Serves 8-10
Calories per serving with cashews as a garnish: 147, Fat: 6 g, Carbs: 8g, Protein: 11g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 3 g, Sodium: 241 mg

This recipe is so simple with only 4 ingredients and these turn out so great! Thanks to Ashley at My Heartbeets.com for sharing this recipe!

Ingredients:
0.5 cup of almond flour
0.5 cup of tapioca flour
1 cup of coconut milk
1/2 tsp of salt
OPTIONAL:
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of onion powder
1/4 tsp of black pepper

1) Mix together dry ingredients. You can add each one of the optional ingredients together or separately - it's up to you.
2) Add coconut milk.

3) Blend with hand blender or whisk well.

4) Use 1/4 cup measure for smaller size and 1/2 cup measure for larger size. Using your cup measure, add mixture to frying pan or griddle. I used my crepe machine.

5) Turn over when browned well on one side and it's firm enough to flip over.

Serve hot with a little bit of coconut oil spread over each one or plain or with butter chicken.
Makes 10 small, 1/4 cup measure, naans
Calories: 57 per naan, Fat: 3 g, Protein: 1 g, Carbs: 6 g, Sodium: 93 mg, Fiber: 0 g