Trader Joe's Mini Beef Taco's

I have seen the Trader Joe's Mini Beef Taco's time and time again while shopping at my local Trader Joe's. I love taco's (I don't believe I know a person who doesn't) so I felt ... who couldn't love mini tacos?! I thought they'd be a great appetizer whenever guests were over or even as a meal paired with a salad and perhaps another protein.

 

After not having a clear idea of what to have for dinner one night I decided to pull these out of the freezer to whip up as a quick and easy dinner for a few folks. I sprayed non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet, layered on the frozen tacos, gave them a light spritz of cooking spray and popped them into the oven per packaging directions.

 

Taking them out of the oven, I found the taco shells them self were crispy but not overly. The filling was hot ... and they kind of reminded me of taco (that's not to healthy) at a local fast food restaurant. Tasting them they're pretty good ... they're filled with what looks like a shredded beef mixture which has that classic taco flavor but not being spicy or bland. The taco shells provide a bit of a crunch while still maintaining a chewy quality.

 

They're good on their own while I also enjoyed them alongside a chopped salad with a side of salsa. They're a fun little finger food which tasty. I wouldn't say these would fill you up, but if you have decent and filling sides with them you should be good to go.

 

A serving, 4 mini tacos, is 190 calories or 5 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Taco Shells

I love tacos ... but there aren't many taco shells on the market that I find to be worth it. I've heard how fabulous the Trader Joe's Taco Shells are but I've bypassed them from time to time. Finally my store had them in stock so I made sure to pick up a box to give a whirl.

What I found to be the most intriguing about the taco shells from the box alone is that they're made from organic stone ground yellow corn. I've heard people rave about these taco shells but I've always thought a taco shell is a taco shell. Well ... that's not quite true. I love my nacho flavored taco shells, but these particular shells are fabulous! They get nice and crunchy, while also providing a little bit of chewiness when the shell is stuffed with taco meat and toppings. They hold up nicely, don't fall apart and are a perfect taco shell. They're fresh and flavorful ... definitely my favorite taco shell to date. You can heat them prior to eating or you can eat them straight out of the box (if you're eating straight out of the box allow the filling to 'heat' the shell a bit and it'll give it a little more chew).

A serving, 2 shells, is 130 calories or 3 points plus values.