Kids in the Kitchen: Mini Taco Cups

SparkPeople.com

By Chef Meg Galvin, Healthy Cooking Expert at SparkPeople.com

These bite-size tacos are always a hit in our house! They're ready in no time, and they require almost no cooking skills. Kids of almost any age can help with this recipe.

You'll find phyllo dough shells in the grocer's freezer; choose whole wheat if they're available. You can fill these tiny tacos with anything you like. The basic "recipe" uses black beans, Cheddar cheese and tomato salsa, but the sky's the limit with fillings. (Psst, mom: This is a great time to sneak in some veggies.)

Let the kids whip up a batch the next time they have a friend over. They can't make too much of a mess with this recipe--and no sharp knives required.

Minutes to Prepare: 5

Minutes to Cook: 12

Ingredients

Special equipment needed:
Mini muffin tins

1 package phyllo dough cups
3/4 cup vegetarian, fat-free refried beans
1 1/2 teaspoons Chef Meg's Taco Seasoning
2 tablespoons black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons sharp cheddar, shredded
2 tablespoons mild salsa

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the phyllo dough shells in the mini muffin pan.

Combine the refried beans and taco seasoning. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way full with the seasoned beans. Top with a half teaspoon each of the black beans and cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and top with 1/2 teaspoon salsa.

Makes 12 mini cups. Serve warm.

  • Calories: 59.4

  • Total Fat: 1.2 g

  • Sodium: 148.7 mg

  • Total Carbs: 9.7 g

  • Fiber: 1.4 g

  • Protein: 2.2 g

Tips:

  • Instead of the black beans, use a bit of leftover cooked chicken or ground beef.

  • Swap pepper jack, Colby or a Mexican blend for the Cheddar.

  • Use salsa verde, or a fruit or corn salsa in place of the tomato salsa.

More fun do-it-themselves snacks for kids:

Carrot-Cranberry Salad

Fruit Kebabs with Coconut Yogurt

"Fried" Cheese Sticks

SparkPeople Healthy Cooking Expert Meg Galvin is a World Master Chef, culinary instructor, and the author of "The SparkPeople Cookbook: Love Your Food, Lose the Weight." A farmer's daughter and marathon runner, she lives in northern Kentucky with her husband and three teenage sons.