Beef tacos: lean beef and yogurt, 200 fewer calories a serving.

Classic vs lighter, per serving.

The same beef tacos, made two ways from the same library entries and the same 4 servings. The lighter version is the one built on the screens below.

Saturated fat comes from the same USDA entries; the recipe sheet itself shows calories, protein, carbs and fat. Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice.

Swap by swap.

Each change in turn, from the classic to the lighter version, and what it does to one serving.

1. Use 95% lean beef instead of 80/20

−146 kcal, +5 g protein, −19 g fat, −6.8 g saturated fat a serving

For the same 500 g of beef, 146 kcal and 19 g of fat less a serving. The chili and cumin carry the flavour.

2. Use reduced-fat cheddar

−13 kcal, +1 g protein, −2 g fat, −0.9 g saturated fat a serving

The same 60 g of cheese takes 13 kcal and 2 g of fat off a serving.

3. Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream

−41 kcal, +2 g protein, −1 g carbs, −5 g fat, −3.2 g saturated fat a serving

120 g of nonfat Greek yogurt takes 41 kcal and 5 g of fat off a serving and adds protein.

The sample data

These are the amounts of the lighter version used on the screens below, with each figure taken from the library entry for that ingredient. They are sample figures for a pot or tray of this size, not a measurement of anyone's kitchen.

Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice. Ingredient values are from USDA FoodData Central, which is in the public domain.

Why this recipe

Tacos are a good recipe to build because the filling and the toppings are separate and each adds its own calories. A kit or a restaurant plate never lists them, and building your own shows what each topping adds in calories.

What to weigh

Weigh the beef raw, as the library entry describes it. The sample comes out at about 1,180 g from 1,288 g of raw ingredients, because water and some fat leave the beef as it browns. Fat that you drain is not subtracted, so the figures are a little high rather than low.

How to cook it

The method for the lighter version above, using the amounts in the sample data. Use a food thermometer to check the safe temperatures.

1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Chop the lettuce and tomatoes and grate or crumble the cheese.
2. Brown the beef in a large pan over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains (160°F, 71°C).
3. Add the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, then the chili powder, cumin, paprika, a pinch of salt and a splash of water. Cook for 2 minutes and finish with the lime juice.
4. Warm the tortillas in a dry pan for 20 to 30 seconds a side.
5. Fill the tortillas with the beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and the Greek yogurt.

At a glance

• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Makes 4 servings
• Per serving: 386 kcal, 39 g protein

Times are for a home kitchen and leave out any marinating or resting the steps mention.

Tips while you build it

• Weigh the beef before you brown it. A cooked weight is not what the library row describes.
• Lean beef browns with little fat, so there is nothing to drain. Add a splash of water with the spices if the pan looks dry.
• A serving is about 295 g, roughly three small tacos. Log by weight when you are measuring.

Go further

• Feeding a crowd? Build the classic as a second recipe, with 80% lean beef, regular cheddar and sour cream, and log whichever one you served.
• Warm the tortillas in a dry pan rather than frying them: the shell stays soft and takes no extra oil.

Each change is a second recipe with its own name, so the first stays as you built it.