Stir-crazy cooking: Potato tacos a good balance between meat-free and comfort food

My wife and I have different tastes when it comes to some foods. She is genetically disinclined to like cilantro, while I'm a salsa fanatic (heavy on the cilantro, please!). She loves yellow mustard, and I can't stand it. Dark chocolate for me, milk chocolate for her.

One thing we can agree on is a love of tacos, though.

A few years ago, when we were trying to cut our salt intake, we found a taco seasoning recipe that knocks the socks off any of the prepackaged ones we grew up eating.

For a while, we used it exclusively for ground beef tacos, but then we started branching out and using it as a marinade for steak tacos. I've used it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey (and it's probably just as good simmered into some shredded chicken, too).

One day we were inspired to try it on potatoes — regular or sweet potatoes — as a more veggie-friendly option. It was a win.

You can load up on even more vegetables by serving the seasoned potatoes on a spinach salad with chopped onions and jalapeño, cherry or grape tomatoes, diced red or yellow pepper, a little cheddar cheese and some salsa. It's a great way of packing leftovers for lunch the next day.

And if you're feeling lazy or don't have potatoes at home, this works just as well on frozen french fries, too. (Don't ask me how I know that.)

• Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor and local music junkie. Email him at bshamie@dailyherald.com, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter (@thatshamieguy) or Instagram (@chicagosoundcheck). Brian also keeps tabs on the Chicago-area music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.

Potato/Sweet Potato Tacos

2 medium-sized russet or sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

½ tablespoon of olive oil

2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix (recipe below)

Taco shells and your favorite fixings (If you're using sweet potatoes, I highly recommend adding black beans.)

In a medium bowl, toss diced potatoes with oil to coat. Then toss with the seasoning.

We made ours in our air fryer at 400 degrees for 12 minutes (shaken up about halfway through) or until lightly crispy. You can also cook them in a conventional oven on a baking sheet lined with foil for about 35 minutes (stirred up halfway through).

Taco Seasoning

1 part garlic powder

1 part onion powder

1 part cumin

1 part chili powder

¼ part salt

¼ to ½ part red pepper flakes (to taste)

I put the recipe in parts instead of measurements because I usually make a bunch and store it in a jar. For use, 3-4 tablespoons is generally good for 1 pound of ground beef.