Sara Haas: Meet the Food & Nutrition Expert Who Will Up Your Taco Night Game Kitchen Talk

Sara Haas is a food and nutrition expert with a background in the culinary arts, a national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – and maybe your new best friend. Why? Because her soon-to-be-released cookbook is about one of our favorite foods: tacos! “Taco! Taco! Taco! The Ultimate Taco Cookbook” hits the book stores on May 29, but Sara shared a little about the book and why she has a passion for tacos. Read on…

Q. What inspired you to write “Taco! Taco! Taco! The Ultimate Taco Cookbook?”

“I really love tacos and I’m really passionate about getting people in their kitchens. We’ve lost that connection to our food. I think it’s important to know how to cook – it’s a basic life skill. I use tacos as a fun, approachable way to get in the kitchen and cook. No one’s intimidated by tacos, right? Plus, I also love that tacos can truly be ANYTHING! You can fill them with your favorite flavors and you’ll enjoy every bite!”

Q. People live for taco night! Why are tacos so popular?

“I think it’s because they are so flavorful, fun and easy to eat.”

Q. Lots of people are cutting down on meat consumption. What are some good meatless taco fillings?

“I personally think meatless tacos are some of the tastiest tacos! I love using roasted chickpeas as a filling or a bunch of roasted vegetables. I also really liked crispy tofu. Honestly, any veggie is good inside a taco!”

Q. How can we cut down on the fat and calories in typical tacos?

“There are plenty of ways to do that. I think the easiest way to do that is cut down on the portion size. Instead of eating three tacos, enjoy two instead. Use cheese, but use flavorful version so you don’t need to use a lot. Swap out sour cream for plain Greek yogurt. Fill your tacos with plenty of vegetables and fresh salsas. Go with soft, whole wheat/whole grain tortillas instead of fried taco shells.”

Q. Can you share some new, exciting taco fillings?

“I think it’s all about unexpected fillings. In the book, I have everything from Bahn Mi Tacos to S’mores Tacos!”

Q. What’s your favorite taco in the book?

“So hard to pick a favorite, because really, they all are. But if I had to choose a few, they would be the Mediterranean Tacos, the Fried Egg With Dukka Tacos and the Drunken Slow Cooker Pork Tacos.”

Be sure to check out the taco recipes from the cookbook Sara shared with the 30Seconds tribe!