Don't Need Much Money is exactly what it sounds like: a site about needing less, so you have more. More time. More freedom. More room to actually live. The idea is simple. The less money you need to survive, the more time you have to thrive. Lower your living costs, live a healthy lifestyle focused on longevity and mobility, stay out of debt, and build a little savings, and you buy yourself something far more valuable than money: time. Time to do what you actually love, spend with people you care about, and put toward things that matter. This site is my own real life running that experiment. Most of what you'll find here are recipes and day-to-day habits. They aren't filler posts, it's intentional. Cooking from scratch, buying smart, wasting less, eating well, and staying healhty, fit, and limber all without spending much are some of the most direct ways I practice this philosophy day to day. This blog doubles as my own recipe box and exercise notes, and I share it b...
I use taco seasoning mostly for seasoning beans and soups since I eat mostly vegan. I would alternate between using the store bought packet version versus my own blend of spices from the cupboard, and I always preferred the taco seasoning packet. On occasion, I would also do a test using ground beef or ground turkey to make taco meat, and the winner was hands down the store bought packet version. Just using spices never resulted in that glossy, thick texture on the meat that the store packets get. Turns out the secret isn't the spice blend at all, it's cornstarch and a touch of flour. I turned to AI to see if it could help unlock the secret combination of ingredients, and boy was it successful. I now have a perfect scratch-made blend of seasoning where I can control the heat and salt levels.
The Spice & Seasoning Blend
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp cayenne or black pepper, depending on how much heat you want
The Packet Secret (Thickeners & Flavor Enhancers)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, this is what gives you that glossy, rich sauce body
- 1 tsp all purpose flour, adds body and helps bind the fat and water together
- 1 or ½ tsp salt, depending on desired sodium level
- ½ tsp granulated sugar, balances out the acidity from the chili powder and salt
- ⅛ tsp citric acid, or a tiny dash of MSG (optional). Ortega leans on citric acid for a subtle tang, McCormick leans more on MSG or yeast extract for savory depth
This comes out to about 3.85 tablespoons total, just shy of a ¼ cup, which is the ratio built to properly thicken up against ¾ cup of water per pound of meat (or beans).
How to Use It (1 Pound of Ground Beef or Turkey)
- Brown and drain. Brown 1 lb of meat in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain most of the fat but leave a tablespoon or two in the pan for flavor.
- Add the seasoning. Turn the heat down to medium. Sprinkle the whole batch of seasoning over the meat and stir for about a minute to toast the spices and cook off the raw flour taste.
- Add water. Pour in ¾ cup of water.
- Thicken. Bring it to a simmer. The cornstarch and flour activate fast once the liquid heats up. Drop the heat to low and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring the whole time, until it's a thick sauce coating everything.
For beans or soup, skip the browning step and just stir the seasoning blend straight into the pot along with the water, then simmer until it thickens.
McCormick Style vs. Ortega Style
For McCormick, skip the sugar, bump the chili powder up slightly, and add a pinch of MSG or a splash of beef bouillon or soy sauce to the water for a deeper savory note.
For Ortega, keep the ½ tsp sugar and add the pinch of citric acid, or a small drop of lemon juice in the water. Ortega has a noticeably sweeter, slightly tangy, almost tomato-adjacent flavor compared to McCormick.
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