I miss Big Macs. Not that they ever went away. I don’t mean to cause a run on McDonald’s.

What I mean is, as I’ve been working on building healthier habits for the past few months, I’ve been finding myself experiencing cravings I’ve never had before.

I know some people may be fast food haters. I’ve heard all kinds of opinions about the grease and the effects it has on some people’s stomachs. But that’s never been me. Growing up, if you could put a burger, a burrito or fried chicken in my hands in less than 20 minutes, I was happy to have it.

Nowadays, I’m more intentional about avoiding foods through a window, since so many of them are high in calories and low in actual nutrition. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still love all of those foods. Or that I don’t hear their siren song just like everyone else does.

This week – and I’m not sure why – the song I was hearing was to the tune of a Big Mac. Even though I used to be a double cheeseburger person (thanks to the superior meat-to-bun ratio), I felt like I could taste the Big Mac sauce. And a burger with three pieces of bread in it? The very idea lit my brain up like a Christmas tree.

For days, the thought wouldn’t go away. It felt like every day, I woke up almost tasting a Big Mac. I tried eating other salty, healthier foods. I tried eating low-sugar sweets, in case I was just craving a dopamine hit. But no matter what I did, the Big Mac felt like it was on the tip of my tongue.

So what’s a girl to do when her brain zeroes in on something like that? Well, there wasn’t much for it. I had to have a Big Mac. But instead of allowing the large burger’s song to slowly lure me toward the rocky shore, where I would be trapped forever in the land of salt and grease, I decided to look up recipes for a Big Mac dupe.

One thing I’ve learned over the past few months – there’s a whole community of online influencers who have made it their life’s work to let you eat fast food without gaining weight.

Sometimes, that means they come up with a combination of items to order through the actual window to get the most bang for your calories. Other times, they come up with their own recipes for high protein, low calorie versions of the items you know and love. The latter is what I found, when the sweet voices of the Big Mac started to draw me in.

I searched on Instagram for a version that would fit my high protein goals, and I came across this Big Mac tacos recipe by @fitfoodieliving.

It calls for a “tortilla” made out of cheese and pickles, which feels strange at first, but is a really fun substitute for a classic flour tortilla. Or, if you want to use a normal tortilla, and just top it with the burger meat and toppings, that’s fine too!

Let me know if you try this recipe, and what you think of the different types of “tortillas.” Or, if you have any other fast food favorite swaps, drop me an email! I’d love to hear about it.

BIG MAC TACOS

(Adapted from Fit Foodie Living)

Ingredients
Tortillas:
1/4 fat free shredded cheese
2-3 Tablespoons pickles

Toppings:
2 ounces extra lean ground beef (seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper)
Shredded lettuce
Diced pickles
Diced onions
Diced tomatoes

Big Mac sauce:
3 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon sugar free ketchup
1 Tablespoon dill relish
2 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions
■ For tortillas: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
■ Rinse and dry cheese and sprinkle on baking sheet in a circle shape. Dry pickles with paper towel and place them on the cheese.
■ Bake cheese and pickles for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese becomes golden and hardens.
■ For tacos: Season ground beef before browning on stovetop in a skillet over medium high heat. Once fully cooked, add to each “tortilla.” Add shredded lettuce, pickles, onions and tomatoes.
■ Mix together all ingredients for Big Mac sauce. Drizzle across each taco liberally. Enjoy!