Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. (Yay!) Today's taco recipes include Grilled Asparagus and Avocado Tacos and Potato Tacos. (Yes, you read that right!) Enjoy!

GRILL VEGETARIAN TACOS

This was on the Runner’s World website (by Meghan Kita, posted on June 28, 2013), and begins, “Ivy Stark, runner and executive chef for Dos Caminos in New York City, loves this healthy, filling recipe.”

The article begins, “Unless you're a no-meat athlete, your grill likely cooks hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts, or steaks almost every time you fire it up. Sure, you'll throw on some veggies as a side dish, but the meat tends to take center grate.

“...You'll need to oil your grill and your avocadoes really well to ensure that they don't stick. The asparagus, you can just toss in oil before grilling. It's time-consuming to make your own refried beans, but they'll come out much fresher — and much less metallic-tasting — than ones from the can.”

GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND AVOCADO TACOS

Recipes by Ivy Stark, executive chef at Dos Caminos

View this online at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a20846612/recipe-grilled-asparagus-and-avocado-tacos/.

Ingredients

12 corn tortillas

12 teaspoons cucumber pico de gallo (recipe below)

12 ounces refried white beans (recipe below) OR store-bought refried beans

12 spears grilled asparagus

2 ripe hass avocados, grilled (oil them AND the grill really well to prevent sticking) and cut into twelve slices

12 teaspoons queso fresco

Directions

Warm the corn tortillas by placing them on a warm griddle for 30 seconds.

Place 1 ounce beans into each of the tortillas.

Cut asparagus in half and place on top of beans.

Place 1 slice of grilled avocado in each tortilla.

Top avocado with 1 teaspoon of cucumber pico de gallo in each taco.

Sprinkle with queso fresco. Serves 4.

CUCUMBER PICO DE GALLO

Ingredients

2 kirby cucumbers, ends trimmed and then peeled

1/2 small red onion, finely diced

2 roma tomatoes, finely diced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1 serrano chile, finely chopped

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon olive oil

salt

Directions

Finely dice the cucumbers, combine with the remaining ingredients, and season with salt.

Let stand 30 minutes before serving.

REFRIED WHITE BEANS

Ingredients

1 cup dried cannellini beans

2 serrano chiles, split

1/2 gallon water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons lemon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Wash the cannellini beans in a colander under the faucet.

Spread the beans out on a sheet pan or counter and sort through. Discard any stray dirt, stones, or shriveled beans.

Bring the water to a boil in a medium stock pot. Add the beans and the serranos.

Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook, skimming foam from the top occasionally, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.

To test for doneness, taste three or four of the smaller beans. They should be cooked through and creamy inside.

Drain the beans, and reserve the liquid.

Mash the beans, along with about a tablespoon of the bean cooking liquid, with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until creamy but not completely mashed.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion with the oregano and salt until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the mashed beans and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the beans form a mass that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes.

Puree in the blender, while adding the lemon olive oil in a steady stream.

Season with salt to taste.

GREEK CHICKPEA TACOS

I found this, along with five other taco recipes, on the Runner’s World website (posted on June 26, 2018), though it’s originally from the Prevention test kitchen.

This recipe begins, “Bring the Mediterranean diet to taco night: This dish delivers probiotic-rich Greek yogurt, stomach-soothing mint, and 10 grams of fiber per serving for healthy digestion.”

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes

This can be found at https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a21946015/healthy-taco-recipes/. They were originally from: Prevention US.

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

4 whole wheat pitas (6" diameter), warmed

2 c mixed spring greens

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 c pitted kalamata olives, sliced

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and grated (reserve and dice extra cucumber for garnish, if desired)

1 c plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint + leaves for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Mash chickpeas with 1 Tbsp lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano in medium bowl. Spread one-quarter of mixture on each pita. Top with greens, tomato, onion, and olives.

Combine cucumber, yogurt, mint, remaining 1 Tbsp lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of kosher salt in medium bowl. Drizzle over taco fillings. Top with mint leaves and diced cucumber, if desired.

Per serving: 429 calories, 17 g protein, 58 g carb, 10 g fiber, 6 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 16.5 g fat, 3.5 g sat fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 696 mg sodium

POTATO TACOS

Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "These tasty tacos are spicy! Feel free to reduce the amount of chipotle if you prefer milder flavor." Serves 2.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1/2 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 medium potato, baked and diced

1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

2 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Instructions:

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add chipotle, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds. Add potato, toss well to coat and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Divide potato mixture among tortillas and serve hot, garnished with condiments as desired.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 181 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 0 g

TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES, SQUASH AND PEPPERS (RAJAS)

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera." Yield: Serves 4; Time: 40 minutes.

This was featured in "Vegetarian Taco Night" and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground

1 teaspoon mild chili powder

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound summer squash, preferably a dense squash like Ronde de Nice, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in half-moons

1 pound mixed sweet and hot peppers (such as a mix of poblanos and bell peppers), roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch strips

8 warm corn tortillas

1 recipe salsa ranchera (without chipotles)

3 ounces goat cheese (about 3/4 cup crumbled)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place potatoes on one baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, 3/4 teaspoon each of the ground cumin and chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread in an even layer.

Place squash and onion slices on other parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with the remaining olive oil, salt to taste, cumin and chili powder.

Depending on the size of your oven, roast vegetables together or separately on the middle rack. Roast potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Roast squash and onions for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until tender and lightly colored. Remove from oven and add to bowl with potatoes. Add pepper strips (rajas) and toss together. Season to taste with salt, and add more chili powder if desired. Keep warm.

Spoon filling onto warm tortillas and add a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with goat cheese and serve.