Taco Tuesday

If you love tacos as much as I do, you won't mind that it's time for another Taco Tuesday.

While many of us grew up eating tacos that were nothing more than taco-shells-ground-beef-lettuce-tomatoes-and-cheese, they can be so much more, including totally meatless, as these tacos prove. Check out the Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Tacos, the Easy and Warm Farmstand Chili Tacos, or any of the other tacos in today's post. Enjoy!

CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.

This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt

4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

8 corn tortillas

Toppings

Avocado

Hot sauce

Salsa

Sour cream

Directions

In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.

In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.

As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.

Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.

Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Recipe Notes:

Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.

EASY AND WARM FARMSTAND CHILI TACOS

This is from Stephanie Lang, MS, RDN, CDN, who wrote for VeryWellFit. Stephanie wrote, “These chili tacos offer a rainbow of color—red (tomato), orange (sweet potato), yellow (summer squash), green (zucchini, green olives), and purple (pinto beans, red onion)—all from plant-based ingredients, making for an antioxidant-rich Mediterranean-style meal.

“All the ingredients get mixed together and baked in the oven, allowing for a relatively hands-off cooking experience. The finely chopped green olives add umami, a meat-like savoriness to the recipe. Use umami-enhancing ingredients like mushrooms, soy sauce, miso, tomato paste and olives to deepen the flavor of vegetarian dishes.

“Pinto beans provide the main source of protein in these tacos. Make this dish on Meatless Monday, or any day of the week, for a plant-based family favorite.”

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6 (2 tacos each).

To view this online, click here.

Note: This recipe adheres to recipe guidelines and cancer prevention recommendations outlined by the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini, cubed

1 medium yellow squash, cubed

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 medium jalapeno, de-seeded and finely chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chili powder, divided

1/2 cup green olives, rinsed and finely chopped

1, 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1, 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

12 6-inch corn tortillas

6 tablespoons non-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (1/2 tablespoon per taco)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 F.

Mix together the zucchini, squash, sweet potato, jalapeno, and red onion with the olive oil and half the chili powder and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then toss with a spatula.

Add the green olives, diced tomatoes, and pinto beans to the vegetable mixture with the remaining chili powder and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until everything is heated through and the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the tortillas by wrapping in a clean towel and microwaving for 15 to 30 seconds, or heat individually over a flame on the stove top.

Spoon the vegetable-bean mixture into the tortillas and serve with extra cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

If any of the vegetables or beans in this recipe are not your cup of tea (or chili), you can easily replace them with a food that you prefer. Perhaps you'll want to swap the pinto beans for chickpeas. Chickpeas are nutritionally similar to pinto beans, with the exception of being higher in vitamin A, calories and omega-6 fatty acids, and lower in omega-3 fatty acids.

Try using plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream; it has a similar consistency and flavor but contains more protein.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Make enough of this recipe and serve it differently for 5 tasty meals! Try the tacos one night, a warm bowl of chili the next, and Tex Mex migas for a flavorsome and colorful breakfast. On the weekend, enjoy leftovers piled onto a whole grain roll (like a sloppy joe) or served cold atop greens for a salsa-like touch to your favorite salad.

Chili can be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. Scoop your leftover chili into an airtight container, write the packaged and use-by dates on the top, and store. Not only will you have a quick meal to defrost and heat up in the future, but you can revisit your delicious farmstand seasonal vegetables in the winter and spring.

IMPOSSIBLE™ TACO BOWL WITH FRESH GUACAMOLE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Creamy, flavorful, from-scratch guacamole is easy to make and the perfect complement to the Impossible™ Burger taco filling in these simple, but impressive taco bowls."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/impossible-taco-bowls-with-fresh-guacamole.

Ingredients

2 ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled and mashed

1 medium jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ soft tortilla bowls, heated as directed on package

1 cup Old El Paso™ Monterey Jack or shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In small bowl, stir together Guacamole ingredients. Set aside.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide taco filling among heated tortilla bowls; top with cheese, lettuce, guacamole and tomatoes.

Expert Tips

Red onion or cilantro would make a lovely garnish for these taco bowls.

Lime wedges can be served on the side for an extra squeeze of acidity.

If you like your guacamole spicy, just substitute serrano chile for the jalapeño in this recipe. If you like it even spicier, don’t seed the chile before chopping.

STIR-FRY VEGETABLE TACOS

This one also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Spice up these tacos with sliced pickled ginger, crushed wasabi peas, and sriracha chile sauce, for garnish." Yield: Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. peanut oil

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced (6 oz.)

1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 Tbs. white miso

2 Tbs. orange juice

2 tsp. rice vinegar

2 cups broccoli slaw

4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

2 Tbs. sliced green onions

Instructions:

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, sugar snap peas, edamame, and cayenne pepper; cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until vegetables start to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl, and cool 10 minutes in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, whisk together miso, orange juice, and rice vinegar in small bowl. Drizzle over mushroom mixture. Stir in broccoli slaw. Fill tortillas with vegetable mixture, and garnish with green onions.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 272; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 386 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 10 g

GRILLED MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE TACOS

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "These veggie-loaded taco bowls are packed with creamy hummus and grilled garden bounty, then topped with bright, fresh Mediterranean flavors for a meal that’s perfect for a summertime meatless Monday."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/grilled-mediterranean-vegetable-tacos.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch horizontal slices

2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch horizontal slices

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch wide strips

1/4 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

1 container (10 oz) classic chickpea hummus

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls, heated as directed on package

2 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup diced fresh tomato

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In large bowl, mix oil, salt and pepper. Add zucchini, squash, bell pepper and onion; gently turn to coat.

Place vegetables in single layer on grill over medium heat (350°F to 400°F). Cover grill; cook 8 to 12 minutes, working in batches as necessary, turning once, until grill marks appear and vegetables are just crisp-tender. Set aside.

Divide hummus among heated tortilla bowls; top with mixed greens, grilled vegetables and cheese. Top with tomato and basil.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian?: Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Don’t cover grilled vegetables with foil to keep warm. The trapped steam will make them soft and soggy.

If you have fewer than 8 pieces of bell pepper, after grilling, cut them again lengthwise to ensure each bowl has red bell pepper.

Spinach can be substituted for mixed greens in this recipe.

SPICY QUINOA TACOS

This is from Katelyn Drake in the Share Reader Recipe in Vegetarian Times (April/May 2015, page 12). Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced (1 cup)

1 rib celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)

1 Tbs. ground cumin

1 Tbs. chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

12 6-inch corn tortillas

Directions

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne, and saute 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with liquid. Cook 2 minutes, then stir in quinoa, carrots, and broth. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix in black beans and corn. Serve in tortillas.