Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Baked Risotto With Greens and Peas, Spinach, Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes with Penne Rigate, and Chocolate Church Cake (because we could all use some chocolatey dessert!). Enjoy!
RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON
This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This is a lentil soup that defies expectations of what lentil soup can be. It is light, spicy and a bold red color (no murky brown here): a revelatory dish that takes less than an hour to make. The cooking is painless. Sauté onion and garlic in oil, then stir in tomato paste, cumin and chile powder and cook a few minutes more to intensify flavor. Add broth, water, red lentils (which cook faster than their green or black counterparts) and diced carrot, and simmer for 30 minutes. Purée half the mixture and return it to the pot for a soup that strikes the balance between chunky and pleasingly smooth. A hit of lemon juice adds an up note that offsets the deep cumin and chile flavors.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes.
This was featured in “A Lentil Soup to Make You Stop, Taste and Savor”, and can be viewed online here.
The Times has two more links with this recipe that come in handy: “How to Make Soup,” a guide by Samin Nosrat and “How to Cook Beans,” a guide by Melissa Clark. Both of these are extremely helpful when making homemade soup and/or cooking beans. I highly recommend both.
Note: This recipe originally called for 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth. For obvious reasons, I've limited it to the veggie broth.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground chile powder or cayenne, more to taste
1 quart vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.
Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.
KEY LIME PIE MILKSHAKES
If you've ever visited or lived in Florida for any length of time, you've no doubt heard of Key Lime Pie. If you're fortunate, you've had a slice or two of the stuff. (If you're really fortunate, you've discovered a restaurant or two that serve great Key Lime Pie.)
One of the many pies sold in many Publix stores throughout Florida is Key Lime Pie. Like many other grocery stores throughout the country, Publix also offers recipes that can be made at home from ingredients found in store. This recipe is one of those, and is definitely worth the effort. (The most difficult part will be waiting the 30 minutes while the pie slices freeze and the ice cream thaws a little in the blender.)
While making this (and waiting that 30 minutes), you might want to listen to this 60 minutes special documentary about Jimmy Buffett.
This recipes makes 4 servings, and takes a total of 35 minutes (active time is 5 minutes).
To view this online, go to https://www.publix.com/recipe/key-lime-pie-milkshakes.
Ingredients
3 slices Bakery Key Lime Pie
4 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Key Lime juice
Graham crackers, for serving (optional)
8 tablespoons whipped topping, for serving
Lime for zest, for serving (optional)
Directions
Freeze pie 30 minutes (or until firm). Place ice cream in blender and let stand 30 minutes.
Add milk and lime juice to blender, then blend until smooth. Add pie slices to milkshake. Pulse 3–4 times until combined.
Crush graham crackers (if using). Divide shakes among serving glasses. Garnish with whipped topping, graham cracker crumbs, and lime zest (if desired). Serve.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SNOWFLAKES
This is part of Vegetarian Times site, and is originally from Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten). Serves 4
You can view this online at https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/roasted-cauliflower-snowflakes.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Remove the leaves and trim the stem of the cauliflower but leave the core intact. With a sharp slicing knife, cut the whole cauliflower in large (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Don’t worry if the slices fall apart; they’ll look like snowflakes. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes.
Toss the panko with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle on the cauliflower, and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and browned. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and roast for another minute or two. Immediately, scrape the pan with a metal spatula and toss the cauliflower and Parmesan. Serve hot or at room temperature.
BAKED RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND PEAS
This comes from Kay Chun on The New York Times cooking site. Kay wrote, "This easy baked risotto eliminates the constant stirring required in traditional risotto recipes. It’s laden with vegetables, namely kale and spinach, but other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens would work equally well. If you happen to have some extra asparagus, sub it in for the peas. This risotto makes a great starter or side dish, but you can also turn it into a vegetarian main course by using vegetable or mushroom stock in place of the chicken broth, and topping it with sautéed mushrooms, a fried egg or crispy tofu slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated for two days and reheated with more broth, or repurposed into crunchy rice cakes or arancini. Simply form into patties or balls, coat in bread crumbs and shallow-fry until golden and crunchy."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
To view t his online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021287-baked-risotto-with-greens-and-peas.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 cup Arborio rice (about 7 ounces)
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 ounces green or lacinato kale (about 1/3 bunch), stems separated and thinly sliced, leaves stacked and cut into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons (about 4 packed cups)
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 packed cups)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir until coated in oil and lightly toasted, 2 minutes.
Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cover and bake until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in spinach and peas until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan, butter and lemon juice, and stir until well blended and saucy. (Liquid will continue to absorb as risotto sits.) Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with more Parmesan.
SPINACH, PEPPERS, AND CHERRY TOMATOES WITH PENNE RIGATE
This was in the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 28). It begins, "Fresh cherry tomatoes and spinach add bright color, flavor, and body to this Mediterranean-style dish." Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/spinach-peppers-and-cherry-tomatoes-with-penne-rigate/.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups penne rigate pasta (6 oz.)
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, patted dry, and sliced
10 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved (2 cups)
4 cups packed baby spinach leaves (8 oz.)
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain, and reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently, or until lightly browned.
Increase heat to high. Add roasted peppers, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes, spinach, olives, oregano, lemon zest, and pepper. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until tomatoes soften and spinach wilts, stirring frequently. Add pasta and reserved pasta-cooking water; cover, and cook 3 minutes more, or until heated through.
CHOCOLATE CHURCH CAKE
This comes from Lisa Donovan in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Lisa wrote, "Layer cakes are formative for Southerners: They grace wedding tables, shiva gatherings, quinceañeras, baptisms and funerals. Because of this — and because layer cakes may be as close as some will ever get to a holy experience — they’re often called church cakes. This chocolate one is a perfectly moist and stacked rendition of a pudding cake, with just the right amount of richness from the frosting. This formula needs no alterations, but there’s no sense in breaking the tradition of Southern bakers, who personalize recipes as a point of pride. Add pulverized praline to the center, or cinnamon or instant-coffee granules to the batter. Don’t be afraid to make it your own. To make it a true church cake, serve it to those you hold in the highest regard, for celebrations or to simply indulge in the good glory of company."
Yield: One 9-inch layger cake; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023117-chocolate-church-cake.
Ingredients
For the Frosting:
1-1/2 cups/ granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 ounces grams unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
For the Cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dark (Dutch-processed) if available, plus more for pans
3-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Tip)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons fine salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups buttermilk, preferably cultured whole buttermilk
3/4 cup/145 grams canola or other neutral oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, bring sugar and cream to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, chop chocolate and cube butter. After the sugar mixture has simmered for 6 minutes, turn the heat off and add chocolate and butter to the saucepan. Stir until everything is melted. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature while you make the cake. Do not stir until it has cooled almost entirely, likely for as long as it will take you to mix and bake the cake.
Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut 3 rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each pan and line each pan with one. Spray the parchment. Sprinkle the pans with cocoa powder to coat, tapping each pan over the sink or trash can to shake loose any excess.
Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center. Bring 1-1/2 cups water to a boil while you prepare your wet ingredients.
Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour into the dry mixture and whisk gently until incorporated. It will be a bit clumpy but gently work it in. Pour in the boiling water to loosen the batter and gently whisk to combine, being careful not to splash.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Each pan should hold about 700 grams of batter. (Weighing your batter ensures even cooking and beautiful cake building.) Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, 32 to 35 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool.
When cakes are cooled, revisit your frosting, whisking to thicken and making sure not to overbeat or add any air or fluff to the frosting. Turn the cakes out of their pans and discard the parchment. Trim any rounded top off of each as evenly as possible.
Assemble the cake: Scoop about 3/4 cup of frosting on one layer set on a cake plate, then repeat with the second and third layers. You can refrigerate the cake in between frosting each layer to ensure that your frosting is set and firm so that your next layer will be propped up properly. If the frosting is too soft, the next layer will just flatten the filling. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting, letting it chill as you go if needed. Use an offset spatula or butter knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean to smooth and shine the finished cake. This cake keeps and is best served at room temperature for up to 2 days. It holds remarkably well in the refrigerator for up to one week and can be served cold.
Tip
You can substitute an equal amount of a gluten-free baking blend.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Taco Tuesday
If you love tacos (I know I do!), you won't mind that it's time for another Taco Tuesday.
For those of us who grew up thinking that tacos had to be a ground-beef-lettuce-tomatoes-and-shredded-cheese concoction, the idea of vegetarian tacos might seem a little strange. (Not that there's anything wrong with the aforementioned concoction, especially if you still eat meat.) These six yummy meatless tacos, though, could help even the die-hard meat-eater have an occasional vegetarian taco. Check out the Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos, the Crunchy Black Bean Tacos, and the rest of today's taco recipes. Enjoy!
BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO RELISH
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4-6 servings; Serving Size: 2-3 tacos
Relish adapted from The New York Times
Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/butternut-squash-tacos-with-cranberry-jalapeno-relish/
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
For the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish:
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
1-1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Meanwhile, prepare the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until cranberries start to pop and mixture has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and ginger and remove from heat.
Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the tortillas stuffed with the butternut squash and black beans, and topped with the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish.
Notes
Both the butternut squash and relish can be made ahead of time! Just reheat the butternut squash before stuffing it into the tortillas.
MAPO TOFU TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Alice Choi and her wonderul blog, Hip Foodie Mom.
Alice wrote, “While in college, mapo tofu was one of the first dishes I learned to make. . . well, kind of. You have to remember, I was in college and needed to eat quickly so I could go back to playing or studying or whatever I was doing so I was hardly ever in the kitchen cooking. Ever.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; servings: 5 - 6.
To view this recipes online, as well as the rest of Alice’s description of this recipe, go to https://hipfoodiemom.com/2013/02/07/mapo-tofu-tacos/. And while you’re there, check out the rest of the site. I think you’ll be glad you did!
Note: You can double the ingredients for the mapo sauce in order to have a bowl of the sauce on the table if dipping is desired while eating.
Ingredients
For the baked tofu:
1-2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs; slightly beaten
about 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 - 19 oz container of firm tofu; cubed not small cubes but slightly larger ones; should make about 30 tofu cubes
For the mapo sauce:
1 tablespoon soy bean paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons szechuan sauce start with 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 gloves garlic minced
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste; if needed
For the tacos:
corn or flour tortillas I actually preferred the flour tortillas for this even though they are photographed with the corn tortillas
shredded carrots
shredded cabbage
scallions; diced for garnish
sriracha sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a lined baking sheet with foil, a non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper.
Set-up the dredging area: Place the flour in a medium bowl and place the eggs in another bowl and whisk with a fork for about 20 seconds. Place the panko in a third bowl.
After you have cut your tofu, pat dry each one in paper towels to drain the excess water/liquid. Dip each tofu cube into the flour, then in the eggs and then lastly into the panko. You want each cube lightly breaded with panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip each tofu cube and bake for another 10 minutes.
While your tofu is in the oven, prepare the sauce. Heat a medium sized sauce pan over high heat. Add all of the sauce ingredients (start with 1 tablespoon of the szechuan sauce) and mix well for a couple minutes. Taste and add more szechuan sauce or water or salt if needed and bring to a slight boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Gently stir and blend well.
When the sauce and tofu is ready, prepare your tacos. Heat the tortillas slightly in a toaster oven and assemble: place your warm tortilla on a plate, place 3-4 tofu cubes on top, pour the mapo sauce over the crispy tofu cubes, add the shredded carrots, then the cabbage (you can drizzle some more mapo sauce over the cabbage if desired) and garnish with the diced scallions and drizzle on some sriracha sauce if needed. Serve immediately.
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.
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
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.
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This 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
CHIPOTLE QUINOA SWEET POTATO TACOS WITH ROASTED CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE SALSA
A while back, I discovered Tieghan Gerard’s website, Half Baked Harvest. Some very yummy-looking recipes, including this one.
Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 a small sweet onion
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 large sweet potato chopped (peel if desired)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 leaves can diced tomatoes (Optional; I normally these out, but sometimes add them)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 canned chipotle chilies minced
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo from the chipotle chili can
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne or to your taste
1 cup cooked black beans if using canned drain and rinse them
1 lime juiced
1 small bunch cilantro
6-8 four tortillas corn tortillas (warmed) or hard shell tacos (personally my family prefers hards shell, but all of them are good!), warmed
1 avocado sliced or diced, for topping
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
cotija cheese crumbled, for topping
Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 canned chipotle chili chopped
1 lime zested + juiced
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 jalapeno chopped and seed removed if desired
the arils from 1 pomegranate (learn how to deseed a pomegranate here)
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the salsa: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Place the cranberries, brown sugar, chipotle chili, lime zest + juice, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together until the cranberries are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until the cranberries burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and and let cool 10 minutes. Then add the pomegranate arils and toss well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and keep at room temperature.
While the cranberries are roasting start the tacos. Heat the olive oil over a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Cover the skillet and let cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy, stirring once or twice for about 15 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then crank up the heat to medium-high (adding more oil if needed) and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa get crispy and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, tomatoes (if using), the chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne, stir to thoroughly combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
To assemble the tacos place some of the quinoa in a tortilla or shell. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, a large dollop the the roasted cranberry salsa, crumbled catija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Take in their beauty and then EAT!
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Love and Lemons and can be viewed online at https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetable-tacos-avocado-tomatillo-salsa/.
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: 2 – 3.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
For those of us who grew up thinking that tacos had to be a ground-beef-lettuce-tomatoes-and-shredded-cheese concoction, the idea of vegetarian tacos might seem a little strange. (Not that there's anything wrong with the aforementioned concoction, especially if you still eat meat.) These six yummy meatless tacos, though, could help even the die-hard meat-eater have an occasional vegetarian taco. Check out the Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos, the Crunchy Black Bean Tacos, and the rest of today's taco recipes. Enjoy!
BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO RELISH
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4-6 servings; Serving Size: 2-3 tacos
Relish adapted from The New York Times
Read more at http://ohmyveggies.com/butternut-squash-tacos-with-cranberry-jalapeno-relish/
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
12 small corn tortillas
2 cups cooked black beans
For the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish:
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
1-1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Meanwhile, prepare the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar and apple cider vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until cranberries start to pop and mixture has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and ginger and remove from heat.
Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions. Serve the tortillas stuffed with the butternut squash and black beans, and topped with the Cranberry-Jalapeño Relish.
Notes
Both the butternut squash and relish can be made ahead of time! Just reheat the butternut squash before stuffing it into the tortillas.
MAPO TOFU TACOS
I first found this at Nosh On.It, along with several other vegetarian taco recipes (you can check out all nine here). This one is from Alice Choi and her wonderul blog, Hip Foodie Mom.
Alice wrote, “While in college, mapo tofu was one of the first dishes I learned to make. . . well, kind of. You have to remember, I was in college and needed to eat quickly so I could go back to playing or studying or whatever I was doing so I was hardly ever in the kitchen cooking. Ever.”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; servings: 5 - 6.
To view this recipes online, as well as the rest of Alice’s description of this recipe, go to https://hipfoodiemom.com/2013/02/07/mapo-tofu-tacos/. And while you’re there, check out the rest of the site. I think you’ll be glad you did!
Note: You can double the ingredients for the mapo sauce in order to have a bowl of the sauce on the table if dipping is desired while eating.
Ingredients
For the baked tofu:
1-2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs; slightly beaten
about 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 - 19 oz container of firm tofu; cubed not small cubes but slightly larger ones; should make about 30 tofu cubes
For the mapo sauce:
1 tablespoon soy bean paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons szechuan sauce start with 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 gloves garlic minced
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste; if needed
For the tacos:
corn or flour tortillas I actually preferred the flour tortillas for this even though they are photographed with the corn tortillas
shredded carrots
shredded cabbage
scallions; diced for garnish
sriracha sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a lined baking sheet with foil, a non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper.
Set-up the dredging area: Place the flour in a medium bowl and place the eggs in another bowl and whisk with a fork for about 20 seconds. Place the panko in a third bowl.
After you have cut your tofu, pat dry each one in paper towels to drain the excess water/liquid. Dip each tofu cube into the flour, then in the eggs and then lastly into the panko. You want each cube lightly breaded with panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip each tofu cube and bake for another 10 minutes.
While your tofu is in the oven, prepare the sauce. Heat a medium sized sauce pan over high heat. Add all of the sauce ingredients (start with 1 tablespoon of the szechuan sauce) and mix well for a couple minutes. Taste and add more szechuan sauce or water or salt if needed and bring to a slight boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Gently stir and blend well.
When the sauce and tofu is ready, prepare your tacos. Heat the tortillas slightly in a toaster oven and assemble: place your warm tortilla on a plate, place 3-4 tofu cubes on top, pour the mapo sauce over the crispy tofu cubes, add the shredded carrots, then the cabbage (you can drizzle some more mapo sauce over the cabbage if desired) and garnish with the diced scallions and drizzle on some sriracha sauce if needed. Serve immediately.
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.
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
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.
POTATO TACOS
Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This 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
CHIPOTLE QUINOA SWEET POTATO TACOS WITH ROASTED CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE SALSA
A while back, I discovered Tieghan Gerard’s website, Half Baked Harvest. Some very yummy-looking recipes, including this one.
Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 a small sweet onion
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 large sweet potato chopped (peel if desired)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 leaves can diced tomatoes (Optional; I normally these out, but sometimes add them)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 canned chipotle chilies minced
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo from the chipotle chili can
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne or to your taste
1 cup cooked black beans if using canned drain and rinse them
1 lime juiced
1 small bunch cilantro
6-8 four tortillas corn tortillas (warmed) or hard shell tacos (personally my family prefers hards shell, but all of them are good!), warmed
1 avocado sliced or diced, for topping
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
cotija cheese crumbled, for topping
Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 canned chipotle chili chopped
1 lime zested + juiced
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 jalapeno chopped and seed removed if desired
the arils from 1 pomegranate (learn how to deseed a pomegranate here)
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the salsa: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Place the cranberries, brown sugar, chipotle chili, lime zest + juice, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together until the cranberries are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until the cranberries burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and and let cool 10 minutes. Then add the pomegranate arils and toss well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and keep at room temperature.
While the cranberries are roasting start the tacos. Heat the olive oil over a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Cover the skillet and let cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy, stirring once or twice for about 15 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then crank up the heat to medium-high (adding more oil if needed) and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa get crispy and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, tomatoes (if using), the chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne, stir to thoroughly combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
To assemble the tacos place some of the quinoa in a tortilla or shell. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, a large dollop the the roasted cranberry salsa, crumbled catija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Take in their beauty and then EAT!
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Love and Lemons and can be viewed online at https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegetable-tacos-avocado-tomatillo-salsa/.
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: 2 – 3.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
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