Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's vegetarian offerings include Vegan Zucchini Tacos with Salsa Verde and Potato Tacos. Enjoy!

VEGGIE TACOS

This recipe is by Laruen Richeson at Taste of Home. It begins, "Filled with vegetables, chiles and black beans, these vibrant veggie tacos are a delicious and nutritious option for any day of the week.

"Who said tacos should always have meat? These veggie tacos skip the animal protein, making them a vibrant and flavorful option for a quick weeknight meal or a fun weekend gathering. Our veggie taco recipe features crisp-tender vegetables like cabbage, red bell pepper and onion mixed with black beans and green chiles. The rich, slightly spicy, nutritious bean mixture fills crisp taco shells (or tortillas), which you can top with your favorite taco accompaniments like lettuce, cheese and salsa."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/veggie-tacos/#RecipeCard.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned

1 medium onion, halved and sliced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup salsa

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

8 taco shells, warmed

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute cabbage, pepper and onion until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar.

Stir in beans, salsa, chiles, garlic, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.

Serve in taco shells. Top with cheese and avocado.

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 tortillasIt's time for another Taco Tuesday. Yay! Today's vegetarian tacos include Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos and Vegetarian Mushroom Tacos. Enjoy!

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

MUSHROOM TACOS

This is from Runner's World and can be viewed online here. Recipe feeds 2-3 runners; Time needed: 30-45 minutes

What you’ll need:

Pound of scrubbed assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well)

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

6 small corn tortillas

1 orange

1 lime

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons dark chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro

How to make it:

Dice up one onion, setting aside three tablespoons for onion topping. Cut mushrooms into large chunks.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.

Mince garlic. Juice orange and lime. Reserve two wedges of lime.

Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.

Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, along with about a teaspoon of salt.

Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.

Heat tortillas individually in a dry pan on the stove or all together wrapped in a towel in the microwave.

Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

VEGGIE BEAN TACOS

This recipe, by the Taste of Home editorial team at Taste of Home, is originally from Tonya Burkhard of Davis, Illinois. For this yumminess, Tonya wrote, "In the summer when fresh corn and just-picked tomatoes are in season, authentic Mexican dishes like this leave you always wanting that next bite. My personal preference is to serve them with a slice of lime to squeeze over the avocado."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Yield 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/veggie-bean-tacos/.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh corn

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 small zucchini, chopped

1 large red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup salsa verde

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

Reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Directions

In a large skillet, saute corn in 1 tablespoon oil until lightly browned. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute tomatoes, zucchini and onion in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the beans, oregano, salt, pepper and corn; heat through.

Divide filling among tortillas. Top with cheese, salsa, avocado and, if desired, sour cream.

VEGAN ZUCCHINI TACOS WITH SALSA VERDE

This is from Cristin Nelson and Mary Margaret Chappell on the Vegetarian Times website (posted September 28, 2022). It begins, "Tangy, spicy salsa verde blooms when cooked, which is why it’s often used in enchiladas. Here, it coats lightly-cooked veggie chunks for a satisfying zucchini taco filling with a hint of heat.

"For the salsa verde, you could make your own or use your favorite store-bought version. Feel free to swap in other squashes for the zucchini if you prefer."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/vegan-zucchini-tacos/.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced

3 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-thick chunks (5 cups)

3/4 cup prepared salsa verde

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Salt and black pepper, to taste

8 corn or flour tortillas

Preparation

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil.

Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened and browned.

Add zucchini, salsa verde, and 3/4 cup water. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes, or until most of liquid has reduced, but mixture is still moist.

Stir in cilantro, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spoon mixture into tortillas and serve immediately.