Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include American BBQ Tacos and Butternut Squash Tacos with Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN TACOS

This is from Diabetes Food Hub, and begins, "These tacos don’t require any cooking, which makes it easy for you to put together a quick and easy vegetarian meal and be on your way. The bean mixture is also delicious when topping a salad of mixed greens. Serve with Cubano Roasted Broccoli Florets Latin-inspired, veggie-packed meal. You can make these tacos vegan by simply leaving out the cheese."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 4; Serving Size: 2 tacos

To view this online, go to https://www.diabetesfoodhub.org/recipes/vegetarian-tacos.html.

Ingredients

1 cup no-salt-added kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed)

1 roma tomato (diced)

1 avocado (diced)

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp chili powder

8 6-inch corn tortillas

1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar or Mexican-style cheese

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Ingredients

In a small bowl, gently stir together the beans, corn, tomato, avocado, cilantro, lemon juice, and chili powder.

Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with the romaine, cheddar, salsa, and green onions. Fold the sides of the tortillas over the filling.

CALIFORNIA TACOS

This is from WhirledPeas on AllRecipes. It begins, "These tacos are full of fresh vegetables and lime. They're quick and easy to make and they manage to be both healthy and very budget-friendly!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235121/california-tacos/.

Ingredients

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 avocados, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 corn tortillas

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

1 cup cooked white rice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 dash green pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste (Optional)

Directions

Mix tomatoes, avocados, onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, and garlic together in a bowl. Drizzle lime juice over tomato mixture; toss to coat.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange tortillas, 2 at a time, in hot oil; cook until crisp, about 1 minute per side. Remove tortillas using tongs and repeat with remaining tortillas.

Spoon 2 tablespoons black beans and 2 tablespoons cooked rice onto each crisp tortilla; top with tomato mixture. Garnish tacos using remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and green pepper sauce.

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.

ZUCCHINI AND CRIMINI TACOS

I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found here.

From A Spicy Perspective at http://www.aspicyperspective.com/taco-recipe/. YIELD: 8-10 tacos; PREP TIME: 20 minutes; COOK TIME: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled, quartered and sliced thin

1 1/2 lbs. crimini mushrooms, sliced thin

2 zucchini, sliced thin

2 summer squash sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 Tb. butter

1 Tb. cuban seasoning (McCormick makes a good one)

2 tsp. cumin

1/4 chipotle chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups crumbled California panela cheese (or queso fresco)

1 package corn tortillas

Directions:

Chop the veggies and leave in separate piles. Mix the salt and spices in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over all the veggies.

Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet and heat to hight heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and garlic. Saute' for 1-2 minutes until just barely soft. Remove from the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and saute' and stir until brown and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Remove and add the last tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the zucchini and summer squash to the skillet. Saute' and stir for 2-3 minutes until golden, but just barley cooked through and still firm.

To serve, place a tortilla on a plate (you can double them up for extra stability) and load it with veggies. Top each taco with a generous sprinkling of crumbled panela cheese. Serve warm.

SPICY QUINOA TACOS

This is from Vegetarian Times. It begins, "Katelyn Drake, a lifelong vegetarian based in Oklahoma City, Okla., makes these quick, filling tacos for both dinner parties and weeknight dinners at home. She suggests adjusting the spices as you go: “Don’t be afraid to add a fresh jalapeño if you want more heat!” Serve with avocado slices, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime."

Makes 6 servings

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

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

Preparation

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 sauté 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.

AMERICAN BBQ TACOS

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “For authentic Southern flavor, top these tacos with prepared coleslaw instead of shredded lettuce.” Yield: Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 Tbs. ketchup

1 Tbs. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. honey

1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste

Tacos

1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 cup soy crumbles, such as Lightlife Gimme Lean

4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

2 Tbs. chopped red onion

1/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup shredded Romaine lettuce

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbs. pickle relish, optional

Instructions:

To make BBQ Sauce: Combine all ingredients in bowl.

To make Tacos: Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook 3 minutes, or until vegetables are softened, stirring halfway through. Add soy crumbles and 2 Tbs. BBQ Sauce. Cook 8 minutes, or until soy crumbles are browned.

Fill tortillas with soy crumble mixture. Top with red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and relish, if desired. Serve with BBQ Sauce.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 178; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 409 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 4 g