Vegetarian Delights: A Confessions of a Foodie Offspring

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Showing posts with label Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Here are six yummy taco recipes to help you through the day, including Grilled Tofu Tacos and Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos. Enjoy!

CHARD AND SWEET CORN TACOS

This is from Martha Rose Schulman, in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “These sweet and spicy tacos can be filled with chard of any color, or other greens like beet greens or amaranth. I used Swiss chard for these tacos, but other greens like beet greens or amaranth will work. I don’t recommend strong-tasting cruciferous greens like kale, though. You can use green chard, red chard or rainbow, and do include the stalks if they’re nice and wide. Don’t skimp on the garlic. As for the salsa, you can choose between fresh or cooked tomato salsa, or use a salsa verde made with tomatillos. They all work well. A quarter cup of filling is plenty for each taco.”

Yield: 8 tacos, serving 4; Time: 15 to 20 minutes.

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

Ingredients

1 generous bunch Swiss chard (about 3/4 pound)

Salt to taste

1 medium white, red or yellow onion, sliced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Kernels from 2 ears sweet corn

Freshly ground pepper

8 warm corn tortillas

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta (but not too salty a feta)

Salsa of your choice

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem chard and wash leaves in 2 rinses of water. Rinse stalks and dice them if they are wide and not stringy.

When water in pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add chard leaves. Blanch for a minute, then transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Take chard up by the handful and squeeze out excess water, then cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until onions are tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic, diced chard stalks and corn kernels. Continue to cook, stirring often, until corn is just tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in chard and cook, stirring, for another minute or two, until ingredients are combined nicely and chard is tender but still bright. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Heat tortillas. Top with vegetables, a sprinkling of cheese and a spoonful of salsa.

Tip

Advance preparation: The filling will keep for a day in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a skillet.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from Ali in her cool blog, Gimme Some Oven. Check out her blog!

This yummy recipe begins, “These Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos are topped with a zesty tahini-cumin-lime crema, they’re naturally gluten-free and vegan, and muy delicioso.”

Total Time: 50 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes Yield: About 4 - 6; Vegan

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Taco Ingredients:

1 batch Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower (see below)

1 batch Black Beans (see below)

1 batch Cumin Lime Crema (see below)

corn tortillas*

toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime wedges, pepitas, and/or thinly-sliced radishes

Tumeric Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds)

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, kosher salt, paprika

1/2 teaspoon each: crushed red pepper flakes, freshly-cracked black pepper, ground turmeric

Refried Black Bean Ingredients:

1 small white onion

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon each: chili powder, Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Cumin Lime Cream Ingredients:

1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced

1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)

3 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Mexican hot sauce (such as Cholula)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

To Make the Tacos:

Prepare the cauliflower, refried black beans and crema as directed below.

To serve, place a layer of refried black beans in a tortilla, top with roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of the crema, and your desired toppings.

To Make the Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower:

Heat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, cumin, salt, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper and ground turmeric until evenly combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then place the cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes until it is tender and browned, stirring once halfway through.

Serve immediately.

To Make the Refried Black Beans:

Peel and halve the onion, then slice into half-moon shapes. Drain the beans, reserving 1/2 cup of the can liquid.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the beans, reserved can liquid, kosher salt, chili powder and black pepper. Turn the heat to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often and smashing the beans toward the end of the cook time, until most of the liquid has cooked out and the texture is mashed and thick. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan as necessary. Taste and season with additional salt as desired.

To Make the Cumin Lime Crema:

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, lime juice, tahini, olive oil, hot sauce, cumin and salt until evenly combined. Add 1-2 tablespoons water if necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.

*If you’d like to char the tortillas, turn on a gas burner to medium heat and place the tortilla directly on the grate. After about 15 seconds, once the edges are lightly charred, use tongs to flip the tortilla. Then heat on the opposite side until lightly charred. Repeat for all tortillas, keeping a close eye on them while cooking so that they do not catch fire.

GRILLED TOFU TACOS WITH WALLA WALLA SWEET ONION SLAW

I originally found this at Oh My Veggies. The site has a mess of taco recipes from different places, which can be found http://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-taco-recipes/>here.

The recipe is actually called Grilled Tofu Tacos with Walla Walla Sweet Onion Slaw (And Optional Chicken), but I've left the chicken out, for obvious reasons. This recipe begins, “Smoky seasoned tofu, creamy avocado, and crunchy slaw make these super easy summer tacos shine.”

PREP: 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES COOK: 15 MINUTES TOTAL: 2 HOURS 35 MINUTES; YIELD: 10-12 TACOS.

This is from Kitchen Treaty and can be viewed online at http://www.kitchentreaty.com/grilled-tofu-tacos-with-walla-walla-sweet-onion-slaw-and-optional-chicken/

Ingredients

2 (14-ounce) blocks extra-firm tofu

For the marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

For the slaw:

1/2 medium cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced

1/2 medium Walla Walla Sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Plus:

1 large avocado, sliced

10-12 tortillas (depending on how full you like to stuff your tacos)*

Directions:

Press tofu to drain. I place each block on a dinner plate on top of a layer of paper towels, then place more paper towels on top. Then I put 3-4 dinner plates on top and let it press down on the tofu for 20-30 minutes. Slice tofu into 6-7 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a zipper bag or container with airtight cover.

Make the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour marinade over tofu. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high, about 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook tofu until browned and cooked through, 10-14 minutes. We only have one grill, so we always use the left side for my vegetarian stuff, and the right side for the meaty stuff. Remove tofu from grill and let cool enough to cut into taco-size pieces (I just cut the tofu pieces in half).

Place the tortillas on the grill and heat until slightly browned and heated through, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep on a plate covered by a damp dishtowel until ready to serve.

While the tofu and tortillas are cooking, make the slaw. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients with salad tongs or your clean hands. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

To assemble tacos, grab a tortilla and lay one or two avocado slices on the bottom. Top with a coulple pieces of tofu, and top with slaw. Serve.

*GLUTEN-FREE OPTION

Use corn tortillas (or other gluten-free tortillas)

TASTY BLACK BEANS AND CORN TACOS

This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Filled with beans and vegetables, these healthful tacos will be a kid’s favorite." Makes 12 tacos.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Black Beans and Corn Filling

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium-sized zucchini, diced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup mild enchilada sauce

Tortillas

12 6- to 8-inch corn or flour tortillas

Toppings, Optional

Note: No toppings were listed, but I would suggest shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and/or sour cream. A diced avocado would be nice, too. Or if there's something else that you love to top your tacos with, go for it! Just one thing: Enjoy!

Instructions:

To make Black Beans and Corn Filling: Put all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until heated through.

To prepare Tortillas: Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle on stove over medium-high heat. Lay tortillas in single layer on skillet or griddle for about 10 seconds. Turn and warm other side. Remove from heat, and wrap in a napkin or dishcloth until ready to assemble tacos.

To assemble, set a tortilla on a plate, and spoon on some filling. Top as desired, roll up and eat.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 100; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 170 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 1 g

VEGGIE TACOS

This is from Taste of Home, and begins, “These vegetarian tacos are stuffed with a blend of sauteed cabbage, peppers and black beans so filling, you won't miss the meat. Top with avocado, cheese or a dollop of sour cream.”

Featured In: 39 Quick Vegetarian Meals for Winter Weeknights

Makes: 4 servings; Total Time: 30 minutes.

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 chilies

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

Direcions

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, chilies, 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.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS

This recipe is from Cookie + Kate, and starts off, “Colorful butternut squash tacos with crisp slaw, black beans and guacamole! These tacos are a simple weeknight meal and a great option for vegan and gluten-free eaters. Recipe yields about 8 tacos (4 servings).”

Actually, just before the actual recipe, Kate wrote, “Just when I thought I couldn’t come up with another recipe, my wonderful hair stylist said, “Tacos.” So here we are, two grocery stores later, with tacos that are as tasty as they are colorful. You need some color to brighten up drab winter days, you know?” Kate (Cookie is her crumb-catching dog) goes on about the recipe (you can read more here), along with posting photos of these wonderful tacos. (Yes, I definitely love these and Kate’s site.)

Prep Time: 15 mins; Cook Time: 35 mins; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Check out the recipe at https://cookieandkate.com/2016/roasted-butternut-squash-tacos-recipe/.

Ingredients

Roasted butternut squash

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, I used two 12-ounce bags of pre-sliced butternut from Trader Joe’s), peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cabbage and black bean slaw

2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced and roughly chopped into 2-inch long pieces

2 cans black beans (15 ounces each), rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black beans

1/3 cup chopped green onions, both green and white parts

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste

Simple guacamole (double if you love guac!)

1 large avocado, diced

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)

Pinch of salt, more to taste

Everything else

8 corn tortillas (certified gluten free if necessary)

Optional garnishes: additional chopped cilantro, hot sauce, toasted pepitas, crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan tacos)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line one large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

To roast the squash: On your prepared baking sheet, toss the cubed butternut in enough olive oil to lightly coat all sides, about 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chili pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the butternut in a single layer. Bake until the butternut is tender throughout and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.

Meanwhile, to assemble the slaw: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, black beans, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Toss to combine, then taste and add additional lime juice and/or salt if necessary. Set aside to marinate.

To prepare the guacamole: In a small bowl, combine the diced avocado, lime juice, coriander and salt. Mash with a pastry cutter, potato masher or fork until the mixture is blended and no longer chunky. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.

To warm the tortillas: In a small skillet over medium heat, warm each tortilla on both sides before transferring to a plate and covering with a lint-free towel to keep warm. Repeat with each tortilla, stacking each warmed tortilla on the last.

To assemble the tacos, spoon an ample amount of slaw down the center of your taco, top with roasted butternut and spread a spoonful of guacamole down the side. Top with garnishes of your choice and serve immediately.

Notes

Change it up: Sweet potatoes would be an awesome substitute for the butternut.

Storage Suggestions: Store individual components separately for best results. Store leftover guacamole in a small bowl with plastic wrap pressed against the top to prevent oxidation.

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Taco Tuesday

It's Taco Tuesday. Yay!

It used to be that tacos consisted of a hard (crunchy) taco shell, ground meat (usually hamburger), lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, at least in the collective consciousness in the United States. Fortunately, the ideas for tacos have grown radically over the years, including vegetarian fare.

That said, here are six taco recipes to help you through the day, including Portobello Bulgogi Korean Tacos and White Bean and Potato Tacos. Enjoy!

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from Ali in her cool blog, Gimme Some Oven. Check out her blog!

This yummy recipe begins, “These Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos are topped with a zesty tahini-cumin-lime crema, they’re naturally gluten-free and vegan, and muy delicioso.”

Total Time: 50 minutes; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes Yield: About 4 - 6; Vegan

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Taco Ingredients:

1 batch Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower (see below)

1 batch Black Beans (see below)

1 batch Cumin Lime Crema (see below)

corn tortillas*

toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime wedges, pepitas, and/or thinly-sliced radishes

Tumeric Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds)

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, kosher salt, paprika

1/2 teaspoon each: crushed red pepper flakes, freshly-cracked black pepper, ground turmeric

Refried Black Bean Ingredients:

1 small white onion

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon each: chili powder, Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Cumin Lime Cream Ingredients:

1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced

1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)

3 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Mexican hot sauce (such as Cholula)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

To Make the Tacos:

Prepare the cauliflower, refried black beans and crema as directed below.

To serve, place a layer of refried black beans in a tortilla, top with roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of the crema, and your desired toppings.

To Make the Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower:

Heat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, cumin, salt, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper and ground turmeric until evenly combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then place the cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes until it is tender and browned, stirring once halfway through.

Serve immediately.

To Make the Refried Black Beans:

Peel and halve the onion, then slice into half-moon shapes. Drain the beans, reserving 1/2 cup of the can liquid.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the beans, reserved can liquid, kosher salt, chili powder and black pepper. Turn the heat to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often and smashing the beans toward the end of the cook time, until most of the liquid has cooked out and the texture is mashed and thick. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan as necessary. Taste and season with additional salt as desired.

To Make the Cumin Lime Crema:

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, lime juice, tahini, olive oil, hot sauce, cumin and salt until evenly combined. Add 1-2 tablespoons water if necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.

*If you’d like to char the tortillas, turn on a gas burner to medium heat and place the tortilla directly on the grate. After about 15 seconds, once the edges are lightly charred, use tongs to flip the tortilla. Then heat on the opposite side until lightly charred. Repeat for all tortillas, keeping a close eye on them while cooking so that they do not catch fire.

WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)

A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.

This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”

This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.

Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained

4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Olive oil for frying

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

To assemble

6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet

pickled jalapenos & radishes

cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA

lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.

While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.

When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit.

LOADED CRISPY TOFU TACOS

This is from The Woks of Life, and can be viewed online at http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/07/loaded-crispy-tofu-tacos/.

Prep time: 30 mins; Cook time: 15 mins; Total time: 45 mins; Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

You'll need:

1 package firm tofu

1 tablespoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup oil

3 scallions

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 cup yogurt

warm corn tortillas

Other toppings:

shredded cheese

chopped tomato

chopped onion

sweet corn

avocado

lime wedges

Instructions

Cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the Sriracha and honey, and gently toss the tofu in the mixture. In another wide, shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the tofu in this dry mixture until well-coated.

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and allow the pieces to crisp up on all sides. While that's happening, whizz up the scallions, cilantro, and yogurt in a food processor or blender. Build your tacos with tortillas, your sauce, and whatever toppings you like.

PORTOBELLO BULGOGI KOREAN TACOS

This is from Rachael Hartley in her blog Avocado A Day Nutrition. (Nice blog, Rachael! I just signed up for it!) Rachael wrote, "Beef bulgogi Korean tacos are one of my favorites. Try this vegan twist using meaty portobello mushrooms, which soak up all the delicious marinade." Serves 6.

You can view this yummy recipe online here.

Ingredients

Mushrooms:

6 medium-large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin (see note, below)

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

3 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon gochugaru (see second note)

Slaw:

1 bag of shredded cabbage

1 large carrot, shredded on the large grates of a cheese grater

2 scallions, thinly sliced

8 corn tortillas

First Note: Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine and is made from rice. It's supposed to be sweeter than sake. Since I don't keep alcohol around, I use water in place of miring.

Second note: Gochugaru is Korean chile flakes. If you can get it locally, and plan to use it in several dishes, great. Since I probably wouldn't use it elsewhere - unless I fell madly in love with it - I might consider something a little cheaper and more generic.

Instructions

Two to four hours before cooking, whisk together all the marinade ingredients for the mushrooms. Add portobellos and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade 2-4 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the mushrooms evenly on the grill or toss into a grill pan if you have one. Reserve the marinade. Cook about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway.

While the mushrooms cook, pour the reserved marinade into a small pot. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil about 10 minutes total until reduced to a thick syrup. Set aside.

Warm the tortillas. Spoon slaw on the bottom of each tortillas. Top with mushrooms and reserved sauce.

SEITAN TACOS

This is from FoodFanatic, and begins, “Seitan tacos made with citrus and herb are a fantastic vegetarian idea. These tacos are a fantastic addition to Taco Week!” Makes 4 servings; Serving Size: 2 tacos; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces seitan strips, 1 package

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeños, deseeded and minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 large tomato, diced

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or corn taco shells

Directions

Drain the seitan strips and toss them with the garlic, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, and onions in a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, parsley, cilantro and honey in a blender and mix until combined. Whisk in the sour cream. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the seitan mixture and cook until the seitan has browned and the onions are soft.

Assemble the tacos with the seitan mixture, tomatoes, spinach and cheese.

Spoon the citrus dressing over the tacos. Alternatively, because it is very liquid, you can also coat the cooked seitan mixture with the desired amount of dressing before taco assembly.

Notes

I used a thyme flavored honey which added to the herby flavor of the dressing.

Make sure the jalapeno is actually spicy. This dish is better with a little kick!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH TACOS

This recipe is from Cookie + Kate, and starts off, “Colorful butternut squash tacos with crisp slaw, black beans and guacamole! These tacos are a simple weeknight meal and a great option for vegan and gluten-free eaters. Recipe yields about 8 tacos (4 servings).”

Actually, just before the actual recipe, Kate wrote, “Just when I thought I couldn’t come up with another recipe, my wonderful hair stylist said, “Tacos.” So here we are, two grocery stores later, with tacos that are as tasty as they are colorful. You need some color to brighten up drab winter days, you know?” Kate (Cookie is her crumb-catching dog) goes on about the recipe (you can read more here), along with posting photos of these wonderful tacos. (Yes, I definitely love these and Kate’s site.)

Prep Time: 15 mins; Cook Time: 35 mins; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Check out the recipe at https://cookieandkate.com/2016/roasted-butternut-squash-tacos-recipe/.

Ingredients

Roasted butternut squash

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, I used two 12-ounce bags of pre-sliced butternut from Trader Joe’s), peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cabbage and black bean slaw

2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced and roughly chopped into 2-inch long pieces

2 cans black beans (15 ounces each), rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black beans

1/3 cup chopped green onions, both green and white parts

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste

Simple guacamole (double if you love guac!)

1 large avocado, diced

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)

Pinch of salt, more to taste

Everything else

8 corn tortillas (certified gluten free if necessary)

Optional garnishes: additional chopped cilantro, hot sauce, toasted pepitas, crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan tacos)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line one large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

To roast the squash: On your prepared baking sheet, toss the cubed butternut in enough olive oil to lightly coat all sides, about 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chili pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the butternut in a single layer. Bake until the butternut is tender throughout and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.

Meanwhile, to assemble the slaw: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, black beans, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Toss to combine, then taste and add additional lime juice and/or salt if necessary. Set aside to marinate.

To prepare the guacamole: In a small bowl, combine the diced avocado, lime juice, coriander and salt. Mash with a pastry cutter, potato masher or fork until the mixture is blended and no longer chunky. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.

To warm the tortillas: In a small skillet over medium heat, warm each tortilla on both sides before transferring to a plate and covering with a lint-free towel to keep warm. Repeat with each tortilla, stacking each warmed tortilla on the last.

To assemble the tacos, spoon an ample amount of slaw down the center of your taco, top with roasted butternut and spread a spoonful of guacamole down the side. Top with garnishes of your choice and serve immediately.

Notes

Change it up: Sweet potatoes would be an awesome substitute for the butternut.

Storage Suggestions: Store individual components separately for best results. Store leftover guacamole in a small bowl with plastic wrap pressed against the top to prevent oxidation.