Yesterday, I wanted tacos. Today, I’m eating tacos. Follow your dreams ya’ll.
But for real, I love tacos and eat varying kinds all the time. If there are no tortillas in our house, it’s a grocery store emergency. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I wanted to share my three favorite taco recipes that really don’t need a recipe (because they are easy and you shouldn’t have to stay confined to a recipe to eat delicious food).
Breakfast Tacos
There’s only a bajillion ways to eat a breakfast taco but when I need to get through midweek, sometimes I’ll make a brunch-like breakfast and I feel like the weekend is close. Press a block of firm tofu with a clean dishcloth. Like really press it, so as much of the liquid comes out as possible. It might crumble and crack and that’s perfect. Next, sauté the pressed tofu in a non-stick skillet with an optional dab of olive or coconut oil. If you have chopped onion or tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, or minced garlic on hand, add it here. Break apart the tofu with a wooden spoon and sauté for a few minutes until veggies tender. Add dash of turmeric and pour in 1 can of black beans (drained, rinsed), 1 cup of salsa of choice, optional jalapeno, and handful of chopped spinach or kale. Heat until warmed and serve in shells of choice with additional salsa or avocado on top!
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos
First things first, if you don’t have butternut squash, use sweet potato. Either way, make these tacos. The textures and spices pair so well together. I tend to make a bunch of extra filling to use on top of salads or for easy leftovers. Start by heating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Dice a large butternut squash or 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled) until you have about 3 cups of the Vitamin A packed orange vegetable. Toss the squash/sweet potato with olive oil and sprinkle taco seasoning or just chili powder, dried garlic, cumin, and dab of salt; cook for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Meanwhile, chop half of an onion and 1 bell pepper; sauté both in a large skillet with a dab of olive oil. Add in 1 can of black beans (rinsed, drained), a teaspoon of cumin (or another dash of taco seasoning) and cook until onion translucent. In a small bowl, mash an avocado with juice of one lime and cilantro. Once everything is cooked, top tortillas of choice (I prefer corn here) with squash, black bean mixture, avocado smash, and additional cilantro or jalapeno to garnish.
Roasted Garbanzo Bean and Cauliflower Tacos
I’ve posted it before, but I’m going to post it again because this is one of our all-time favorites. When I say “our,” know that it’s all encompassing – husband, sister, friends, mother-in-law, omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan approved. This recipe is a modification from the genius work of Minimalist Baker. To get things kicked off, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk one tablespoon taco seasoning together with equal parts (one tablespoon each) fresh lime juice, olive oil, and water. Note, you can make your own taco seasoning by mixing 2 parts (teaspoons here) chili powder with 1 part ground cumin and onion and or garlic powder plus a dab of salt. Then you don’t have all the other junk like monosodium glutamate. Drain and rinse one can of garbanzo beans. After you rinse, the beans, roll them around on a clean dish towel to lightly pat dry. This will help the seasoning stick and the garbanzo beans to become firmer when cooking. After that, stir the beans in the bowl with 1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets. Place seasoned chickpeas and cauliflower on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally during cooking, until chickpeas are slightly crispy and cauliflower is tender. Remove from oven and set aside. If you want a delicious accompaniment, mix one 4-6 oz container of unsweetened coconut yogurt (or your favorite unsweetened yogurt) with lime juice and cilantro. Now, make your tacos and enjoy! I find these tacos taste best as Dana from Minimalist Baker suggests…with small corn tortillas, a drizzle of the cream, cilantro, and jalapeno slices. You’re going to love these tacos that look like the work of a fancy food truck and taste like gourmet Mexican that you just created in a matter of minutes in your own kitchen.
What are some of your go-to taco concoctions? And if you haven’t tried these combinations before, make them appear on your dinner table very soon.
XO,
Morgan