Taco Tuesday

It's Taco Tuesday! Here are six taco recipes to help you through the day, including Chicken Chili Tacos and White Bean and Potato Tacos. Enjoy!

POTATO TACOS

Potato Tacos? Sure, why not? This also 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

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 their tastes.

CHICKPEA TACOS

This comes from the March 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begins, “Turns out, tacos don’t have to be hot to be delicious. The chickpea-avocado mash used as a filling here is prepared and served at room temperature. (It makes a great sandwich spread as well.) Because the fat content of taco shells can vary, look for brands that contain approximately 6 grams or fewer per shell.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

4 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

8 corn taco shells

2 cups baby salad greens

1 cup prepared salsa (medium or hot)

1/2 cup nondairy sour cream

Place avocado in small bowl, and mash with fork. Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.

Set taco shells in napkin-lined basket. Place salad greens, salsa, and sour cream in separate bowls, and set out alongside chickpea-avocado mash.

To serve, let each person build their own taco by filling each shell with 1/4 cup chickpea-avocado mash, some greens, salsa, and sour cream.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 tacos): Calories: 402; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 51 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

CARROT-AND-BLACK BEAN CRISPY TACOS

This recipe comes from Country Living, and begins, “Dig into vegetarian tacos with tons of fresh flavor.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. medium carrots, cut into 3" to 4" sticks

1 tsp. ground cumin

8 whole-grain taco shells, warmed

Sliced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, and chopped fresh cilantro and radishes, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4to 6 minutes. Add chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add black beans and 1/3 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Mash beans with the back of the spoon until thick. Stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, toss carrots with cumin and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Divide beans and carrots between taco shells. Top with avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, and radishes. Serve with lime wedges alongside.

PER SERVING: protein: 8 g; fat: 17 g; carbohydrate: 42 g; fiber: 10 g; sodium: 261 mg; cholesterol: 0 mg; calories: 334.

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.

CHICKEN CHILI TACOS

This is from The TODAY Show. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/chicken-chili-tacos-t28111.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups prepared pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted

2 cloves garlic. minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 taco shells (crisp or soft/flour or corn)

Preparation

Place the chicken, pico de gallo or salsa, lime juice, cumin seeds and garlic in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (You can also cook on high for 3 hours.)

Allow to cool a bit. Scoop the chicken out with a big slotted spoon and place it in a large serving bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. The chicken will shred easily. Stir in some cooking juice from the pot and top with the cilantro.

Place the shredded chicken, your taco shells and desired fixings on the table and let everyone put together their perfect taco.