Taco Tuesday

If it's Tuesday (and my calendar indicates that it is), it's time for another Taco Tuesday, where we explore how much more there is to tacos than just ground-beef-tomatoes-lettuce-and-cheese. Check out the Chicken Chili Tacos, the Avocado Tacos, or any of the other yummy tacos in today's post. Enjoy!

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, 4 to 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.

SOFT BEAN TACOS

This also comes from Vegetarian Times. Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

1/4 cup water

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

16-oz. can spicy fat-free refried beans

1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, reduced-fat if desired, or soy cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in oven.

In large saucepan, combine water and bell pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat, 2 minutes. Add corn, green onions, jalapeño pepper and refried beans. Stir gently until mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Remove tortillas from oven. Spread some of the filling on one half of each tortilla, then sprinkle with a small amount of cheese. Fold over and arrange on individual plates. Top with salsa and yogurt if desired.

BUFFALO TURKEY TACOS

Makes 8 servings

Source: Jennie-O

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

CHICKEN CHILI TACOS

This is from the TODAY Show Recipes e-newsletter. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.

To view this online, click here.

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.

AVOCADO TACOS

This recipe is from Enrique Olvera and adapted by Jeff Gordinier on The New York Times cooking site. Jeff wrote, "Most top chefs will tell you the same thing: When they finally escape from the elaborate labors they oversee in the kitchen, they crave late-night street food that’s poetically simple and satisfying: hot dogs, fried rice, a bowl of noodles. For Enrique Olvera, the chef at Cosme in New York and Pujol in Mexico City, that hand-to-mouth haiku can be found in avocado tacos, which he scarfs down around the clock. They serve as both “a comfort,” he said, and “a cultural expression.” In its most basic form, an avocado taco is like a two-bite couplet in praise of Mexican ingredients: a chewy corn tortilla enclosing creamy slices of the-butter-that-grows-on-trees. Spare additions elevate that avocado: a pinch of salt, a spray of lime juice, a sprinkle of chopped onions and cilantro. But the chef takes elevation one step further with a salsa made of pasilla chiles and tomatillos."

Yield: 12 tacos; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "Scouting the Scene", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016784-avocado-tacos.

Note: The article ("Scouting the Scene") is well worth the read; check it out!

Ingredients

4 pasilla chiles

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

2 garlic cloves

10 tomatillos, boiled in salted water for 15 minutes or until soft

3 avocados, sliced thin

12 corn tortillas

3/4 cup white onion, finely diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

Make the salsa: Snap the stems off the chiles and remove the seeds. Using tongs, carefully hold the chiles over a medium flame to char on all sides. Transfer chiles to a food processor, add the salt and process into a powder. Add the garlic and tomatillos and purée until smooth. (This makes 1 pint salsa, more than needed; refrigerate the rest in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

To serve, place 3 or 4 slices of avocado on each tortilla and top with salsa, onion and cilantro.

TACOS CON PUERCO

Yield: Serves 4

Source: NPB

Recipe and image appear courtesy of the National Pork Board.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/tacos-con-puerco.

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Pork

1 (14-1/2 oz) can tomatoes, diced, fire-roasted

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

8 taco shells

2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded

2 tomatoes, cut in wedges

1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

In heavy skillet, brown ground pork; stir in undrained canned tomatoes, onion, chili powder and garlic powder.

Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until most liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat taco shells and portion filling into shells; top with tomatoes and lettuce.

Notes:

Set up the table for everyone to be able to assemble their own tacos. Remember to have salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, guacamole and other taco favorites for condiments.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 285; Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 238 mg; Cholesterol: 57 mg; Protein: 25 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g