Taco Tuesday

Whoo-hoo! It's time for another Taco Tuesday! Today's yummy taco recipes include Spicy Mexican Shrimp Taco Bowls and Chicken Tacos with Strawberry Salsa. Enjoy!

ROASTED ROOT VEGGIE BREAKFAST TACOS

This is from Leyla Shamayeva, MS, RD at VeryWellFit. Leyla wrote, "Enjoy a heartburn-friendly taco…for breakfast! These don’t contain a single heartburn trigger—no spicy jalapeños, chili pepper, paprika, BBQ sauce, garlic, onions, or acidic lime juice. However, you’ll still get the traditional Mexican flare from spices like cumin and coriander, corn tortillas, and lime zest."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 2 (1 taco each)

To view this online, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/heartburn-friendly-breakfast-tacos-4129420.

Ingredients

1 small sweet potatoes, cubed (1/4” - 1/2” pieces)

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced (1/4” rounds)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

Zest of 1/2 lime

1 cup canned black beans (mashed)

2 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and carrots with olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt, and lime zest. Transfer to the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.

Once the vegetables are ready, spread the mashed black beans on the tortilla and top with the veggies.

See the serving tips below for additional topping suggestions.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

Swap in your favorite root vegetables if you’re not a fan of carrots and sweet potatoes—turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, radishes, and kohlrabi are good choices that won’t trigger heartburn.

You can also use a different kind of bean if you don’t have the black variety handy.

Cooking and Serving Tips

The roasted vegetables explode with flavor, so you can easily enjoy these breakfast tacos without anything added. They’ll feel more like breakfast topped with an egg or lime-zested yogurt though. You can add a fried egg, cooked in half a teaspoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with a little bit of lime zest for an additional 90 calories. Alternatively, top with 2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt mixed with zest from half a lime for an additional 35 calories.

You can serve these tacos traditionally, with a double tortilla, but it’s important to keep portions in check when you have heartburn. Larger meals tend to increase abdominal pressure and force acid past the barrier between your stomach and esophagus. If you think you’ll feel full with a single tortilla layer, stick to that.

To save time in the morning, prepare the veggies and black bean mash the night before and simply assemble your taco in the morning.

TACO PASTA SALAD

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A Taco Pasta Salad is a great idea for any event, from weeknight taco nights to potlucks or picnics. It's hearty enough to be the main course or a cool side dish to other grill recipes. All you need is 10 minutes of prep time and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix to make pasta salad with taco seasoning. It's packed with all your favorite ingredients like black beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, salsa, lime juice, avocados and cheese. Chill before you serve, and enjoy!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/taco-pasta-salad.

Ingredients

1 lb medium pasta shells (or other pasta shape)

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

2 cups corn, frozen, canned, or fresh (cooked)

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 1/2 cups salsa

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

3 avocados, firm but ripe - diced

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.

In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, black beans, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, and salsa. Toss gently.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, taco seasoning, and garlic. Pour over pasta and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill until serving.

Right before serving, toss in the cheese and avocado. Add your favorite taco toppings like sour cream or crushed tortillas.

Expert Tips

This Taco Pasta Salad works best with firm but ripe avocados. Overly ripe avocados will become mushy.

You can make Taco Pasta Salad with shells or any small pasta shape. Feel free to use what you have on hand.

Reserve a small amount of veggies to sprinkle on top of the cold taco pasta salad for a pretty presentation.

CHICKEN TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE

This is from David Tanis on The New York Times cooking site. David wrote, "For good tacos, you need fresh, hot tortillas and a zesty filling. Canned chipotle chiles will do the trick with their smoky heat; it's an easy way to get flavor fast. Look for small cans with 'chipotle chiles in adobo' on the label. And Mexican groceries generally have better-quality tortillas than the ones you find in supermarkets; it's worth seeking those out and heating them gently over steam, or by toasting them in a dry cast-iron pan. You can also use this recipe with precooked chicken, which makes this already quite simple recipe as easy as falling out of bed."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "Chicken Tacos Let You Think Fast", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017936-chicken-tacos-with-chipotle.

Ingredients

For the tacos:

4 large bone-in chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds

3 scallions, left whole

1 bay leaf

1 thyme branch

3 black peppercorns

1 allspice berry

2 cloves

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 or 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped

3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from the can

1/2 cup broth (use broth from simmered chicken)

8 fresh corn tortillas

For garnish:

1 small white onion, finely chopped, soaked in ice water for 10 minutes and drained

Thinly sliced serrano chile

Thinly sliced radishes

Sliced avocado

Crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese

Crème fraîche or Mexican crema

Cilantro sprigs

Dried oregano

Lime wedges

Preparation

Put chicken thighs in a saucepan and cover with 3 cups water. Add scallions, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, allspice, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove chicken and cool. Shred chicken with your fingers, discarding chicken skin and bone. Strain broth and reserve. You should have about 2 cups shredded chicken.

Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion, season with salt and cook until softened and a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, salt lightly and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, until sauce has thickened somewhat. Keep warm.

Heat the tortillas over steam or by your favorite method, keeping them soft and pliable.

Build the tacos quickly: Put a spoonful of the saucy chicken in the center of each tortilla. Top with a teaspoon of chopped white onion, a few slivers of serrano chile, some radish and avocado slices, a teaspoon of queso fresco and a teaspoon of crème fraîche. Add a few cilantro springs and a small pinch of oregano. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

SHRIMP AND MANGO TACOS

This is from Martha Rose Shulman on The New York Times cooking site. Martha wrote, "This sweet and pungent combination of mango, shrimp, chilies and cumin is as quick to put together as a stir-fry. Indeed, if you don’t have corn tortillas on hand, serve the shrimp with rice."

Uield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes, less if using microwave to heat tortillas

This was featured in "The ‘King of Fruits’ Commands Respect", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013581-shrimp-and-mango-tacos.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound medium or small shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 Serrano or bird chilies, or 1 large jalapeño, minced

1 large mango, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice

8 corn or flour tortillas

Preparation

Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp, salt to taste and the garlic. Sauté, stirring or shaking the pan, until the shrimp begins to color, about two minutes. Add the cumin, and continue to cook until the shrimp is pink and opaque, about three minutes. Add the chilies, mango and cilantro, and stir together for one minute. Stir in the lime juice, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Wrap the tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover the pot, and steam for one minute. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 15 minutes without uncovering. Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in a towel, and heat in the microwave for one minute. Warm the shrimp briefly in the pan. Place 2 tortillas on each plate, top with the shrimp, fold over the tortillas and serve with rice.

Tip

Advance preparation: This is best served right after you cook the shrimp and mango.

SPICY MEXICAN SHRIMP TACO BOWLS

This recipe from Old El Paso begins, "Fresh, bright, sweet and hot—this meal packs everything you love about summer into one (mini) taco bowl! Just 30 minutes of prep time gets you a batch of spicy shrimp taco bowls ready to be plated up alongside some fresh lime wedges and cilantro garnishes. Perfect game watch appetizer or light meal? You decide!"

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/spicy-mexican-shrimp-taco-bowls.

Ingredients

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups coarsely shredded purple cabbage

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, cut on the bias

1 tablespoon butter

1 lb uncooked deveined peeled large shrimp, tail shells removed

2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

12 Old El Paso™ Mini Taco Bowls™ soft flour tortillas

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges, if desired

Preparation

In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, honey, lime juice and salt. Stir in cabbage and green onions; set aside.

In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until pink. Stir in garlic, hot sauce and taco seasoning mix. Heat to simmering. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Heat bowls as directed on package. Divide cabbage mixture among bowls; divide shrimp mixture among bowls; top with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

A nonstick skillet is great for many things, but it’s not great for searing shrimp. In fact, it tends to make them water out a bit. If possible, use a regular skillet for this shrimp taco bowl recipe.

To save a few minutes of prep time when making your shrimp taco bowls, look for bagged pre-shredded purple cabbage.

Hate chopping garlic? Leave it out and use chili garlic sauce instead of regular hot sauce.

CHICKEN TACOS WITH STRAWBERRY SALSA

This recipe from Old El Paso begins, "Tacos take a fruit-filled spin with fresh strawberry salsa and orange juice. Simple skillet chicken breasts and bagged baby greens make these tortilla bowls fresh, fast and delicious. For a perfect pairing, add a Strawberry Corona® Limonada – double the berry flavor!"

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/chicken-tacos-with-strawberry-salsa.

Ingredients

1/2 cup thinly sliced strawberries

1/4 cup finely chopped white onion

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon butter

1 package (16 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup orange juice

3 cups mixed baby greens

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ Soft Flour Tortilla Bowls, heated as directed on package

3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

Preparation

In small bowl, mix strawberries, onion and lime juice. Let stand, uncovered, while cooking the chicken.

Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt and pepper; cook 4 to 6 minutes without moving. Turn chicken, and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until chicken is browned and no longer pink in center.

Add orange juice to skillet, and heat to boiling; reduce heat, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide greens among warm tortilla bowls; top with chicken and any remaining cooking liquid from pan. Top evenly with strawberry salsa and cheese.

Expert Tips

For the prettiest presentation, pull off any long stems on the baby greens before adding to the tortilla bowls.

To reduce the sting of raw onions, place in fine-mesh strainer, and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds. Pat dry before using.

Baby spinach leaves can be used in place of the mixed baby greens.