Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Taco Tuesday!

Ironically, I typically rock a theme. You wouldn't know it around here, but if you need a party thrown and have a theme in mind? I'm your girl.  I've done tea party bridal showers.

I've thrown sports themed baby showers.
Beach themed baby showers 


And I have made each and every one of my daughter's five birthdays a wonderland of whatever the theme was to be. 
Our first ever Wooau


The second, a Yo Gabba Wooau!


Third Birthday Requested Butterfly Cake at another Wooau.

For her fourth she wanted a 'Castle Party'. She got one, complete with Royal Family Crest and Hall.
Fifth Birthday Butterfly Fairy Party!

(I apologize as the candies on the cakes are not vegan. My daughter is vegetarian and those items were graciously donated by family to assist in the birthday magic)
 What does that have to do with Taco Tuesday?

You'd think nothing. Except when you're talkin' about themes. I haven't been able to come up with one I'd stick to, but Lazy Smurf's Guide's MoFo theme is, easily, the best thing I've ever heard of. It's a Taco Cleanse. That's right. All tacos, all the time. For a month. Exactly. How could anything that fabulous NOT be the best idea ever? I might not be able to stick to a theme all month, but Taco Tuesday is right up my alley. I think I'll even keep to it after MoFo.

So, in honor of my favorite theme this MoFo season, I will blog (yet again) about my most favorite taco incarnation. I always want Tacos on Tuesday.  Maybe it's from The Top's Tempeh Tacos for 'Taco Tuesday at The Top' that I miss so dearly.  Maybe it's just my lasting love for alleration. Either way, it's Tuesday. So I'm having Tacos. Consider it a one day a week cleanse. For breakfast I threw scrambled tofu in a warm corn tortilla with avocado  and cilantro and red onion. No pic. It was early.  I was starving. Sorry about that. 

For lunch AND for dinner though, I plan on having these beauties, known as THE Tacos 'round here. I once blogged that you could make no substitutions, and while the Jasmine rice that was included takes them to a whole new level, I have stopped making the rice and enjoy them just as much sans the extra carb. I also started dressing the cabbage and letting it sit while I prepped the other things because it's just so much tastier this way! Feel free to decide if your cleanse needs rice or if you would rather have one less pot to clean. 

I whole-heartedly urge you to join in on the taco cleanse, even if it's just for a day. Tacos, they do the body deliciously
good. 



THE Tacos
I eat three of these and call it a delicious meal. One can of beans makes about three meals for me.

corn tortillas
1 tsp coconut oil (or oil of choice)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
cumin, to taste
oregano, to taste
1/2 small sweet onion, slivered
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
salt, to taste
green cabbage, shredded
lime juice
fresh cilantro
Spicy Sauce:
Vegenaise
Sriracha
toasted sesame oil
agave

Prepare Spicy Sauce:
Place Vegenaise in small bowl. I make a large quantity of this sauce and put it in a squeeze bottle to have on hand for future tacos, sushi, anything I feel could use a fancy drizzle of creamy, spicy goodness. It sometimes separates a bit but a quick shake of the bottle should fix that right up. Add small amounts each of Sriracha, toasted sesame oil, and agave, stirring in each and tasting until desired heat, sweetness, and umami flavor is reached. I have never measured these, but would guess that for every cup of Vegenaise I add about a tablespoon or two of Sriracha, and a teaspoon or two of the oil and agave. You do have to use toasted sesame oil or you won't get that rich umami flavor.

cut off a chunk of cabbage and sliver as much as you think you'll need for as many tacos as you plan to make. I like to cut mine so that I have thin ribbons of cabbage. squirt cut cabbage with lime juice, add shopped cilantro and toss, allowing to sit while you make the rest of the items you'll need.
Lime & Cilantro Dressed Green Cabbage
Heat oil over med heat and add onions. stirring occasionally, add salt and garlic, and saute for a few minutes or until onions are soft and start to brown. Add rinsed and drained beans and stir, lowering heat to med lo. Add cumin and oregano to taste, and heat through. remove from heat (or your beans may get all mushy and start to fall apart).

Heat non stick skillet (I use my mostly non-stick cast iron pan) to med hi. Warm corn tortillas a few minutes on each side or until they are warmed through and just start to brown in spots. remove from pan.

Spoon beans onto tortillas.
T, our five year old, LOVES assembling THE tacos
Add a large pile of lime cilantro cabbage. Squirt (or use a baggie with the corner cut off, filled with the spicy sauce) sauce on top. Enjoy!
These tacos are my most favorite. I eat them a couple times a week, most weeks. I have so many taco recipes bookmarked that I've never tried because I crave these and love cabbage. Honestly, I never even know I loved cabbage until these tacos became part of my regular rotation of go-to meals. I hope you love them as much as my family does. Happy Taco Tuesday!
Ta da!  THE Taco Tuesday!


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

the tacos look yummy!

Miachel @ Spiced Curiosity said...

Wow, I love that you saturate the cabbage with lime juice before layering on the taco. What a great idea! I'm a big taco fan (grew up on Tex-Mex), and I love shredded cabbage as a topping.

Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan! said...

thanks, ladies! I'm enjoying my second round of them as I type this. :)

Hoping to post another favorite recipe featuring cabbage once these beans are gone.

Do you have go-to tacos? I'm pretty stoked to try some new Taco Tuesday recipes!