tacos Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Chickpea Salad Tacos

August 2, 2017 by Epicurean Vegan

I find it’s easy to fall into a lunch rut, especially when you don’t have a lot of time to pull something together. The beauty of this salad is that you spend 20 minutes in the kitchen preparing it, but it can last you several days. (I promise you won’t get bored with it!) The chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are an excellent source of protein, so they’ll keep you going through the afternoon slump. I love crunch in my salads, so there’s plenty of that between the celery, carrots, bell pepper, and pepitas. (I had to stop myself from adding water chestnuts and/or red/purple cabbage–next time!) Lately, I’ve been buying the mini sweet peppers which are ideal for snacking, so while the recipe calls for 1/2 a red bell pepper, I used 2 of the mini peppers:

I also went for gluten-free corn tortillas instead of bread, which I think was ideal! However, feel free to enjoy this salad on any bread of your choice.

UPDATE: And for the second batch (because the first batch disappeared fast, I swapped out the carrots with the promised purple cabbage and water chestnuts. Divine)!

INGREDIENTS:
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 C onion, diced or minced
1/3 C carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4-1/3 C pepitas or chopped almonds
Sauce:
1-1/2 Tbs miso + 1 Tbs water
1/2 C vegan mayo
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 (heaping) Tbs dill relish
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp kelp powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
The rest:
Gluten-free corn tortillas
Lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
Using a fork or pastry blender, mash the chickpeas until chunky. Add the rest of the salad ingredients.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the miso and water, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients; combine well.

Add the sauce to the chickpea mixture and stir together thoroughly. Top a tortilla with some lettuce and scoop the salad on top. Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad Tacos

Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

I find it's easy to fall into a lunch rut, especially when you don't have a lot of time to pull something together. The beauty of this salad is that you spend 20 minutes in the kitchen preparing it, but it can last you several days. (I promise you won't get bored with it!) The chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are an excellent source of protein, so they'll keep you going through the afternoon slump. I love crunch in my salads, so there's plenty of that between the celery, carrots, bell pepper, and pepitas. (I had to stop myself from adding water chestnuts and/or red/purple cabbage--next time!) Lately, I've been buying the mini sweet peppers which are ideal for snacking, so while the recipe calls for ½ a red bell pepper, I used 2 of the mini peppers. I also went for gluten-free corn tortillas instead of bread, which I think was ideal! However, feel free to enjoy this salad on any bread of your choice.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
⅓ C onion, diced or minced
⅓ C carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
¼-1/3 C pepitas or chopped almonds
Sauce:
1-1/2 Tbs miso + 1 Tbs water
½ C vegan mayo
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 (heaping) Tbs dill relish
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp kelp powder
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
The rest:
Gluten-free corn tortillas
Lettuce

Directions

Using a fork or pastry blender, mash the chickpeas until chunky. Add the rest of the salad ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the miso and water, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients; combine well.
Add the sauce to the chickpea mixture and stir together thoroughly. Top a tortilla with some lettuce and scoop the salad on top. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Kale Tacos

July 9, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

I’ve seen versions of this dish all over, but I wanted to keep this simple. I knew I also wanted a kick of flavor with an easy, creamy sauce. The combo of sweet potatoes, beans, and kale, is a grand slam win; a trifecta of flavors. Of course, then you add the cilantro-lime cashew sauce and it’s icing on the cake, so to speak. These were actually pretty simple to make and will easily feed four to five hungry folks. You can’t go wrong with protein-rich beans, nutrient-laden kale, and the vitamin-packed sweet potato. Eating tacos has never been healthier (or tastier)!

INGREDIENTS:
Tacos
3 C (roughly 2 medium-sized ones) sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 a large onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 C Lacianto (dinosaur) kale, chopped
Olive oil
Cumin
Chili powder
Salt and pepper
Lime juice
Cashew-Cilantro sauce
1 C cashews, soaked in hot water for 30-60 minutes
1 garlic clove
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C cilantro leaves
1/3 C water
1/8 C lime juice
A dash or two of cumin
The rest
8 small flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Place the sweet potato pieces in a medium bowl and drizzle with some olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin and chili powder. Toss to coat. Transfer to a large baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, depending on how big the pieces of sweet potato are. Check them often for doneness.
While they are roasting, saute the onion in a large skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat. Once they start to soften, add the black beans. Sprinkle with some cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. When the beans started to look a little dry, I added a little lime juice. Then add the sweet potato.
Reduce heat to low and fold in the kale.
While the kale is slowly cooking down (you can add some more lime juice if things are looking dry), prepare the sauce. Drain and rinse the cashews and throw them in a food processor with the garlic clove. Blend for 5 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients (but don’t add all the water at once; you may want to tweak the consistency of the sauce) and blend until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Transfer to a squeeze bottle. To serve, place a scoop or two on a warm tortilla and top with sauce. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Kale Tacos

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

I've seen versions of this dish all over, but I wanted to keep this simple. I knew I also wanted a kick of flavor with an easy, creamy sauce. The combo of sweet potatoes, beans, and kale, is a grand slam win; a trifecta of flavors. Of course, then you add the cilantro-lime cashew sauce and it's icing on the cake, so to speak. These were actually pretty simple to make and will easily feed four to five hungry folks. You can't go wrong with protein-rich beans, nutrient-laden kale, and the vitamin-packed sweet potato. Eating tacos has never been healthier (or tastier)!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Tacos
.
3 C (roughly 2 medium-sized ones) sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ a large onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 C Lacianto (dinosaur) kale, chopped
Olive oil
Cumin
Chili powder
Salt and pepper
Lime juice
.
Cashew-Cilantro sauce
.
1 C cashews, soaked in hot water for 30-60 minutes
1 garlic clove
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ C cilantro leaves
⅓ C water
⅛ C lime juice
A dash or two of cumin
.
The rest
.
8 small flour tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Place the sweet potato pieces in a medium bowl and drizzle with some olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin and chili powder. Toss to coat. Transfer to a large baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, depending on how big the pieces of sweet potato are. Check them often for doneness.
While they are roasting, saute the onion in a large skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat. Once they start to soften, add the black beans. Sprinkle with some cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. When the beans started to look a little dry, I added a little lime juice. Then add the sweet potato.
Reduce heat to low and fold in the kale.
While the kale is slowly cooking down (you can add some more lime juice if things are looking dry), prepare the sauce. Drain and rinse the cashews and throw them in a food processor with the garlic clove. Blend for 5 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients (but don't add all the water at once; you may want to tweak the consistency of the sauce) and blend until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Transfer to a squeeze bottle.
To serve, place a scoop or two on a warm tortilla and top with sauce. Enjoy!

Guac & Bean Tacos

July 8, 2012 by epicureanvegan

If you need a fast and fresh dinner (or lunch) these are ideal. I really like La Tortilla Factory’s homemade style tortillas for these. They’re a cross between a corn and flour tortilla and are the perfect size.

INGREDIENTS:
4 avocados
1/2 C white or red onion, diced
1/2 to 1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp lime juice
1 can black beans, undrained
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Tortillas
Lettuce, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Mash the avocados and add the onion, lime juice, and garlic salt.

In a small sauce pan, heat the beans, stirring often, until heated through. Get ready to assemble . . .

Layer on some avocado mixture, cilantro, beans, and tomatoes. Enjoy!

Guac & Bean Tacos

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

4 avocados
½ C white or red onion, diced
½ to 1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp lime juice
1 can black beans, undrained
½ C fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Tortillas
Lettuce, chopped

Directions

Mash the avocados and add the onion, lime juice, and garlic salt.
In a small sauce pan, heat the beans, stirring often, until heated through. Get ready to assemble: Layer on some avocado mixture, cilantro, beans, and tomatoes. Enjoy!

Field Roast and Veggie Tacos

May 18, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I’ve used Field Roast in breakfast burritos, so why not tacos? ( As you can see, I had a taco fiesta foul with one of the shells, but it worked out ok. 🙂 ) Somehow, zucchini reproduced in my fridge so I had to use some of them up—they’re ideal for tacos. I also had some chipotle-flavored olive oil from Rocky Mountain Olive Oil Company—the perfect opportunity to use it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
4 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored veggie sausages, thawed and crumbled
4 med zucchinis, cut into sticks
2 red bell peppers, sliced
Corn taco shells
All the other fixings: vegan cheddar shreds, vegan sour cream, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and salsa

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, and cook 4-5 minutes.

Next, add the zucchini, peppers, and Field Roast. You don’t necessarily have to add the sausages at this point since it’s only a matter of heating them through, but I like to get the flavors incorporated with the veggies early on.

Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until tender. I like to cover and let the steam help cook the veggies. Serve with your favorite taco fixings and enjoy!

Field Roast and Veggie Tacos

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
4 Field Roast Chipotle-flavored veggie sausages, thawed and crumbled
4 med zucchinis, cut into sticks
2 red bell peppers, sliced
Corn taco shells
All the other fixings: vegan cheddar shreds, vegan sour cream, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and salsa

Directions

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions, and cook 4-5 minutes.
Next, add the zucchini, peppers, and Field Roast. You don't necessarily have to add the sausages at this point since it's only a matter of heating them through, but I like to get the flavors incorporated with the veggies early on.
Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until tender. I like to cover and let the steam help cook the veggies. Serve with your favorite taco fixings and enjoy!

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

July 1, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I can’t make anything with cilantro in it and not think of my friend, Kerrie. She often checks out my recipes, but when one of them has cilantro in it, she’s very upfront with me about her dislike for the herb. Even just talking about it with her induces her gag reflex. I on the other hand, love it and so I apologize, Kerrie, that the last 2 recipes I’ve posted have had a cup of *gag* cilantro in them! I guarantee however, you’d like these tacos sans your least favorite herb . . . 🙂 The recipe is from VegNews and I made some minor alterations. For one, I couldn’t find Korean red pepper and I left off the avocados (much to my dismay) because they were priced at $1.99 each! They still turned out delish—especially with that cilantro!

INGREDIENTS:
For the tofu:
6 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
1/4 C soy sauce (or tamari)
2 rounded Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 tsp tomato paste (I froze the rest)
1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp Korean red pepper (I used regular red pepper)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 8 slices

For the Pear Cilantro Slaw:
1 large Asian pear
2-1/2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 C chopped cilantro
1-2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and finely chopped (I used 1 rounded Tbs of canned)
2 green onions, finely chopped|
3 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs agave
1/2 tsp salt
The rest:
8 tortillas
8 leaves of green lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
(Optional): mung, soybean, or radish sprouts, hot sauce. I added a shredded carrot.
I also decided to make a sour cream dressing: 1/2 C Tofutti sour cream mixed with some lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin—to taste.

DIRECTIONS:
For the tofu, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanut oil (or other oil), tomato paste, sesame oil, red pepper powder, and green onions.

I used an 8″x8″ baking dish, poured some marinade in it, placed the tofu on top, then layered on the rest of the marinade. Spread it around evenly.

The recipe says to marinate for 20 minutes, but since I had some time earlier in the afternoon, I made it then and stuck it in the fridge—tightly covered.

To make the slaw, quarter the pear, remove the core and grate it, using the largest holes on a box grater. Squeeze the pear shreds of excess liquid. Place in a large bowl and add the other slaw ingredients; combine well.

Over medium-high heat, heat a cast iron, or other skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown along the edges. The recipe didn’t specify whether or not to keep the marinade, so I just added it with the tofu.

I then sliced each tofu slab into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat in a taco.

Serve in a warmed tortilla with the lettuce leaf, carrot (and any other optional ingredient), slaw, and tofu. I also drizzle on some of my sour cream sauce. So delicious!! Enjoy!

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

The recipe is from VegNews and I made some minor alterations. For one, I couldn't find Korean red pepper and I left off the avocados (much to my dismay) because they were priced at $1.99 each! They still turned out delish.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

For the tofu:
6 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
¼ C soy sauce (or tamari)
2 rounded Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1 Tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 tsp tomato paste (I froze the rest)
1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
½ tsp Korean red pepper (I used regular red pepper)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 8 slices
For the Pear Cilantro Slaw:
1 large Asian pear
2-1/2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 C chopped cilantro
1-2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and finely chopped (I used 1 rounded Tbs of canned)
2 green onions, finely chopped|
3 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs agave
½ tsp salt
The rest:
8 tortillas
8 leaves of green lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
(Optional): mung, soybean, or radish sprouts, hot sauce. I added a shredded carrot.
I also decided to make a sour cream dressing: ½ C Tofutti sour cream mixed with some lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin---to taste.

Directions

For the tofu, whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanut oil (or other oil), tomato paste, sesame oil, red pepper powder, and green onions.
I used an 8"x8" baking dish, poured some marinade in it, placed the tofu on top, then layered on the rest of the marinade. Spread it around evenly.
The recipe says to marinate for 20 minutes, but since I had some time earlier in the afternoon, I made it then and stuck it in the fridge---tightly covered.
To make the slaw, quarter the pear, remove the core and grate it, using the largest holes on a box grater. Squeeze the pear shreds of excess liquid. Place in a large bowl and add the other slaw ingredients; combine well.
Over medium-high heat, heat a cast iron, or other skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown along the edges. The recipe didn't specify whether or not to keep the marinade, so I just added it with the tofu.
I then sliced each tofu slab into 3 pieces to make it easier to eat in a taco.
Serve in a warmed tortilla with the lettuce leaf, carrot (and any other optional ingredient), slaw, and tofu. I also drizzle on some of my sour cream sauce. So delicious!! Enjoy!

Vegetable Soft Tacos/Fajitas

September 9, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Between school, tae kwon do practice, errands, and well . . . life, I love meals that make themselves. Ok, well, they don’t exactly make themselves, but pretty close. I had lots of veggies to use up, so fajitas/tacos were perfect. I added lime juice and cilantro for a flavorful combination. I served them with some warmed refried beans topped with vegan cheese for some protein.

INGREDIENTS:
1 small summer squash, cut into 2″ pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 large onion, cut into 2″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2″ pieces
1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
1-oz pkg fajita seasoning
1/8 C water
1/8 C lime juice
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Salsa
Vegan cheddar, shredded
Tofutti sour cream
Flour tortillas, warmed

DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the squash, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion.

Saute covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Combine the fajita mix with the water and lime juice. Add to the vegetable mixture and combine well. Stir in the cilantro.

On a warm tortilla, layer on some sour cream, veggies, avocado, salsa, and cheese. Enjoy!

Portobello Tacos with Salsa Verde

May 4, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This recipe from Vegetarian Times serves 6–easily. The salsa verde–at least 10! It makes a lot of sauce, so next time I’ll probably halve the recipe for that. I also found the sauce a bit bland, so I added a bit more salt. The original recipe is for grilled portobellos, but I decided to saute them. These were very yummy and the marinade was simple and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
Marinade:
1/3 C canola oil
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp black pepper
Tacos:
6 large portobello mushroom caps
6-6″ soft corn tortillas (can easily get 12 tacos from this recipe–and I think I prefer flour tortillas)
2 avocados, sliced
2 C chopped tomatoes
3 C shredded cabbage
Vegan sour cream
Salsa Verde:
4 tomatillos, chopped (or 1 C canned)
1 large green bell pepper or poblano chili, roughly chopped (I used the bell pepper–may have been why I found it bland)
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs agave nectar
1-1/4 C canola oil
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
If using the grill, preheat grill for high heat.

To make marinade: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

To make tacos: Brush mushroom caps with marinade. Grill mushrooms 3-5 minutes per side. Cool until easy to handle, then slice into strips. (I actually poured the marinade in a zip lock bag and added the mushrooms, letting them marinate for about an hour. Then I sliced them and sauteed them in a large skillet for about 5 minutes).

To make salsa verde: Puree all ingredients in a food processor 1 minute or until smooth. Pour salsa over mushroom strips and let stand 10-15 minutes. (I just scooped a couple of tablespoons of the salsa into the taco). Lightly warm tortillas 15 seconds per side in a skillet or in grill.

Fill tortillas with sliced mushrooms, avocado slices, tomatoes, and cabbage. Top each with sour cream, if using. Enjoy!

Product Review: Boca Meatless Ground Crumbles

March 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These have been sitting in my freezer for a couple of weeks and so I finally got around to using them. I decided to make tacos with the crumbles and typically, I would add 1/2 a large onion, chopped to the pan, but I forgot. Oops. (I guess I was too focused on the review)!

The crumbles come out of the bag resembling frozen, cooked ground beef and breaks up easily in the pan. The back of the packages recommends adding to a skillet, sprayed generously with cooking spray. I used a Tbs of olive oil. Within 10-12 minutes, the crumbles were heated through and gave off an almost sweet, cinnamon-y smell. But the crumbles didn’t taste like it–in fact, there wasn’t much taste to them. I certainly recommend using a taco seasoning when making tacos–or any other seasoning when using these crumbles–they’re kinda bland. Fortunately though, they also don’t taste fake, or rubbery like some vegan meat. Overall, I was very impressed.

For around $4 for 12-oz, “ground beef” tacos are back, baby!

The tacos didn’t taste “altered” at all. Packed with Tofutti sour cream, vegan cheddar, diced avocado, lettuce and salsa, these were delicious, satisfying and very meat-like.

And here comes the really good part: These meatless ground crumbles have only 0.5g of unsaturated fat per serving–that’s 90% less fat than ground beef!! Not only that, there are 13 grams of protein per serving! It seems like a no-brainer.

As we were chowing down, we were listing off the different meals we could use these bodacious crumbles in:

Burritos

Lasagna

Enchilades

Tostadas

Chili

Taco salad (the back of the package features a recipe for this)

Really….these crumbles would work for anything requiring ground beef.

Check out Boca’s site for more info and ingredient list.

Fresh and Healthy Soft Tacos/Burritos

January 29, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I don’t have a lot of time but I want my family and I to have a satisfying, healthy dinner, this is one of my go-to meals. I typically have the ingredients all the time and with so many different ingredient options, it’s easy to make the whole crew happy! Packed with protein and veggies, it’s a great option for lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C cooked rice
1 can refried beans
1/4-1/2 C salsa
vegan cheese, shredded
diced avocado
sliced green onion
cilantro, chopped
Small flour tortillas
Tofutti sour cream
Other tasty options: diced or shredded cucumber, sprouts, lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
Combine cooked rice (I use Minute Rice), refries and salsa in a medium pan, heat on low-medium heat. Stir until heated through.

Separate other ingredients into small bowls and I like to start with the sour cream, then layer the beans/rice mixture, then top with cheese, avocado slices, etc. on a warmed tortilla.

Voila! You’re ready to eat! Served with a salad, this is a quick, delicious and healthy meal. Enjoy!

Soyrizo Tacos

January 21, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Soyrizo is such a perfect alternative to meat and these tacos are so satisfying and delicious. Combined with fresh ingredients, vegans and non vegans alike will love them!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
8 oz vegan chorizo or taco crumbles (found in the tempe and tofu section)
4-6 corn shells (or soft, if you prefer)
1/2 C diced onion
1/2 C chopped tomatoes
1 C tofu sour cream (Tofutti brand)
2/3 C shredded vegan cheese
Prepared salsa
I added diced avocado and chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat (I added the onions at this time and cooked until softened). Add the chorizo or taco crumbles and cook, stirring until heated through, 3-4 mins.

Arrange onions (if you want more), lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheese, avocado, salsa and cilantro in bowls. Assemble as you want! Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad Tacos

Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Kale Tacos

Guac & Bean Tacos

Field Roast and Veggie Tacos

Tacos with Pear Cilantro Slaw

Vegetable Soft Tacos/Fajitas

Portobello Tacos with Salsa Verde

Product Review: Boca Meatless Ground Crumbles

Fresh and Healthy Soft Tacos/Burritos

Soyrizo Tacos

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