Tacos - Not Just for Tuesdays Anymore

Pretty much everyone I know is on board with eating tacos on Tuesdays, or any day of the week really.  Standard restaurant tacos can be full of poor quality meat, added salt and preservatives, and often lack any real nutrients your body is craving. I encourage you to get creative, skip the greasy taco stand, and make some of your own. 

Tacos are super easy to make.  Get some tortillas (corn or flour, depending on any food sensitivities) and choose your fillings.  And leftovers make a great bowl for lunch the next day served over salad greens.  Essentially, you can pick and choose a variety of ingredients from the following categories. Here are some examples:

Protein: fish, chicken, tofu.

Legume: black beans, lentils, pinto beans.  

Vegetables:  bell pepper, kale, cauliflower.  

Fun toppings:  cabbage, cilantro, salsa, radish, avocado, pumpkin seeds

One of my go-to taco recipes includes tempeh.  In case that's a new word for you, tempeh is a minimally processed, fermented soy bean product native to Indonesia. Fermented soy tends to be more nutritious and easier to digest and absorb than non-fermented soy. And you're getting all the great benefits of soy such as fiber, protein, and antioxidant plant properties.  Remember to always purchase non-GMO soy products to avoid toxins. 

Here is my recipe for Tempeh Tacos. 

Sauté onions in coconut oil until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add red bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Chop tempeh into small cubes and add to pan, along with spices. Cook for about 10 minutes, adding more oil if needed. 

Warm tortillas in a pan, and warm beans in a small pot. Prepare tacos with tempeh mixture, beans, toppings and a squeeze of lime as desired. Salsa and hot sauce optional. 

Serves 4.

Ingredients

8 corn tortillas                                                

1 red onion

1 pkg. tempeh                                                      

2-3 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tbsp. turmeric

1 tbsp. cumin

1 red bell pepper              

1  pinch each salt & black pepper                              

1 can or ½ cup dried black beans,

soaked and boiled, if preparing from scratch

1 avocado, sliced

4 radishes, sliced thin

1 cup chopped cabbage

½ cup chopped cilantro

1 lime