Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Recipe: Virginia's Vegan Soft Tacos



Larger tortillas, no beans.    (click to enlarge)              Taco size with beans.

I had such a difficult time finding my favorite natural taco seasoning mix that I developed my own blend. Through the years, I've updated this recipe numerous times. If someone didn’t tell you that these were vegan tacos, you’d never know…really! My favorite toppings are Daiya Mexican Blend Shreds, salsa, guacamole, green onions, and romaine. Other topping ideas: cilantro, chilies, vegan sour cream, etc. Our preference is for a larger (enchilada) size tortilla, which allows for more fillings and easier eating. Living on the road means you have to be flexible, though, and we still enjoy them with the more traditional taco size tortilla. 

Ingredients

Taco Seasoning Blend
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
large pinch cumin
large pinch turmeric

Veggie Meat Filling
olive oil cooking spray
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 pkg. (12 oz.) ground meat substitute (such as Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef, Yves Veggie Ground Round, Light Life Smart Ground, or Boca Veggie Ground Crumbles)
about ¼ cup water
1/2 c. or so of lightly steamed riced cauliflower (optional)
1/2 c. or so chopped mushrooms (optional) 

Bean Filling
1 can refried black beans

Tortillas
1 pkg. (8 to 12) soft tortillas (our favorites for soft tacos: whole wheat original size)

Instructions
1. Mix taco seasoning ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

2. In a large skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, sauté onions and bell pepper until onions are translucent and bell peppers are tender. Add the veggie meat substitute, stir to disperse, and add a little water. When moistened slightly, sprinkle taco seasoning mixture over the top; and mix thoroughly. Cook according to label instructions. 

3. Spread a thin layer of the refried black beans over the tortillas, sprinkle some of the ground "meat" over the beans, dribble some salsa, and (if you desire) add shredded "cheese." Heat about one minute on high in the microwave; then finish adding "cold" toppings of your choosing. Serve immediately!

Servings: 8 to 12 tacos, depending on tortilla size and amount of ingredients.

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