Tofu + Veggie-stuffed Tacos

For anyone who says vegans only eat salads and oreos, they were gravely mistaken. Ever since I have embarked on this challenge to create meat-less items that are cheap, filling, and packed with nutrients, I barely eat salads and find myself intaking much heartier meals than ever before with more protein and color too add!

In honor of my insatiable craving for tacos after living in Los Angeles, I have recreated this gluten-free taco duo. For all of the busy bees out there who want a lunch worth snapping on social media and feeling good about eating, these tacos are everything you have been searching for and more.

The shell is made out of garbanzo (chickpea) flour, a little bit of olive oil, turmeric, salt, and water for color composition and that hard shell texture. Chickpea flour tortillas are easy to prep and make a stack of beforehand so you can add your own fillings throughout the week with whatever you’re craving. Some suggestions would be hummus, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, and balsamic for a mediterranean taco or even a sweet decadence of fruits, almond butter, goji berries, and coconut nectar for a low glycemic breakfast option. Garbanzo flour provides fiber, protein, vitamin B6 (keeping your blood functioning properly), anti-inflammation, and blood sugar control. Swapping out store-bought tortillas may take more time to execute but it’s better than consuming lard, which is the primary binding agent for most tortillas. I would rather have a a healthy, functional heart rather than clogged arteries at the cost of some additional cooking time.

The generic taco requires four essential parts: the shell, a protein, cooked vegetables, fat, and a sauce to tie all the ingredients together into a delicious explosion of taste buds. For this vegan taco the base is a strip of baked chili tofu and black beans. Within the mess of this taco is a kale cilantro lime slaw, sauté red bell peppers, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and avocado. sprinkled with flax seeds. If you like it hot like I do, I tend to dash Tapatio on the top (as well as everything else in my life to bring up the heat lol).

TOFU + VEGGIE TACOS

Makes 10 tacos

INGREDIENTS

(Chickpea tortillas)

  • 1 cup of garbanzo flour (I use Bob Mill’s brand)

  • 1 cup of water

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil

  • 1 tsp of salt

  • 1 tsp of turmeric

  • 1 flax egg (1 part ground flax to 3 parts water)

(Chili Baked Tofu) *optional, could leave tofu raw

  • Full block of tofu, drained and pressed dry cut into inch strips vertically

  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1/2 tbsp chilli powder

  • 1 tsp cumin powder

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • salt and pepper to taste

(Cilantro lime sauce)

  • A washed bunch of cilantro

  • 1/2 an avocado

  • 1 tbsp of garlic

  • 1/2 lime

  • 1/2 cup water

  • salt and pepper to taste

(Others)

  • 1 can of black beans

  • flax seeds

  • 1 whole avocado

  • diced red bell peppers (cook if desired on pan)

DIRECTIONS

    1. Create your flax egg and set on the side until it has thickened. In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients first then add the water, olive oil, and flax egg into the mix. The contents should look smooth and viscous like pancake batter. Heat up a pan on medium heat with non-stick spray and plop 1/4 a cup of the batter onto the pan, spreading it flat and around as quickly and evenly as possible before iT cooks. After a minute, flip the tortilla to cook both sides.

    2. Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Toss and coat the tofu as best as you can with the spices and oil until all the flavoring sticks. Bake for 30 minutes or until it reaches desired texture.

    3. For the cilantro lime dressing, put everything into a blender until smooth. It’s seriously that easy.

    4. Now, prepare your black beans from either the can or dry. Chop your cherry tomatoes in half and dice an entire avocado. Wash and chop your kale into smaller pieces then toss it into the cilantro lime dressing until coated. When everything is finally done and ready to assemble, put the tofu at the base of the tortilla with the black beans. Top off the filler with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and flax seeds.

DVFBryn YasuiComment