Stay-cation Taco Stand

You're in for a real treat with these vegetable tacos that are slightly non-traditional, and certainly not boring! This recipe was featured in Oprah magazine.  Somewhere between dabbing my eyes while reading how a single mom deals with her chaotic life, and finding the perfect dress to flatter my figure, I flipped to the food page, and this recipe just begged to be cooked for dinner this weekend.  My fiance was hesitant when I presented the idea of making our own adobo sauce from scratch, and forgoing the usual Saturday night out on the town for tacos at home.  But I explained to him that Oprah (and I) know everything, and that it was worth the effort.  Per usual, Oprah (and I) were right, and these tacos were phenomenal! Okay, so I threw in some Mexican beer to sweeten the deal.

The original recipe calls for jarred chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  I could not find this particular ingredient, thus concluding that I needed to make my own adobo sauce.  It was totally worth it to make my own sauce, and nothing beats the sense of pride one feels after making sauce from scratch.  I used the adobo recipe featured below.  Ancho chiles, brown sugar, garlic, and  orange juice are the primary ingredients. However, you are welcome to do your own research and find a recipe that speaks to you. Adobo recipes vary from tangy and sweet, to chocolaty and spicy. 

One of my favorite aspects to this recipe is the unique style of the beans.  The beans are not a main ingredient like you may see in most vegetarian tacos.  Rather, they are used as a garnish to the meal.  In Spain, beans are often roasted with spices until crisp.  You can use the crispy beans as a topping, as well as a snack.  I used black beans, but you are welcome to use pinto or kidney if available.  I love getting feedback and comments on the recipes I feature on here.  Feel free to comment if you try this recipe, or if you like what you see!

Vegetable Tacos with Adobo Sour Cream 

and Smoky Black Beans

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 Tbsp. lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish

2 3/4 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided

2 bell peppers, any color, cored and thinly sliced

1 large red onion, sliced

2 tsp. smoked paprika, divided

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

1/2 jalapeno, diced 

1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced and halved

3/4 cup dairy free sour cream (I used Tofutti)

8 whole wheat or flour tortillas

Adobo Sauce Recipe (I used vegetable stock in lieu of chicken stock, and halved the recipe)

1. Make the Adobo Sauce first.  Follow the recipe instructions, and you'll be delighted with this smoky, and slightly tangy flavor from the ancho chiles. Please note that after halving the recipe, I still had a little left over to store in my freezer for another Spanish feast in the future.

 2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss together corn, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, lime juice, 1 tsp. salt, cumin, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, bell peppers, and onion.  Lightly oil a large baking sheet, and then spread mixture on the sheet.  

3. In a second large bowl, toss together remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, cayenne pepper, and black beans. Lightly grease a large baking sheet, and spread the bean mixture on the baking sheet.  Roast vegetables and beans, tossing occasionally and rotating sheet trays halfway through, until beans are dried out and crisp.  Watch your vegetables closely to ensure they do not burn, but to aim for a golden color, and roast for approximately 15 - 20 minutes. In order for the beans to dry out, roast for approximately 35 - 40 minutes.  While your vegetables and beans are roasting, toss together the cabbage, cilantro, jalapeno, vinegar, sugar, avocado, radishes, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper; set aside.  In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 2 tsp of your adobo sauce. Add 1/2 tsp salt.

5. Wrap tortillas in foil, and place in oven for a few minutes to warm. Spread a thin layer of adobo sauce on your tortilla.  Next, scoop roasted vegetables onto tortillas.

6. Top with cabbage salad.

 7.  Spoon some adobo sour cream on top.