The Ever Changing Taco Bowl
On busy workday evenings, or on a sunny beautiful weekend, spending a lot of time in the kitchen may not sound appealing. But if you are like me, you still crave a fresh healthy meal that can be whipped up together in no time. Welcome the TACO BOWL!
Living a gluten-free lifestyle, I usually always have corn tortillas hand. Either I bake them in the oven if I am feeding multiple people, I heat them up in a skillet with a little olive oil, or I toast them in the toaster for quick tostadas. In a way, they are my substitute for bread. And they are the only item that you must have in order to make your own TACO BOWL.
PROTEIN + BEANS + VEGGIES + EXTRA TOPPINGS/SAUCES
Using this idea you can just take what you have in the
fridge or cupboard and make yourself or your family a quick, easy, and healthy
balanced meal. Who doesn’t love filling up tacos with tasty goodies and
toppings? The trick is you don't have to stick with Mexican flavors. Thinking
out of the box and using the corn tortillas a vehicle to deliver delicious
goods, is your only goal. You just can’t go wrong when building a taco bowl! Below are two instagram photos of only some of my random TACO BOWL creations.
How to Assemble Your Taco Bowl
1. In a small skillet drizzle a little olive oil, sprinkle a little sea salt and place two organic corn tortillas per person on top. Heat over medium low. Cover with a lid and flip the tortillas occasionally. OR just warm tortillas in a microwave—they won’t taste as good, but it is easier and faster.
2. Fill your favorite deep bowl with the taco fillings of your choice.
3. Serve with two rolled corn tortillas and a side of sauces and toppings. Some of my favorites include salsa, chipotle aioli (½ veganaise + ½ sriracha), fermented sauerkraut, pickled jalapenos, goat cheese, feta, crème fraiche, and diced avocado.
Some Tasty Taco Bowl Ideas:
Baked salmon left overs + Lentil salad + broccoli sprouts + avocado
Chicken sausage (chopped) + left over roasted sweet potatoes + sautéed kale + feta
Sautéed tempeh or tofu + turmeric chickpeas + sautéed bell peppers + chipotle aioli (½ sriracha & ½ veganaise)
Scrambled garlic eggs + paprika spiced black beans + diced tomato + pickled jalapeños
Shredded chicken + great northern beans + garlic sautéed spinach + roasted bell pepper hummus
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TACO BOWL COMBINATION?? Tag @poppiesandpapayas to share your creation!
Below you will find the recipes for what I happened to have
in the fridge today. I made some tasty turmeric sautéed chickpeas (which I had previously
soaked and cooked) and cumin spiced sautéed veggies…using the last few leftover
vegetables from last weekend’s farmer’s market trip. To this you could add a sautéed
chicken or vegan sausage or left over dinner protein. Easy peasy!
Turmeric Sautéed
Chickpeas
Serves four
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoons Real sea salt
¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Handful finely chopped parsley
~3 cups cooked chickpeas (soaked & sprouted) or 2 cans
Eden chickpeas, rinsed and drained
DIRECTIONS
Heat a sauté pan over medium, once hot reduce heat to medium
low and add the olive oil, the onions, and the garlic. Allow the onions to cook
until tender and glassy. Stir in the salt, turmeric powder, and fresh ground
pepper and sauté a minute or two. Add the chickpeas and stir well to combine.
Cook another couple minutes until heated.
Cumin Spiced Veggies
Serves four
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 medium zucchini diced
4 leaves purple kale, deveined, and coarsely chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Optional: red chili flakes
DIRECTIONS
Heat a sauté pan over medium, once hot reduce heat to medium
low and add the olive oil and cumin seeds—sauté until fragrant. Then add the
cabbage and zucchini—sauté until tender. Add the kale and cook until wilted.
Season with salt, pepper and optional red chili flakes for some added kick.
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