Monday, August 24, 2009

Tacos para Todos! (Tacos for All)

Back from a weekend at the Jersey Shore, and back to my veganista kitchen, yippee! I'm not doing a SBK recipe for dinner tonight, sorry. Instead, I'm doing a homemade version of a taco I enjoyed at "Welcome to . . .Moe's". If you have eaten at Moe's you've seen the tex-mex creation you ordered made right in front of you, ala Subway. Well, I took my boys there a few weeks ago with no intention of ordering anything for myself. That intention lasted until I was watching them put black and pinto beans on 14 year old's burrito and I spotted something familiar amongst the offerings. "What is that?" "Tofu", said the "Welcome to . . . Moe's" guy. Sign me up! That is where this taco idea was born.

1 lb extra firm tofu, diced (cut block of tofu into 3 even slabs, then cut across into 1/2 inch match sticks, and then across again into cubes), marinated in dry Chipotle seasoning for as long as you have time
2 Tbsp Safflower Oil
Small corn tortillas, wrap in damp dish towel and microwave 1 minute
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
2 tomatoes, diced
1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped thin
1/2 vidalia onion, tiny dice
1 avocado, diced
1/2 container tofuti sour "cream"
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely diced

Optional: seasoned ground turkey for family members who say "eewwww".

Fry the marinated tofu cubes in 2 Tbsp Safflower oil, let them brown on one side before turning, and then keep turning until an outer layer forms on the cubes and the inside of a cube is hot.
Assemble a "taco bar" so everyone can make their own style of taco.


YUM! I love these tacos! One taco with tofu and a little of everything is very filling, especially if eaten with a side salad, or chips and guac.

This is a very easy dinner for a hot and humid summer evening. You can marinate the tofu and put it in a foil pouch and cook it out on the grill, too!