Summertime Veggie Tacos

Gads, has it really been two weeks since my last post? Bad food blogger, bad! I've been cooking, at least a little, I promise. Fact is, the missus and I haven't been home at the same time much these last two weeks, and I don't really like just cooking for myself. We've been trying to make the best of our bountiful CSA subscription from Eatwell Farms, and I am nurturing our (slightly smaller) rooftop garden. More on that soon. But really, I've just been putting off writing all together for a variety of badly thought out excuses, and sadly it is you, gentle reader, that suffers.


Gladly, that writing drought is over, (at least temporarily), and I would like to share with you now a dashing little dish inspired by Chef Rick Bayless and incorporating many of the edibles from our CSA box or a recent jaunt to the farmers market. These veggie tacos will obviously appeal to my herbivore friends, but you carnivores should not dismiss this out of hand; the mushrooms offer a meaty counterpoint to the leafy greens, onion and pepper, so much so that I really didn't miss having meat in there at all. And if was even better than tofu.

We grabbed some crumbly Mexican cheese at the store along with some limes, porcini mushrooms and corn tortillas and got to work. It's pretty quick and easy, if you think about it; you just have to chop up the veggies toss them in the pan with some seasoning, and you're ready to go. Here is what we did:


Summertime Veggie Tacos

Ingredients:
1 package of crimini mushrooms, sliced (Or whatever is in season, or if you have a favorite. Don't let me tell you what to do)
1 lime
1 bell or wax pepper, cleaned & sliced into long fingers
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 lb of hearty greens like kale or chard, chopped into strips
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. smoky paprika
1 avacado, pitted and sliced
6 small corn tortillas
1 can of black beans
2 - 4 Tbs. crumbly Mexican cheese, like Cotija
1 tsp vegetable oil
salt to taste

Heat a skillet on medium high. Add the oil, and allow to heat up. Add the garlic, onion and pepper, seasoning with salt. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes, until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the mushrooms and stir for a minute. Add your chili powder, cumin, and paprika, stirring so it covers the veggies. Squeeze 1/2 of a lime over the mixture, picking up the spices from the bottom of the pan as you stir.

While this is all happening, drain the beans and throw them into a bowl, which you will then put into the microwave. Once the vegetable mixture is done, heat the beans for about 2 mins.

Add the greens, and stir in with the other veggies. Throw in a pinch of salt. As the greens begin to wilt, remove the pan from the heat, and squeeze the other 1/2 of lime over the mix. Stir veggies until the greens are completely wilted and coated with the spices.

Serve on warm corn tortillas and topped with crumbled cheese. Throw some cheese on top of those black beans you heated up in the microwave. We cheated a little with the rice, I have to admit. That, my friends, is box rice, courtesy of Near East. ( I know, shame shame.)

The veggies do take on the spices very well, and manage to hang onto their own individual flavors in the bargain. It is a tasty, and relatively quick alternative to ground-beef tacos, and a perfect early summer meal. Enjoy!