Taco Night!

Taco Night is my favorite night in the kitchen, for so many reasons. First of all, it's fun and easy to make. You can whip up the basic ingredients in a few minutes and let everybody fix his or her own. Second, it's a great clean-out-the-fridge meal; I like to saute whatever veggies I have lying around. (This is how I created my fantastic Sesame Cabbage recipe.) Third, it's a great option for vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike--all at the same time.

Here's my Taco Night basic grocery list.

• hard or soft tacos (I prefer Ezekiel tortillas)
• organic ground beef, chicken, or your fave meat/meat alternative (preferably tofu or tempeh rather than a processed soy meat substitute)--or you can simply leave out the meat option
  
• Monterrey Jack cheese (raw is great, but get your fave kind)
• cheddar cheese (again, I like to use raw)
• chili powder
  
• pickled jalapenos (no preservatives/colorings, etc.)
• jarred salsa (again, no preservatives, etc.)--or make your own
  
• canned corn and/or black beans (no salt added)
• Romaine lettuce or arugula
  
• red and/or white onions
• cilantro
  
• whatever veggies you have on hand. The recipes below include bell peppers, squash, zucchini, cabbage, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, kale (of course), arugula, you name it.
  

Just adapt the recipes below to ingredients you have on hand, or use them to build your own specific grocery list.


Basic Taco Beef (serves 4)

• 1 lb ground pasture-fed beef
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• salt to taste

Add beef, chili powder, and salt to large saute pan (I like a cast iron skillet). I don't usually cook my beef with any oil because if you start off cooking on medium heat and cover the pan after a few minutes, beef will create its own "oil." However, if you need a little liquid to get started, the juice from a jar of pickled jalapenos adds some great seasoning!


Honey Lime Chicken (serves 4)

• 1 lb chicken
  
• 3 Tbsp honey
• juice of one lime
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chili powder
  

Marinate chicken in honey, lime juice, salt, and chili powder for one hour, then grill or bake 15-20 minutes till cooked through, turning once. Slice chicken and serve.


Sunset Pepper Stir-fry

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 purple onion, halved and sliced in thin strips
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and sliced in thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, halved and sliced in thin strips
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
  

Saute onion and celery in olive oil on medium heat for 5 minutes; add peppers and saute 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lime juice; you don't need other any seasoning on these veggies; they add a sweet flavor and colorful enhancement to your tacos.


Taco Rice

• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 8-oz can tomatoes
• 1 8-oz can black beans
• 1 8-oz can corn (or corn sliced from 2-3 fresh ears)
• 1 cup cooked rice (leftover rice from my "Not-so-boring Brown Rice is great for this!)
• chili powder and salt to taste
• 1 tsp cumin (optional)

Add onion and tomatoes to fry pan and simmer on medium heat for five minutes. Add black beans, corn, and rice; stir and simmer on medium-low heat for another five minutes. Add chili powder and salt to taste. If you're using plain brown rice, a teaspoon of cumin spices up this dish. Sometimes I like Taco Rice on the side and sometimes I like it in my taco. It all depends on your mood.


Sesame Cabbage
This might not sound like a Taco Night recipe, but it's absolutely delicious in a taco, and satisfying like meat, especially when you include taco mushrooms.

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 head organic green cabbage, chopped
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp cumin

Saute onion in coconut oil for one minute on medium-high heat; add cabbage, sesame seeds, and cumin, and saute till cabbage is tender, about 8 minutes.


Taco Mushrooms
I LOVE mushrooms on my tacos! They're meaty and juicy and add great texture and flavor to tacos.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
  
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Saute onion in olive oil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, chicken broth, lime juice, and thyme; simmer on medium low for 5 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and serve.


Spicy Greens
This is an adaptation of one of my favorite greens recipes, courtesy of my good friend Lori.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced (try grating it with a lemon rind or ginger grater)
  
• 1/2 bunch kale (I'm loving lacinto these days), collards, or mustard greens
• 2 cups baby arugula (this is great just raw on your tacos, too, like lettuce)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt to taste

Saute garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute. Add greens and saute 2 minutes; then add lemon juice, chili powder, and salt. Saute 5 minutes or until greens are slightly translucent.


Salsa Relish
I made this recipe up when I had a bunch of old tomatoes I didn't want to throw away. They were far from bad, but wrinkly, squishy tomatoes gross me out--so I cooked them.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1-2 fresh jalapenos, sliced and de-seeded
• 2 lbs tomatoes, preferably blanched and peeled
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh cilantro

Saute leek and jalapeno in olive oil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Chop tomatoes coarsely and add to pan along with salt; simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro on top.

Now you're ready to build your tacos! Add jalapenos, cheese, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, lime juice...whatever sounds good to you, as long as it's as fresh and whole as possible!

And for dessert...cherries and peaches, and maybe a little vanilla ice cream, too.

What's your favorite taco topping?