Corn & Zucchini Tacos with Chickpea & Walnut 'Meat'

This is one of the best weeknight meals around, vegan or otherwise! These tacos are super fast, healthy, there’s very little prep, everyone loves them, the tacos are customizable to tastes, and they leave little cleanup. A giant win in my book!

These aren’t much to look at, but I guarantee you that everyone is going to love them! Quite possibly one of Todd and my favorite meals, these tacos are so quick and easy to whip up. Perfect for a busy weeknight. Oliver really enjoyed putting the lettuce on the tacos too, so kid-friendly! Yay!

Have you watched the Tidying Up with Marie Kondo show on Netflix? I read her book several years ago and still fold my clothes in her very particular way, even though I found the book to be slightly absurd. We watched the show a couple weeks ago and pretty much turned our house upside-down. I don’t know what it was about actually watching her go through with people and help them ‘tidy up’ but it really made an impact on us. If you haven’t seen it, it’s definitely worth the watch! Okay, PSA over. Now it’s taco-time!!

Corn & Zucchini Tacos with Chickpea & Walnut 'Meat'

By Kathleen @ Produce On Parade

This is one of the best weeknight meals around, vegan or otherwise! These tacos are super fast, healthy, there’s very little prep, everyone loves them, the tacos are customizable to tastes, and they leave little cleanup. A giant win in my book!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 15 oz can of sweet corn, drained well
• 2-3 small zucchinis, diced small
• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 ¼ cup whole raw walnuts
• 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ small head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 8-10 taco-size flour tortillas
• Sprinkle of shredded vegan mozzarella
• Spoonful of salsa, to taste

Ingredients

1. Over medium, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, saute the corn and zucchini for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. While the veggies fry, place the chickpeas through the garlic powder into a food processor. Pulse several times, until the mixture resembles taco meat. There should be small chunky bits of walnuts and chickpeas, and the spices should be well blended. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl.
3. Prep the veggies. Microwave the taco meat for about 1-2 minutes, until warm. Heat the stack of tortillas in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds, to heat.
4. To assemble the tacos, place lettuce on one taco, followed by taco meat and pan-fried veggies and then the remaining veggies. Top with a sprinkle of shredded vegan mozzarella and a spoonful of salsa, to taste, on each taco. Divide the fillings evenly between all the tortillas. Serve hot.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5
Total time: 15
Yield: 8-10 tacos

Lentil Salad w/ Cucumber & Cabbage

This is a hearty lentil salad filled with refreshing cucumber, crunchy cabbage, celery, and pepitas. It cooks up in 30 minutes flat and is a great as a side, abed leafy greens, or used as a filling in corn tortillas!

I'm always trying to work more lentils into my diet. Short of smoothies and desserts, if I can remember, they go into everything! Kind of like turmeric in that regard. Spaghetti? Check. Soup? Check. Salad? Check. Tacos? Double check!

Speaking of food...the food monster...also known as Bailey (Bob), has been coming to work with me for the past couple of weeks. The naughty little fella decided it's the most brilliant thing he's ever discovered to open the oven and gobble up all the nut and seed muffins I thought I was "Bob-proofing" in there. A few days later, he opened the fridge while we were at work and ate half a tub of Earth Balance and an absurd amount of red miso paste. A balanced diet? Umm...not so much. Check out Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to keep up on all his shameful adventures.

Bob gets walked three times a day while I'm at work and I love to bask in the sun and smell the fresh air throughout the day. The leaves are almost out in full-force up here in Alaska and late-spring finally has that distinct fragrance of freshly blooming birch leaves. Bob enjoys it too. I think he is glad to feel included when he comes to work with me. In the morning he waits on the porch until I exit the house, so I don't forget to bring him. 

It think it's helped him cut down on licking his foot a bit too; sometimes I still catch him when I go to walk him though. He has a lick granuloma on his back leg near his paw. Has your dog ever had one of these? He's had it for years. It comes and goes and I swear we've tried pretty much everything, and have been to several vets! Have you found anything that seemed to help? 

Lentil Salad w/ Cucumber & Cabbage

Recipe by Katie @ Produce On Parade

This is a hearty lentil salad filled with refreshing cucumber, crunchy cabbage, celery, and pepitas. It cooks up in 30 minutes flat and is a great as a side, abed leafy greens, or used as a filling in corn tortillas!

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils, dry
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and ribboned
• 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
• ½ small cabbage, shredded
• ¼ cup pepitas
• ¾ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground paprika
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the lentils and water to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to low and cover. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
2. While the lentils cook, add the cucumber, celery, and cabbage to a large serving bowl. Toss to combine then add the pepitas and the cilantro.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and stir in the garlic.
4. Add the cooked lentils to the veggies and pour the dressing over the mixture. Stir very well to combine.
5. Serve warm or cold, using a slotted spoon. It’s great as a side, on top of leafy greens, or in corn tortillas!

Learn A New Word In Dutch

Exciting --> opwindend (op-vind-denz)

Expand Knowledge 

This is a very interesting piece from NPR regarding what's next for animal welfare and how our opinion on how we treat animals is changing because of, well, science!

Spicy Peanut Thai Tacos

I've been cravin' me some tacos for quite some time now. It's not really a dish that we make a lot...as we obviously don't eat meat. But, I'm pretty sure it's mostly because I'd just prefer to eat my weight in chips and salsa instead. Anywho a little while ago, I bought a gazillion pack of those little baby corn tortillas and every time I open the freezer they've been beckoning me. It was time to make some bomb tacos. And these delivered. They aren't your typical tacos either. Brimming with thai-y goodness, sweet and spicy peanut butter sauce and fresh cilantro and basil, this dinner should please any thai loving freak, like myself. Thai is so gosh darn delicious.

I'm pretty sure anything can be infused with a thai influence. Thai lasagna? I haven't seen it yet...but I'd like to...

Spicy Peanut Thai Tacos

Inspired by Spabettie

Makes at least 10 small tortillas

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 Tbsp. garlic chili paste
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos or soy sauce
• squidge of lemongrass paste (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced fine
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 (12 oz.) block of extra firm or firm tofu, cut into thin strips
• fresh corn kernels cut from 1 cob or about 1/2 cup frozen
• 1 head of broccoli, thinly sliced and chopped small
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• at least 10 corn tortillas (I used the little baby ones)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Whisk the ingredients from the peanut butter through the chili powder in a small bowl. I used a pyrex measuring cup for an easy pour.

Thinly slice the tofu into about 16 or so thin strips. Arrange them so they aren't overlapping, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour just enough of the peanut sauce over the tofu strips so they are covered ensuring there is sauce leftover for serving. Bake the tofu at 325 F for 25 minutes.

Mix the corn kernels, broccoli and fresh herbs together in a bowl.

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Serve the tacos with a layer of veggie/herb mix on the bottom, then place one or two tofu strips over that layer and finally, drizzle with that scrumptious sweet and spicy peanut sauce. Feel free to even sprinkle some crushed peanuts on top to be super fancy pants!

Eventually, for the sake of portability, I mixed the sauce and the veggies together. Do what pleases you.

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These are certainly a tasty detour from a typical boring taco. A detour, I hope you will enjoy.