Taco Tuesday # 9 - Dr. G's Super Green Tacos

It's that time of the week again, Taco Tuesday!!  As you have seen over and over, I make tacos out of almost anything.  This week, green foods!  These tacos are made with spicy roasted broccoli and fava bean hummus.  By the way, if you were wondering how to get your kids to eat broccoli, the answer is not to hide it in cupcakes...just put the broccoli in tacos.  Everyone likes tacos and everyone should eat broccoli.  Why you ask?  Broccoli packs in over 20 vitamins and minerals, fiber, and isothiocyanates.  Isothiocyanates have been studied extensively and found to decrease inflammation.  These anti-inflammatory properties decrease cancer and support cardiovascular health and digestive health.  Sounds like a super food to me!


Here is what we are making:

Roasted Broccoli

You will need:

3 crowns of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
taco seasoning*

*store bought is fine or make your own.
Used here:
1 teaspoon each of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon of jalapeno powder and cayenne pepper.

Toss the broccoli pieces in a bowl with the olive oil and spices.

Then spread them out onto a baking sheet and pop them in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes.











While those little green guys are roasting, make the hummus and the salsa.

Salsa

Any store bought fresh salsa will work here, or you can make your own.  

Try this recipe if you want to make your own salsa. 

You will need:

1 lb tomatoes

1 jalapeno pepper

2-3 cloves of garlic

bunch of cilantro

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon of orange juice

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Chop all of this stuff up and toss it in a bowl with the OJ, lime juice and salt. Mix it well then put it in the fridge and let it chill while you get everything else together.  If it sits for 20 minutes or so, it tastes even better.

Hummus

You will need:

1 cup of beans (fava, chickpea, or white beans)

1 tablespoon tahini or almond butter

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1/2 jalapeno

1 tablespoon olive oil or water (if you want save yourself some calories), more as needed to thin hummus

Put everything into the food processor or blender and let it rip until you have a nice smooth hummus. 

To build your tacos, grab a few whole grain flour tortillas, put the hummus down first, then the broccoli, and top with salsa.  Add whatever other toppings you like.  

These tacos are surprisingly delicious and filling, not to mention low calorie.  Enjoy!

Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G

Taco Tuesday #8 - Everything is Ire Man; Jamaican Spiced Red Bean and Kale Chip Tacos

Last week I was at the grocery store searching high and low for the Indian spice fenugreek.  I failed that mission, but instead I stumbled upon Jamaican allspice.  What is the difference between Jamaican allspice and "regular" allspice, you ask?  Umm...honestly I don't know.  I bought it anyway.

Now, let's fast forward to last night when I looking for inspiration for Taco Tuesday tonight.  As I was flipping through this great new cookbook that I got for Christmas called The Taco Cleanse, I found a recipe for "redemption beans" which are a Jamaican style red bean that features allspice.  Sounded good to me.  I Dr. G'ed the recipe a bit and created these yummy tacos.  One love, Jamaica baby.


Here is what we are making:

The kale chips take the longest, so let's make those first.  If you are feeling particularly lazy you can buy them, and then you can skip your lazy butt to the next step.

The Kale Chips

You will need:
1 bunch of kale
garlic powder, to taste
nutritional yeast, to taste
drizzle of olive oil
pinch of salt (optional)


Come on, just make them yourself, they are so easy to make.









Ok, here is what you do.  First wash and dry your kale.  Get as much water off as you can.  Now pre-heat your oven to 300F.  Rip the leaves off the stems and tear them into bite sized pieces, toss them into a big bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt to taste.   Massage those leaves until they are coated with all that good stuff you just sprinkled them with.  Spread the kale in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven for 25 minutes.  So easy, right?

When they are done they will be crispy and delicious.

Notice that I chose habanero salsa, because I'm not a wimp.

The Tacos

You will need:
tortillas of your choice
whole lettuce leaves, any lettuce will work (one for each taco)
salsa of your choice or guacamole

Set this stuff aside for taco assembling later!

The Beans

You will need:
3 cups of red pigeon peas (or red kidney beans)
1 1/2 cups almond/coconut milk blend (you can also just use coconut milk, but the blend cuts the calories)
1 habanero pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon allspice
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or smashed
3 scallions, crushed but left whole
pinch of salt to taste

The hot habanero hangs out alone.

To get the beans started, heat the milk, scallions, garlic, bay leaves, spices and the habanero in a sauce pan.  Don't bring it to a boil just a simmer...be cool.  You want to almost steep the herbs and spices in the milk, like tea.   Let those flavors get to know each other for 10 minutes or so.  Then add in the beans and heat through, another 5 minutes or whatever, doesn't really matter...just leave them in there until you are ready to assemble the tacos.

Steeping the herbs and spices...

Herbs, spices, and milk making friends with the beans.











When you are ready to use the beans, take the herbs and spices (and pepper) out of the pot.  If you need to thicken the liquid a little you can add some corn starch or flour.  Set the beans aside for taco making in a few minutes.

FYI this is not a ripe plantain, when ripe they should be yellow with brown spots.
Think over ripe banana.  But, if you only have an under ripe one available, peel it
and put it in the microwave for about 1 minute, problem solved. 

The Plantains 

You will need:
1 ripe plantain
cooking spray



















These take 2 seconds to make.  Cut your plantain up into rounds, spray a frying pan with cooking spray, and plop your plantains in.  Cook them until they are golden brown on both sides.  Sprinkle with salt if you wish.  These can be dry fried if you would prefer to skip the cooking spray.

Ire man, let's build some tacos.  Put your tortilla down first, then a lettuce leaf (helps protect the tortilla from the bean liquid), then pile on the beans, kale, plantain, and your condiments of choice.  Enjoy a taste of paradise!

Who said that all tacos have to be Mexican?  Certainly not me.











One love, happy eating, and best health,

Dr. G

Taco Tuesday #7 - Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Are you guys ready for a freakin' fiesta?  It's time for TACOS!  Straight up, I stole like 90% of this recipe from the Thug Kitchen cookbook.  What can I say?  It is a great recipe that is worth sharing. If you don't own this book yet you should probably ask Santa for it.

I am pretty excited about this recipe. My "taste tester" says, "These are restaurant quality."

OK, let's get right to it.  Here is what we are making:

There are 3 components to this dish that we need to whip up: the cauliflower, the slaw, and the salsa.

Cauliflower Filling

Get the cauliflower started first since it takes the longest to cook.  Go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

You will need:

1 head of cauliflower cut into small florets
3/4 cup beer (pretty much any beer will work...maybe not a chocolate stout)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
1.5 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chipotle hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
pinch of salt







In a saute pan heat up the beer, vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce, hot sauce, and garlic.















Toss in the cauliflower and simmer for a minute or two.  Then drain off the liquid.















Put the drained cauliflower into a bowl, add the dry spices, onion, and olive oil.  Toss well so that everything is coated.

Spread the cauliflower on to a baking sheet in a single layer and pop it in the oven for 40 minutes.

While the cauliflower is getting nice and toasty, we should probably throw together the slaw and salsa.  

Lime and Cilantro Slaw

You will need:                               
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded     
1/2 head purple cabbage, shredded 
(yes you can use the bagged pre-shredded stuff if you really want) 
1/3 cup chopped cilantro    
1/8 teaspoon of salt                   
2 tablespoons lime juice                
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil









Mix all ingredients together, toss well, and tuck the slaw away in the fridge while the cauliflower roasts.

Mango and Tomato Salsa

You will need:

1 15oz can of fire roasted tomatoes 
1/4 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Serrano chilies (or a jalapeno)
1/2 cup cilantro
1 mango, chopped
juice of 1 lime 
pinch of salt to taste

Again, just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and then let those favors get to know each other for a bit.

When the cauliflower is done, grab some corn or flour tortillas and make some tacos! I piled these high with the cauliflower filling, the slaw, the mango salsa, and a few avocado slices. 

Happy taco Tuesday!  Thank you for reading and for eating more plants :)

Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G

Taco Tuesday #6 - Black Bean and Hubbard Squash Tacos

Fall in New England means that there are a bunch of weird squashes popping up in the grocery store and at the farmer's markets.  Since I will literally make tacos out of anything, I decided to showcase one of these winter squashes on Taco Tuesday: the blue hubbard squash.  FYI you can substitute any winter squash you like in this recipe. Acorn squash, a good old butternut squash, kabocha squash, or even pumpkin would work well.  Let's get this freaking fiesta started!

  

Black Bean and Hubbard Squash Tacos

The ingredient list is short this week:

1 blue hubbard squash or winter squash of your choice
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup vege broth
3 cloves of garlic
6 hard taco shells
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano

*you can use pre-packaged taco seasoning if you are feeling lazy

First we are going to roast the squash.  Crank your oven up to 400 degrees F now so it is all warmed up by the time you get the squash ready.

Peel your squash, cut it in half, scoop out the insides, and cut the squash into cubes.

Drizzle cubes with a teaspoon of olive oil and make sure they are evenly coated.  Then place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Pop the squash in the oven for about 20ish minutes, until they are fork tender and lightly browned.

In a skillet over medium-high heat start warming up your black beans.  Throw the vege broth and seasoning in now too.  When your squash is ready, add that to the mixture.












While that is heating through get some toppings together.  I used purple onion, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa verde on my tacos, but any toppings you like will do.

Build your tacos, make a salad, and enjoy your fiesta!

Taco Tuesday is the best!

Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G

PS. Want more Dr. G, follow me on Instagram.  I post pics almost everyday.

Taco Tuesday #5 - Korean BBQ Tempeh Tacos

Taco Tuesday is here!  These tacos are a play on a food truck favorite.  Korean BBQ tacos are trendy right now (and delicious), so I figured I'd make a whole food plant based version to increase my overall coolness.  When I asked my official food taste tester what I should say about these to convince you to try tempeh he said, "Just tell them to make this, it's awesome."  So, just make these tacos, they are awesome.  Trust me, I'm a doctor :)

Korean BBQ Tempeh Tacos with a Rice Vinegar Slaw, Creamy Tahini Sauce, and Cilantro

Tempeh...

What is tempeh?  Tempeh is cooked whole soy beans (and sometimes grains such as millet, wheat, quinoa, etc depending on what kind you buy...I like the kind with grains myself) that are then fermented and packed together so that it forms a loaf.  Sounds appetizing right?  Well remember that there are lots of tasty fermented foods: kimchi, sauerkraut, some pickles, soy sauce, yogurt, and beer.  If you have been following any recent food news you have also seen that fermented foods are trendy right now too.  They have been around for ages, but recently regained popularity for their good bacteria.  Your gut (basically your mouth all the way down to your rectum) is loaded with bacteria.  The greater the amount and variety of bacteria that you have in your gut, the better you will digest food and the stronger your immune system is.  When you eat fermented foods they deposit these good bacteria aka probiotics throughout your gut.  Got it?

Also, just in case you are still nervous about soy here is Dr. Andrew Weil, one of the leading integrative medicine docs in the US, with his take on soy.  Spoiler alert: he says healthy.  The video is 5 minutes, educate yourself! 

OK are your ready to cook now?

Korean BBQ Tacos:

Here is what you will need:

Whole wheat tortillas

Cilantro for serving

Sesame seeds for serving

For the tempeh:

1 tempeh loaf

Korean BBQ sauce thinned with water (store bought or google a recipe)

Simply cut your tempeh into strips and place in a glass baking dish.  Then thin out your Korean BBQ sauce (a 1/2 cup maybe) with some water and pour over the tempeh.  You can leave these in the fridge overnight to marinate, or if you don't have time for that just skip it and cook them right away.  

Cover the tempeh with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Then uncover the dish and bake for another 10 minutes.  

While the tempeh is baking make the slaw then the sauce.  Make the slaw first so it can breakdown in the fridge for a few minutes before serving, ok?

For the slaw:

3 cups of shredded cabbage and carrots

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons honey 

salt to taste

Mix it all up in a bowl and then put it in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the vinegar to breakdown the cabbage.  Done. 

Creamy Tahini Sauce:

2 tablespoons for tahini paste or cashew butter

1-2 tablespoons of warm water

juice of 1/2 lime 

zest of a lime

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon minced red onion or shallot

Put the tahini, warm water, lime juice, garlic cloves (microwave them for 15 seconds to take out the bite), and ginger into a blender and blend until smooth.  Add the water slowly to your desired consistency.  Transfer the sauce into a bowl and stir in the lime zest and onion/shallots.  Pop this in the fridge until the tempeh is done.

Now it's time to assemble your tacos.  

Put some slaw down on the tortilla, then pile on the tempeh.  Add a few sprigs of cilantro, sesame seeds, and drizzle on some sauce.  

Happy Taco Tuesday! 

Follow cooking with Dr. G on Facebook and Instagram.  Pin your favorite recipes to Pinterest too.  

Happy eating and best health, 

Dr. G

Taco Tuesday #4 - Warm Corn Salsa Tacos

Taco Tuesday is here!  The star of these tacos is a warm corn salsa.  It is the perfect way to use up some of that end of the season corn.  So get your taco Tuesday outfit on and let's get started.

Warm Corn Salsa Tacos!

For the corn salsa:
3 tomatillos
2 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno
2 banana peppers (any kind of pepper will do)
1/2 red onion
6 ears of corn or frozen corn kernels
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup white vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper










I'm sure that tomatillos are new to some of you.  Don't be scared.  They are easy to find in the local grocery store and pretty easy to cook with too.  Tomatillos look like green tomatoes, but they are really a member of the gooseberry family (at least that is what wikipedia tells me).  They have a husk (papery covering) the needs to be removed before eating. Simply peel off the husk and rinse the sticky residue off the fruit with warm water.  Now dice them up.  See, not scary or even hard to do.  So easy.









The cut the kernels off the cobbs, chop up the peppers and onion, and mince the garlic.

With a little bit of olive oil toss the tomatillos in a pan first over medium high heat.  Cook them until they are softened and they turn olive green in color.  Then add the corn and cook it for a few more minutes.  Finally, add the peppers, onion, and garlic; you don't want to cook these too much since this is a salsa.



Transfer the mixture to a bowl and pour in the vinegar and lime juice.  Add some salt and pepper to taste.  Toss everything around and then let that hangout for a few minutes.





For the tacos:
corn tortillas
chipotle baked tofu*
avocado
cilantro
Or whatever toppings you want

*I bought the chipotle baked tofu at the grocery store, it was delicious.  I tried a new product that I found at the store so I figured I'd share, but you can use whatever you want for a filling...beans, mushrooms, tofu, tempeh, whatever.


Then put your tacos together and enjoy.

 If you are looking for ideas for the leftover salsa, try it on a salad for lunch!

Mixed greens, corn salsa, avocado, and spicy lentil hummus

Happy Taco Tuesday!

Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G

Taco Tuesday #3 - Taco salad, with fresh salsa, and lentils (or beans or whatever)

Hola, are you ready for taco Tuesday?  I hope that taco salad counts as tacos, because that is what we are having this week.  The salsa really makes this salad pop, credit to Thug Kitchen on that one, and the lentils (or beans or whatever) make it dinner worthy.  BTW if you haven't purchased the Thug Kitchen cookbook yet you probably should, just sayin'.

Looks good right?

Here is what we are making  -------------->











Alright here is what you need:

The Salad

-ummm salad stuff guys, use whatever you want.  Keep in mind that we are going to mix the salsa right into the salad so it can take the place of the tomatoes, onions, and dressing.

The Salsa/Dressing

**this recipe is from the Thug Kitchen Cookbook.  Midsummer Salsa**

1 lb tomatoes

1 jalapeno pepper

2-3 cloves of garlic

bunch of cilantro

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon of orange juice

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Chop all of this stuff up and toss it in a bowl with the OJ, lime juice and salt. Mix it well then put it in the fridge and let it chill while you get everything else together.  If it sits for 20 minutes or so, it tastes even better.

So good!

The Lentils 

*If you don't like lentils use whatever bean or tofu that you like.  I'm just trying to introduce you to new foods homey. *

1 cup of lentils - any kind will do,  green ones used here
1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
1/2 onion
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 and 1/2 cups of water


Cook down the garlic and onions first just until they soften a little, then add the coriander, water and lentils.  Bring them to a boil and then turn the heat down and let them simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

The Tortilla

1 whole wheat tortilla 

Pop a tortilla into one of these Perfect Tortilla Shell Makers (thanks dad) and then throw it in a 350 degree oven until it is nice and toasty.  If you don't have a Perfect Tortilla Shell Maker, I would like to express my condolences, you do not know what you are missing.  You can try a loaf pan or just toasting it up on a cookie sheet instead though. Or try some of these ideas http://www.theyummylife.com/tortilla_bowls.  A few baked multigrain tortilla chips work here too if you are lazy. 

The Perfect Tortilla Shell Maker

Ok, now grab your salad and mix in a generous helping of the salsa.  Use the juice from the salsa as salad dressing.



Scoop your lentils into the tortilla bowl (or just on top of your salad if you don't have a tortilla bowl) and garnish with some more salsa and avocado slices.  Nestle that right in the middle of your salad.

I can see your cholesterol dropping from here.  Happy taco Tuesday everyone!

Just throw it in your lunch bag.

Left over salad can be easily packed up for lunch the next day.

Getting some inspiration for up coming recipes :)

Avocado toast topped with leftover salsa makes a delicious breakfast.













Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G