Wednesday, July 24, 2013

veggie tacos

I had a burst of inspiration, or energy....call it what you will...point is, I was a highly motivated camper today.  The other day I made a very simple pasta salad, so I thought I would look for different pasta salad recipes.  While flipping through one of my many cookbooks, I came across a recipe for simple veggie tacos.  I did tweak it a little.  I've been wanting to experiment with mushrooms that weren't the typical white capped or canned.  The canned ones make me sick and the white ones smell HORRIBLE while they are cooking.  (I'm not a fan of mushrooms).  I've heard that portobellos and shiitakes add a meatier texture to vegetarian cuisine, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  So, this is what I did...


I went to the store with a budget of $30 (I also had to buy enough food for the next couple of days and gas for my car out of that $30).  



I peeled and diced the zucchini and onion (the recipe didn't call for me to peel the zucchini, but I really didn't feel like taking the time to get the wax coating off...this was, after all, supposed to be an easy meal!), and sliced the shiitakes into thin slices.

 
Next, I heated 1 Tbsp olive oil in the largest pan I had, added the chopped veggies and a bag of frozen corn, and sautéed them until the onions were soft.  Since I used a pot instead of a pan, I think it took longer than it normally would...but I had to use what I have.  


Once the veggies were ready, I added a can of black beans and 1/4 Cup canned salsa and heated that through.  


While the whole shibang was heating through, I warmed a couple tortillas and shredded some romaine lettuce.  


Then, as my final step, I put the tacos together.  I layered the lettuce, the mixture, some shredded cheese, and added a dab of sour cream, and voila!  Veggie tacos!!



UPDATE:  I made breakfast using the leftover filling from the tacos.  South of the border omelets!  (I really should have added some hot spices to change it up a little...but, I didn't think of it...)  Every time I make omelets, I whisk a special blend of garlic, basil, and some other spices and cheeses directly into the eggs.  Next time I make them I'll actually measure and share so they won't be so secret ;). 


Best breakfast ever!  Lunch will be the topping on a bed of spinach.  I'm poor...don't judge!