Vegetable tacos

Contributed by Benjamin Maring, MD


Vegetable tacos
Taco nights with friends and family are fun, even more so when the tacos are on the lighter side. This recipe uses a colorful mix of roasted and raw veggies. The roasted, crispy bits on the cauliflower and sweet potato add a heartiness that make you not miss the classic seasoned ground meat filling, even for a second. Experiment with different vegetables. I bet it will be great. Serve a salad on side and will feed four hungry humans.

Servings: 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 large cauliflower head, cut into florets
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in red wine vinegar for 20 to 30 minutes
  • 1 summer squash, thinly sliced
  • 2 ears of corn, shucked, sliced off of cob
  • 1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems included
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 to 12 all-natural or organic corn tortillas

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  
  2. Combine cauliflower, sweet potato, and tomatoes with olive oil, a four-finger pinch of salt, and a few grinds or a pinch of ground black pepper. 
  3. Toss together, place on a baking sheet, and roast until caramelized, about 25 to30 minutes. 
  4. Set roasted veggies aside in a bowl to cool. 
  5. Meanwhile, slice the red onion and start the vinegar soak for quick-pickled red onions. 
  6. Prepare the squash, corn, and remaining ingredients and combine everything together in a large bowl, including drained pickled red onions, and fold to incorporate. 
  7. Spoon into warm tortillas and serve.

Nutrition information (per serving)

  • Calories: 270
  • Total fat: 14 g
  • Saturated fat: 2.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg
  • Sodium: 80 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 36 g
  • Dietary fiber: 7 g
  • Total sugars: 11 g
  • Protein: 7 g

For 4 servings, 2 tortillas each; does not include added salt