Runner’s Recipe: Quick and Easy Veggie Tacos

Veggie Tacos

I know this isn’t a cooking blog, but besides running itself, the number one concern and favorite activity of most of the runners I know is eating.  I decided that every now and then it would be fun to share some of my favorite recipes.  

First let me say that since reading Eat & Run by Scott Jurek (If you aren't familiar with the book, you are missing a great read. Check out my review of Eat & Run), I have been trying to go more vegetarian in my diet. I have been succeeding for the most part. I have not made the jump to 100% vegetarian yet, but most weeks, I manage to make about 90% of my diet vegetarian, with maybe only one meal a week with meat.

I also love Mexican food. Having lived in California for most of my life, it was considered a staple. On first glance, it is easy to go vegetarian with Mexican food, just by leaning heavily on the beans and cheese and taking out the meat from most dishes. However, the tendency is to add in large amounts of cheese which really piles up the fat content, something I am also working on.  Plus, that is just boring.

Thankfully, there are many sources of inspiration out there for how to make vegetarian eating exciting and yummy. These tacos got their inspiration from a food truck we have around the Lansing area, usually at farmer’s markets, called Trailer Park’d. 

Trailer Park'd at East Lansing Farmer's Market

We stopped by there on the suggestion of one of my running/Facebook friends (Thanks, Lolo) to try the tacos. They were awesome, but I always have to fiddle with a recipe to get it just how I like it. 

This is what I came up with. They are the best veggie tacos Jer and I have ever had. As a fair warning, you must be an onion lover to like this recipe. The prep time is about 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
4 soft taco flour tortillas

1 large red onion

1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 ripe avocado

1 package shredded coleslaw mix

4 tablespoons feta cheese

¼ cup fresh or frozen corn

¼ cup canned black beans

Garlic salt

Fresh cilantro (you can leave this out if you are a cilantro hater)

Mexican lime (optional)

Green tomatillo salsa

Directions:

1. Slice the onion into half rings. Put the onion half rings in a skillet (I like cast iron) that has been preheated with oil and cook over medium heat to caramelize. (For tips on how to caramelize onions, click here.) 

2. While the onion is cooking, put the corn and black beans into a small container and microwave to heat through. Add garlic salt and stir. Then set aside for taco assembly.

3. Check on the onion, stir, and then peel and slice the avocado into small chunks.

4. Lay out all other ingredients close at hand for the assembly process.

5. When onions are ready, heat the tortilla shells. My favorite method is over the burner of a gas stove on medium heat until slightly brown, turning often to avoid burning or the edges catching on fire (If you try this, be careful, and don’t burn your fingers). My boys could heat a tortilla like this by the time they were twelve, but if you aren’t quite so adventurous, you can warm them in a hot skillet, on a grill if you have one, or in the microwave for about 10 seconds. You really lose some flavor, though, if you microwave them.

6. Assemble the tacos as follows: grilled onions, black bean and corn mixture, tablespoon of feta cheese, cole slaw mix, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and five or six cilantro leaves, to taste.

Top off with green tomatillo salsa (or whatever type of salsa you prefer, but the tomatillo really sets this off). These are best if served with an ice-cold 12 oz bottle of the runner’s favorite post-run beverage, and no I do NOT mean Gatorade.  Give them a try and let me know what you think. 

(Do you have a healthy runner-friendly recipe you would like to share? If so, contact me to do a guest post!)