Thursday, July 26, 2012

Powerhouse Vegan Tacos & Girl Time

   I haven't blogged about food for a while. Now that I'm nursing, I'm constantly starving, so I thought now would be a perfect time to start sharing some of my new favorite recipes. 

   These tacos are a huge lifesaver for me. I really miss fast food tacos. The problem with fast food tacos though, is they are made of chemicals and preservatives, making them a sluggish, sickening food. I came up with these tacos instead to meet my hard shell, fattening taco craving. 

   I make my hard shell tacos out of tempeh, which can be found at your health food store (Trader Joe's included) by the tofu. It's loaded with protein and fiber so it's an athletes food. Also, it's got a meaty texture to it so it's very satisfying. 

   Here are my taco toppings. Many vegans love to top their tacos with faux cheeses or tofu based sour creams, but I think those ingredients take away from the flavors of the delicious variety of veggies I top on my taco. I need fats right now 'cause I'm nursing. So olives and avocados are a must. Lettuce, tomatoes and bell peppers  also get thrown on. I could have used some cilantro today too.




   People think that vegans don't get enough protein, but actually, it's the fat content that we have to worry about. Especially vegan athletes and busy Mamas. Same thing right? Avocados, nuts and olives are healthy fats that won't stick to your thighs or hug your tummy.




   Something else I love about these tacos is that they are super easy! I finely dice a block of tempeh to mimic ground beef. Throw it in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Cover slightly with vegetable stock and season with taco seasoning. Use the taco season liberally as that is what gives the tempeh flavor. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add Veggie stock if getting too dry. Brown a bit. That's it! 

   I'm really craving protein right now. So even though tempeh is full of protein, I threw in a can of drained and rinsed black beans for good measure.

    I love my "taco meat" on crunchy taco shells. They would also be good on pan fried corn tortillas or in a big burrito. Yummy!


    I'm a big taco lover, so I'll be posting more favorite taco recipes.

   Yesterday we had mandatory girl day in our house. All my to-do lists got put away and I spent all day playing with the girls. First thing in the morning we made brownies. I love this recipe because it's white-flour, dairy and refined sugar-free. We also played lots of restaurant with some felt food I made them. Playing with their felt food made me want to make more. So today, when Athena woke up at the horrific hour of five a.m, and Thérèse followed by waking at six, we started researching our next felt project. Thérèse requested this ice cream cone. How incredibly cool is the waffle cone? So easy too. You can find the tutorial here.  





I have more felt projects planned! Can't wait to execute them. With allllll my free time. 



Hope y'all are getting your solid eight hours in. 





3 comments:

C said...

Can I just say again, I'm so glad you are back?? I really don't know how you do everything you do, I have one 3-year-old and find I don't often have time to keep up with my blog! Those tacos look amazing...I've never tried tempeh, and I'm wondering what the taste is like? Or does it not have a lot of flavor, like tofu, and does it just "soak up" the flavors you add to it with seasonings and/or marinades? My husband is still a big fan of meat so any "meat substitutes" that taste funky he is not a fan of.

Unknown said...

tempeh - my new found love!!! a great idea to use it as "meat" in tacos!

Arisa and Daniel said...

C, Hey! Sorry this is late! Like you said, I have a hard time keeping up with things!

Tempeh does not have a lot of flavor. Its a grain, so you got to give it lots of flavor in order for it to really taste good. It might be hard for the hubby to switch to, but remind him it's for his heart, haha, maybe that will help. It is one of my favorites to work with!

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