Jackfruit Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

Jackfruit is one of the newest trends among vegetarians and vegans. Even some meat eaters are excited about jackfruit. What is jackfruit? it’s a relative to the fig family and grows in Asia, Africa, and Brazil. It contains no cholesterol, very low in sodium and calories in general. Even though the fruit itself is not loaded with protein, but eat the seeds as they have more protein than the actual fruit. In this recipe, the stems and seeds are removed, but enjoy them separately…with BBQ sauce! Here is the nutritional count:

Two cups contain 310 calories and boast the following lineup of vitamins and minerals:

• Fiber: 6 grams

• Protein: 5.6 grams

• Vitamin A: 20% of Recommended Daily Intake (RDI)

• Vitamin C: 36% of RDI

• Riboflavin: 22% of RDI

• Magnesium: 30% of RDI

• Potassium: 28% of RDI

• Copper: 30% of RDI

• Manganese: 32% of RDI

Jackfruit Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

ingredients:

For the tacos:

• 1 10-ounce can green jackfruit in water or brine

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 yellow onion, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 lime, juiced

• 1 TBSP chili powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1/4 tsp pink salt

• 1/2 cup water

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

• 1 cup fresh cilantro

• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 4 cloves, garlic

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp pink salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Additional ingredients:

• 4 taco shells

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 1/4 red onion, sliced

• lime wedges

Directions:

1. To prepare the jackfruit, drain and rinse. Remove hard stems and seeds. Using either a potato masher or your hands, break apart the fruit so it looks shredded. Set aside

2. Warm 1/4 cup water in a skillet. Add onion and garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Add spices and lime juice, stirring to combine.

3. Add 1/2 cup water and jackfruit. Continue sautéing until heated thorough. Add additional water if gets too dry. Set aside and keep warm

4. To prepare chimichurri sauce: Add all ingredients in a food processor and whirl until smooth and evenly combined. Move to a separate bowl.

5. To assemble: place 1/4 of warm jackfruit in a taco shell, layer with red onion, avocado and top with chimichurri sauce and lime.

Vegan Veggie Enchiladas

Mexican food is a favorite of mine, but I think it’s because of all the carbohydrates associated with this ethnic delight. Rice and beans are a staple in Mexican cooking, which is why it’s easy to eat vegetarian in restaurants. Once I’ve consumed all those carbs though, I feel like a slug because of the roller coaster ride of the insulin response. Unfortunately, for many in the latin population, diabetes or pre-diabetes is often an issue. These enchiladas are packed full of veggies, not carbs, that are both delicious and satisfying to the taste buds. If there is time, consider making your own enchilada sauce (recipe follows.) I started making my own sauce when I noticed that most canned sauce in the grocery store contained high fructose corn syrup and/or MSG. Often I’ll make a double or triple batch of the sauce and store it for later use.

Vegan Veggie Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP avocado oil

• 1/2 cup carrots, skin peeled and chopped

• 1/2 cup bell pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 cup chopped cauliflower

• 1 small zucchini diced

• 1 cup Shiitake mushrooms

• 2 cups fresh spinach chopped

• 1 can black beans, rinsed

• 3 cups prepared enchilada sauce, divided (recipe follows)

• 12 corn tortillas

• Chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 9x13 casserole dish by placing 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom to prevent sticking.

2. In a large skillet, warm avocado oil. Add carrots, bell pepper, and cauliflower, cook for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add zucchini and mushrooms to skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add spinach and black beens to the mixture, stirring to combine. Continuing cooking until spinach is wilted and mixture is hot. Add enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.

5. Fill corn tortillas with 1/4 cup mixture and top with chopped cilantro, if using. Fold over placing seem side down in the prepared dish. Continue filling tortillas. Add remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas.

6. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until hot.

Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp avocado oil

• 1 medium yellow, pungent onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 TBSP chili powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp pink salt

• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1-2 cups water

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions, jalapeño, and garlic until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, and salt and stir in the pan for another minute so that the spices can get slightly toasted and fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and water (sauce should be thin as much of the water will evaporate while enchiladas bake.) Bring the sauce to a simmer and let cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.

2. Transfer the sauce to a blender and whirl until smooth. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days. The sauce can be frozen or canned. The recipe makes enough sauce for a 9x13 inch pan of enchiladas.

adapted from Alaska from Scratch

Enchilada Casserole

During a meal prepping weekend, I came up with this easy version of enchiladas. I love Mexican food anytime, plus I had all the ingredients on hand. During the meal prep day, I assemble the casserole but don't bake it until the day I plan to eat it. 

Enchilada Casserole

• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup prepared salsa, divided
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In a 8 x 8 casserole dish, place 2 TBSP prepared salsa and swirl around covering the bottom.
2. In a medium bowl, place refried beans, black beans, remaining salsa, olives and cumin. Stir to combine.
3. To assemble, place four tortillas over the salsa and spread half of the bean mixture over the tortillas,sprinkle with half of the cheese.
4. Place the additional four tortillas over the bean mixture and spread the remaining bean mixture over top and ending with cheese.
5. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.