Incredibly Tasty (Vegetarian) Tacos

Good evening everyone!  As I have mentioned numerous times here on the blog, I have always tried to strive to find Mexican dishes that are also healthy for you.  It's a win-win all around:  one gets to enjoy the tastiness of Mexican cuisine, plus not feeling guilty after you eat it.  While I have found several recipes that exemplify this perfect balance, tonight's dish might be the pinnacle of that ultimate goal.  While we mix some unique flavors and ingredients, this dish has definitely been well worth the search of the perfect healthy, Mexican recipe.

The Recipe:  Black Bean Tacos with Feta Slaw
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, November 2013 Issue

What You'll Need:
1 center-cut Bacon slice
1 Cup vertically sliced White Onion
2 Teaspoons minced fresh Garlic
1/2 Jalapeño Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (15 ounce) can seasoned Black Beans
3/4 Teaspoon ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Canola Mayonnaise
1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
2 Cups Angel Hair Coleslaw
1/4 Cup Cilantro leaves
2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
8 (6 inch) Corn Tortillas
1 Ounce Feta Cheese, crumbled

To start, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Once heated, add the bacon and cook for two minutes, or until crisp.  Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.  When cool, crumble the bacon into small pieces.  Next, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the drippings in the skillet.  Cook these ingredients until the onion is tender, or three minutes.  Place the onion mixture in a small bowl and set aside.  

In another bowl, lightly mash one cup of the black beans, until the beans have split open, but are not completely smashed.  Add the mashed beans, cumin, salt, and remaining beans from the can into the skillet.  Cook this mixture until everything is thoroughly heated, about two minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once heated, add the bacon crumbles.

Next, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar, mayonnaise, and black pepper.  Whisk together until all the ingredients are incorporated.  Add the coleslaw, cilantro, and green onions.  Toss all the ingredients together, until the dry ingredients are coated.

Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and heat, according to package directions.  Once heated, top the tortillas evenly with the bean mixture and sprinkle with the onion and coleslaw mixtures.  Top with the feta cheese, serve, and enjoy!

The End Result:

Oh, my tasty!  The black beans create a texture that is hard to rival with ground beef or chicken, but it leaves you so much more satisfied than what typical meats can do.  All the ingredients are in harmony with one another and there's not one ingredient that stands out from the rest.  The slaw isn't too heavy, but punches the right notes flavor wise.  The onions aren't super potent, but give a slight hint of garlic flavor.  The feta might stand out more than the other ingredients, but it's hard to pick out amongst everything else in the tacos.  Overall, a great, vegetarian, healthy Mexican dish (did I mention it's only 200 calories for two tacos?) with loads of flavor, that will amp up any dinner tonight!

Thanks for joining us this week.  Be sure to stop by next week as we continue our culinary adventures.  Until then,

~Cheers!