Vegetarian Tacos are Mighty Fine

Good evening everyone!  As I began to prepare this dish, I noticed I've started to deviate from the "traditional" recipes of Mexican to sort of a vegetarian style of Mexican.  While various recipes that include meat are equally as delicious, it must be the health nut in me starting to emerge.  With vegetarian dishes, it's easy to swap out veggies that don't appeal to you or add other flavorful items can really boost a recipe.  Tonight, I'm trying a version of vegetarian tacos that you will definitely want to try!

The Recipe:  Zucchini and Corn Tacos
Original Recipe From:  www.epicurious.com

What You'll Need:
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil, divided
2 Cups fresh white or yellow Corn Kernels
1 Cup chopped White Onion
3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
4 medium Tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 medium Zucchini, diced
1 Cup canned Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 Teaspoon dried Oregano
8 Corn Tortillas (or Taco Shells)
1/4 Cup Green Salsa
8 Teaspoons grated Monterey Jack cheese

To start, preheat half of the vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Once the oil has heated and been swirled around the skillet, add the corn.  Cook the corn for five minutes, or until it has become lightly golden.  Season with salt and stir to ensure an even cook.  Once cooked, remove the corn from the skillet into a bowl and set aside.

Next, heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the onion.  Cook the onion, stirring every once in a while, until it begins to caramelize, about five minutes.  Add the chopped garlic and stir until the garlic becomes fragrant, about one to two minutes.  Add the tomato and continue to cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomato has started to break down.  Next, add the zucchini and cook until the pieces are tender, between 10 and 12 minutes, and season with salt.

Add the cooked corn, beans, and oregano to the skillet.  Season with pepper.  Stir until all the ingredients are throughly mixed together and cook the mixture for three additional minutes.  Add two tablespoons worth of filling among the tortillas and top with a sprinkle of cheese.  Serve and enjoy!

The End Result:

First off, the variety of vegetables in this dish is quite fantastic and each one bringing their own unique flavor.  From the sweetness of the corn to the hint of crunch from the zucchini, it's easy to see why going vegetarian for this recipe is easy to do.  Plus all the ingredients are very filling, so while this recipe serves four, you won't be surprised if there is leftovers.  Or, there might not be enough to go around if it's gobbled up!  The cheese is a nice addition, but it might not be needed (I know, I'm shocked I'm saying that too!)  Overall, a nice alternative to a Mexican favorite that you should be tempted to try.

That's all we have for you tonight.  Check back on Thursday when I'm back, bringing the heat to the faithful pork chop.  Until then,

~Cheers!