Meatless Monday Tacos…
With a chill in the air and lots of fall produce lying around the kitchen, I was inspired to whip up these butternut squash tacos for a Meatless Monday treat. Butternut squash, red pepper and apple provide a sweet, tart note to perfectly complement the savory garlic and cumin. If you want to spice it up, you can add a little chipotle chili powder as well.
Butternut squash is versatile, delicious and good for you, but it can be a chore to cut and peel. If using a whole squash, microwave it for a few minutes to make it easier to peel. There are plenty of timesaving options to make this recipe a little easier to prep. Purchase peeled and cut squash in the produce section or frozen food section of your supermarket. You just may need to cut it into smaller chunks and if using frozen, decrease the cook time a bit. You don’t want the squash to get too soft.
To really save time, use riced butternut squash, which is readily available in the produce section of your supermarket or try Green Giant’s Riced Butternut Squash from the freezer section.
While I love this filling for tacos and i’m sure you will too, it’s also pretty versative. Serve is as a side dish or topping for chicken of pork or even as a chunky dip with chips.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large sweet onion , sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium butternut squash , peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
- 1 red pepper , diced
- 1 large Honey Crisp apple , diced
- 2 large cloves garlic , pressed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1 can (15 oz.) black beans , rinsed and drained
- 12 6- inch corn or flour tortillas , warmed
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Heat oil over medium heat and cook onion and salt 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until onion is caramelized. Remove onion and set aside.
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Add squash to skillet and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally or until squash is tender crisp. Add red pepper, apple, garlic and cumin and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally or until vegetables are tender.
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Stir in beans and add onions back to skillet and cook until hot.
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Serve squash mixture in warm tortillas, top with shredded cabbage, crumbled queso fresco and chipotle creme.
Chipotle crema: Combine 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder.
To make these vegan, make the Crema with vegan yogurt and mayo or serve without it. Feel free to use your favorite vegan cheese.
