There are a lot of great classic recipes that can be altered to accommodate vegetarian dietary needs. One great example is tacos. This recipe is pretty quick and easy to make, it’s actually probably easier than making regular beef tacos.
For the recipe you’ll need:
* one package of silken firm tofu
* one packet of taco seasoning mix
* one package of taco shells
* one can of vegetarian refried beans – check the label, some refried beans contain meat
* lettuce, tomato, green onions, cheddar cheese and salsa to put on top of the tacos
To start, you’ll probably want to chop up the lettuce, tomatoes and green onion. The rest of the cooking will go pretty fast, and you want to have the toppings ready.
Next, put the tofu into a food processor with the taco seasoning mix. To be a little more creative, you can always invent your own seasoning mixture instead of buying a packaged one, or just add your own seasonings to a packaged mix.
Puree the tofu until it is smooth. Then, put the tofu in a microwave safe bowl. Add the can of refried beans to the tofu and seasoning mixture. Stir the contents of the bowl until it is well mixed.
Microwave the mixture at medium power for 2 minutes. Stir the mixture and continue microwaving for another minute or two. The cooking time will vary a little depending on how powerful your microwave is. Just make sure the beans and tofu are heated up all the way through.
Now it’s time for the fun part. Put the bean and tofu mixture into the bottom of the taco shell. Add all your toppings on top. Now they’re ready to eat.
Adding tofu to vegetarian tacos is a really good idea because tofu is a good source of protein. You can enjoy your tacos, but still get balanced nutrition.
Egan can be reached at cegan@campustimes.org.
