Marina Delio's Blog, page 8
August 10, 2017
Vegetarian Muffaletta Picnic Sandwich
This post and video has been sponsored by Santa Cruz Organic. I received product and compensation, but all opinions are my own. Get the recipe for a stuffed veggie sandwich perfect for an easy backyard picnic.
It's summertime, and the living's easy... My girls go back to school in two short weeks and it suddenly feels like summer is flying by. We are trying to savor the last lazy days of summer as best we can. The weather has been warm and beautiful, but a little too warm to do much cooking inside. So my family has been setting up easy breezy backyard picnics. It feels so good to toss a blanket in the shade under our big bushy trees and enjoy the fresh air. I'm excited to share some of my favorite things to pack in a picnic basket, from a big hearty sandwich for sharing, to cold beverages.
COME JOIN OUR PICNIC! My girls and I had so much fun making this short video.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
It's summertime, and the living's easy... My girls go back to school in two short weeks and it suddenly feels like summer is flying by. We are trying to savor the last lazy days of summer as best we can. The weather has been warm and beautiful, but a little too warm to do much cooking inside. So my family has been setting up easy breezy backyard picnics. It feels so good to toss a blanket in the shade under our big bushy trees and enjoy the fresh air. I'm excited to share some of my favorite things to pack in a picnic basket, from a big hearty sandwich for sharing, to cold beverages. COME JOIN OUR PICNIC! My girls and I had so much fun making this short video.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
August 8, 2017
How to Make Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are roasted and then puréed in the blender with basil in this beautiful and easy summer soup.
Every year around March I plant little baby tomato plants. Sometimes from seed and other times from transplants. It's so much fun to watch them grow. By May they are covered with little yellow flowers and by July those flowers have turned into sweet juicy tomatoes. This hasn't been my best garden year since we were out of town for most of June, but we do have some tomatoes. Though most of our tomatoes are eaten directly from the vine (by our family and the birds), I also love using them in recipes that really show them off. I'm working on a round-up blog post of my favorite recipes using fresh summer tomatoes, but for now I wanted to share this fresh tomato soup.
Tomato soup is such a comforting classic. Many recipes call for canned tomatoes and heavy cream. A few years ago I made roasted red pepper soup in a cooking class and was amazed by how creamy the soup turned out without using any dairy at all. I made this tomato soup much the same way and added a pepper for another layer of flavor.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
Every year around March I plant little baby tomato plants. Sometimes from seed and other times from transplants. It's so much fun to watch them grow. By May they are covered with little yellow flowers and by July those flowers have turned into sweet juicy tomatoes. This hasn't been my best garden year since we were out of town for most of June, but we do have some tomatoes. Though most of our tomatoes are eaten directly from the vine (by our family and the birds), I also love using them in recipes that really show them off. I'm working on a round-up blog post of my favorite recipes using fresh summer tomatoes, but for now I wanted to share this fresh tomato soup.
Tomato soup is such a comforting classic. Many recipes call for canned tomatoes and heavy cream. A few years ago I made roasted red pepper soup in a cooking class and was amazed by how creamy the soup turned out without using any dairy at all. I made this tomato soup much the same way and added a pepper for another layer of flavor.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
August 1, 2017
Falafel Recipe
Find out how to make perfect baked falafel. These healthier falafel are vegan and gluten-free with all the authentic flavor.
Have you ever tried falafel? Have you tried making it at home? Falafel is one of those foods I've mostly enjoyed while dining out. A few years ago I made falafel from my friend, An Edible Mosaic's, Middle Eastern cookbook. I served the falafel with hummus and tabbouleh in lettuce wraps and it was such an incredibly satisfying dinner. Since then I've gotten a bit lazy and usually grab a bag of frozen falafel from the grocery store. Not surprisingly, those falafel don't come close to the fresh ones I had made or enjoyed at restaurants. The freezer falafel can just be so dry and tough. After looking through a recent copy of Cooking Light magazine and noticing some delicious falafel sliders, I knew I had to make homemade falafel again as soon as possible. This recipe didn't disappoint. Even without deep frying, these were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and filled with fresh herbs and spices.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
Have you ever tried falafel? Have you tried making it at home? Falafel is one of those foods I've mostly enjoyed while dining out. A few years ago I made falafel from my friend, An Edible Mosaic's, Middle Eastern cookbook. I served the falafel with hummus and tabbouleh in lettuce wraps and it was such an incredibly satisfying dinner. Since then I've gotten a bit lazy and usually grab a bag of frozen falafel from the grocery store. Not surprisingly, those falafel don't come close to the fresh ones I had made or enjoyed at restaurants. The freezer falafel can just be so dry and tough. After looking through a recent copy of Cooking Light magazine and noticing some delicious falafel sliders, I knew I had to make homemade falafel again as soon as possible. This recipe didn't disappoint. Even without deep frying, these were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and filled with fresh herbs and spices.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
July 31, 2017
How to Make a Family Friendly Party Platter
This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic. Learn how to put together an easy, beautiful, and nourishing kid-friendly snack board. 
One of my favorite things to make when we have friends over is a big snack board loaded up with beautiful food. My girlfriends and I catch up over nibbles and laughter while the kids run around. It's absolutely my happy place. Making a big, beautiful snack platter is so easy and fun that I wanted to share how to make a kid-friendly version. This one is sure to bring all ages together.
Kids love variety, so while snack platters may seem like a grownup idea, they are actually great for the whole family (and friends)! I like my snack platters to be filled with wholesome, real foods. This version was incredibly easy to put together with a few store-bought goodies. Since our friends' children range in age from 1 to 10 years old, I've added some fun, organic goodies from Horizon to entice our littlest guests over to the table. My girls think I'm just the "best ever" when I have Horizon crackers and fruit snacks around, and I love that they're made without artificial colors or flavors.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
One of my favorite things to make when we have friends over is a big snack board loaded up with beautiful food. My girlfriends and I catch up over nibbles and laughter while the kids run around. It's absolutely my happy place. Making a big, beautiful snack platter is so easy and fun that I wanted to share how to make a kid-friendly version. This one is sure to bring all ages together.Kids love variety, so while snack platters may seem like a grownup idea, they are actually great for the whole family (and friends)! I like my snack platters to be filled with wholesome, real foods. This version was incredibly easy to put together with a few store-bought goodies. Since our friends' children range in age from 1 to 10 years old, I've added some fun, organic goodies from Horizon to entice our littlest guests over to the table. My girls think I'm just the "best ever" when I have Horizon crackers and fruit snacks around, and I love that they're made without artificial colors or flavors.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
July 26, 2017
Asian Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing
This vegetarian and vegan Chinese inspired salad is hearty enough for lunch or dinner and filled with healthy ingredients like cabbage, veggies, and cashews. The sesame ginger dressing ads sweet and savory flavor.
Very rarely since giving up meat years ago do I miss a non-vegetarian meal. When I do, it's not that I miss the meat exactly, it's the flavors that were added to it. I mean, meat without the flavoring, braising, or grilling is really pretty blah. For example, I sometimes miss burgers, but not the meat, just the toasted bun, flavorful condiments, fresh veggies, and tangy pickles. So I make a veggie burger. This week I had one of those weird random cravings. This time I had a flashback to when I used to make Chinese chicken salad. I loved that crunchy cabbage with sweet and savory sesame dressing. Asian flavors like sesame, soy sauce, and ginger can completely transform a bowl of cabbage into something bursting with umami flavor. With the summer heat I've been craving light and cool dinners. Big beautiful hearty salads are making me so happy. So I got to work making a Chinese chickenless salad. Last night we had this hearty salad along with some veggie egg rolls and it totally hit the spot.
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
Very rarely since giving up meat years ago do I miss a non-vegetarian meal. When I do, it's not that I miss the meat exactly, it's the flavors that were added to it. I mean, meat without the flavoring, braising, or grilling is really pretty blah. For example, I sometimes miss burgers, but not the meat, just the toasted bun, flavorful condiments, fresh veggies, and tangy pickles. So I make a veggie burger. This week I had one of those weird random cravings. This time I had a flashback to when I used to make Chinese chicken salad. I loved that crunchy cabbage with sweet and savory sesame dressing. Asian flavors like sesame, soy sauce, and ginger can completely transform a bowl of cabbage into something bursting with umami flavor. With the summer heat I've been craving light and cool dinners. Big beautiful hearty salads are making me so happy. So I got to work making a Chinese chickenless salad. Last night we had this hearty salad along with some veggie egg rolls and it totally hit the spot.CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
July 23, 2017
Superfood Smoothies
Four superfood smoothies that are delicious and nourishing, from turmeric to green to pitaya. 
While we enjoy smoothies year-round, I especially crave them in the summer. Thick, creamy, refreshing, and nourishing smoothies are my jam. One of my childhood friends recently reminded me that I was making smoothies when I was 12 years old. Smoothies are like an ice cream treat, only made with nourishing ingredients. Don't you just love that? While smoothie shop smoothies are often bulked up with ice cream, these ones are made with real food ingredients. CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
While we enjoy smoothies year-round, I especially crave them in the summer. Thick, creamy, refreshing, and nourishing smoothies are my jam. One of my childhood friends recently reminded me that I was making smoothies when I was 12 years old. Smoothies are like an ice cream treat, only made with nourishing ingredients. Don't you just love that? While smoothie shop smoothies are often bulked up with ice cream, these ones are made with real food ingredients. CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
July 19, 2017
Vegan Mango Ice Cream
This post is sponsored by Silk. All opinions are my own. Easy no-churn, 2-ingredient mango frozen "yogurt" is so refreshing on hot days.
You may remember last year I made 2-ingredient vegan pineapple ice cream. Well, while we were in Italy my littlest daughter discovered her love for mango sorbetto. When we got home from the trip I started making mango nice cream the same way I make the pineapple one - in the food processor or blender. I thought after a month of eating real Italian gelato and sorbetto my girls might not be as excited about my whole fruit version, but they were! It's always a good sign when the kids are begging me to take the photos so they can eat some, and that's just what happened here.
This vegan mango ice cream is bright, creamy, and refreshing. And just for fun I added a bonus raspberry layer this time. I loved the tartness the raspberry added to the sweet mango layer and it took just a minute to add. Adding the pink layer means scoops have that fun swirl that reminds me of the rainbow sherbet of my childhood. Watch the video at the bottom to see what I mean. It's just crazy simple.
This mango nice cream has so many good things going for it:
Proboiotics ProteinVitamin-CAntioxidants CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
You may remember last year I made 2-ingredient vegan pineapple ice cream. Well, while we were in Italy my littlest daughter discovered her love for mango sorbetto. When we got home from the trip I started making mango nice cream the same way I make the pineapple one - in the food processor or blender. I thought after a month of eating real Italian gelato and sorbetto my girls might not be as excited about my whole fruit version, but they were! It's always a good sign when the kids are begging me to take the photos so they can eat some, and that's just what happened here. This vegan mango ice cream is bright, creamy, and refreshing. And just for fun I added a bonus raspberry layer this time. I loved the tartness the raspberry added to the sweet mango layer and it took just a minute to add. Adding the pink layer means scoops have that fun swirl that reminds me of the rainbow sherbet of my childhood. Watch the video at the bottom to see what I mean. It's just crazy simple.
This mango nice cream has so many good things going for it:
Proboiotics ProteinVitamin-CAntioxidants CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
July 15, 2017
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Get your chocolate fix and and veggies all at once! These vegan double chocolate zucchini muffins with chocolate chips are filled with natural ingredients.
Midsummer means massive amounts of zucchini coming out of our garden. While I love zucchini sauteed, spiralized, in Grilled Veggie Tacos, and as Baked Zucchini Fries, my family quickly tires of summer squash. One of my favorite zucchini guilty pleasures is baking zucchini bread or zucchini muffins. The zucchini adds moisture and nutrition, without any vegetable flavor.
This week a sudden brownie craving came over me and I needed to bake something fudge-y, rich, and chocolatey immediately. Chocolate zucchini muffins to the rescue! Chocolate muffins sound SO decadent and naughty. Really though, you can transform a basic muffin batter into a chocolate one by adding a scoop of unsweetened cocoa powder. Try it with banana muffins sometime!
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
Midsummer means massive amounts of zucchini coming out of our garden. While I love zucchini sauteed, spiralized, in Grilled Veggie Tacos, and as Baked Zucchini Fries, my family quickly tires of summer squash. One of my favorite zucchini guilty pleasures is baking zucchini bread or zucchini muffins. The zucchini adds moisture and nutrition, without any vegetable flavor.This week a sudden brownie craving came over me and I needed to bake something fudge-y, rich, and chocolatey immediately. Chocolate zucchini muffins to the rescue! Chocolate muffins sound SO decadent and naughty. Really though, you can transform a basic muffin batter into a chocolate one by adding a scoop of unsweetened cocoa powder. Try it with banana muffins sometime!
CONTINUE READING THIS POST »
July 11, 2017
Grain Free Granola
This grain-free granola is loaded with super seeds and is sure to become a new favorite breakfast recipe!
One of the (many) fun things about blogging is connecting with other bloggers and authors. I know firsthand just how much work and heart goes into writing a cookbook, so when a blogger friend has a new book out, I always celebrate with them. Pamela Salzman's new cookbook, Kitchen Matters (Amazon affiliate link), just showed up on my doorstep and I am loving pouring over the beautiful, nourishing recipes. Pamela's cooking style is much like my own: full of beautiful, whole foods that taste delicious. Pamela agreed to let me share this granola recipe with you.This grain-free granola is light and crispy, just sweet and salty enough, with irresistible hints of cinnamon and vanilla. I love making homemade granola because it allows me to control the amount of sugar and quality of ingredients. I also love giving homemade granola as gifts around the holidays. You may remember my Chocolate Granola, which also has superfood seeds, or the Tropical Granola in my cookbook. This grain-free granola is just perfect and I can see why it's such a hit in Pamela's cooking classes and family.
Kitchen Matters is filled with delicious whole food recipes. I love that so many of the recipes are vegetarian, vegan, or vegan adaptable. Pamela definitely knows how to create recipes that celebrate real food - my favorite!
If you'd like to incorporate more nuts and seeds into your diet, this recipes is a delicious way to do it! Nuts and seeds provide protein, good fats, and fiber to keep us satiated. Sprinkle this granola on yogurt, smoothie bowls, oatmeal, chia pudding, berries, or just snack on it in the afternoon!
You can get Kitchen Matters wherever books are sold, including Amazon (Affiliate Link).
Yield: about 8 cupsAuthor: Pamela SalzmanPrint Recipe
Grain-Free Superseed GranolaAn addictive vegan, grain-free granola recipe loaded with wholesome seeds and nuts.prep time: 10 MINScook time: 30 MINStotal time: 40 minsINGREDIENTS:2 cups raw pecans, walnuts, or a combo, roughly chopped1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)3/4 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds1/4 cup hemp seeds1/4 cup sesame seeds1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (or sub fine-grain sea salt)1/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil, melted1/4 cup pure Grade A maple syrup1/4 cup muscovado sugar, coconut sugar, or light brown sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/4 teaspoon pure almond extractINSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.Pulse 1 cup of the nuts in a blender or food processor until very finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl with the remaining cup of roughly chopped nuts and the coconut flakes, seeds, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.In a small bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract until well blended. It is really important to mis the oil and syrup so that everything is emulsified, otherwise the syrup may burn. Add the syrup mixture to the nut mixture and stir to coat well.Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (ovens vary), stirring occasionally, until golden brown. The mixture will not be crunchy at this point, but will become so out of the oven. Allow to cool and transfer the granola to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2017/07/grain-free-granola.htmlRecipe reprinted with permission from Kitchen Matters.Created using The Recipes Generator.recipe-inner{text-align:left;max-width:620px;border:6px double #009BFF;padding:20px;background:#f2f2f2;margin: 40px auto;font-family:Lato, sans-serif;}#recipe .recipe-name{font-size: 21px;}#recipe .info{font-size:13px;text-transform:capitalize;border-bottom:2px solid #000;padding-bottom:7px;margin-bottom:20px}.info:after{content:'';display:table;clear:both}#recipe .info span:first-child{margin-right:30px}#printbutton{border:0;margin:0;color:#fff;float:right;background:#555; padding:5px;border-radius:3px;cursor:pointer}#recipe .time{text-transform:uppercase;font-size:12px;text-align:center;background:#fff;padding:15px 0;margin-bottom:20px}#recipe .time span:not(:last-child){margin-right:12px}#recipe .time span:not(:last-child):after{content:'';display:inline-block;height:10px;width:1px;background:#000;vertical-align:middle;margin-left:12px}#recipe .summary{line-height:1.7;font-style:italic}.ingredients{line-height:1.7;clear:both}.ingredients h3,.instructions h3{font-size:20px !important;margin-bottom:0;color:#000}.ingredients ul{margin:0!important;margin-top:5px !important;}.instructions li{margin-bottom:15px !important;line-height:1.6;text-align:left;}.ingredients li{text-align:left}#recipe .instructions{margin-top: 30px;}#recipe .instructions ol{padding-left:39px;margin:0!important;margin-top:6px !important;}.posturl{border-top:1px solid #ccc;padding-top:10px;}.ing-section{padding-left:20px;margin: 10px 0;}.ing-section > span{font-weight:700}.recipe-credit{display:none;font-size:13px;border-top: 1px solid #ccc;padding:10px;text-align:center;background:#ffffff;margin:-20px;margin-top:15px;}.recipe-credit a{color:blue;text-decoration:none;}.copyright-statement{ font-size: 13px;font-style:italic;border-top: 1px solid #ccc;margin-top:15px;padding-top:15px;line-height:1.6;}#recipe .image{text-align:center;margin-bottom:25px;margin-right:20px;float:left}#recipe .image img{max-width:250px}#recipe .recipe-name{line-height:1.6;text-transform:uppercase;margin-top:0;letter-spacing:1px;text-align:left}#recipe .summary{line-height:1.7;font-style:italic}#recipe .time{background:#fff;clear:both;border:1px solid #d7d7d7}
July 8, 2017
Grilled Veggie Tacos with Avocado Cream
Flavorful, smoky grilled summer vegetables are absolutely delicious with black beans, cilantro and lime avocado cream, and crunchy toppings. These hearty tacos are filled with beautifully healthful ingredients to fill you up and make you feel great.
We've just returned from our month in Italy. I'm so happy to be back to blogging. As much as I adore cooking and eating in Italy, I always come home craving Mexican food big time. Taco, burrito, or fajita night is at least a once a week meal for us, so we always miss it while away from California. I also come home craving loads of healthful, colorful veggies. This grilled veggie taco recipe is the result of those post-travel cravings.
This veggie taco recipe is highly adaptable, so feel free to play around with the veggies. I'm a big fan of "clean out the fridge" meals, and that's sort of the way this recipe went when I made it. After being away for a month, our veggie garden was bursting with zucchini, so that's what I used the most of here. I also used a few pieces of cauliflower, though I'm not writing that into the recipe, because it's what we had. Yellow summer squash, portobello mushrooms, corn, and bell peppers would also be delicious in this recipe and I can't wait to try them next time I make this! At my daughter's request, we added some pineapple to the grill. What a great idea! Sweet, juicy pineapple ads another irresistible layer of flavor.
The veggies get a quick brush with olive oil and sprinkle with taco seasoning. I love the rich smoky flavor the seasoning ads to the veggies. You can add as much or little taco seasoning as you would like. I went light since I wanted my kids to eat this, but feel free to go heavy for more flavor.
These veggie tacos are really easy to make. You can use an outdoor BBQ or a grill pan. If you don't have either, you can cook the veggies in a skillet and they will still be delicious. The only trick is to not overcook the veggies. We want our grilled veggie filling to have some bite, and zucchini can easily go mushy when cooked a few minutes too long.
This is one of those recipes where the leftovers may have been even more delicious than the original recipe, so I had to share the version 2 with you! For lunch today I topped some rice with the leftover grilled vegetables, beans, cabbage and a dollop of the avocado cream sauce. It made the most delicious burrito bowl lunch!
Watch the quick video for an idea of how this recipe works.
Yield: Serves 4-6Author: Yummy Mummy KitchenPrint RecipeGrilled Vegetable Tacos with Black Beans and Avocado CreamThese colorful vegan black bean and grilled vegetable tacos are topped with an avocado cream sauce, pineapple, and cabbage.prep time: 10 MINScook time: 20 MINStotal time: 30 minsINGREDIENTS:
1 ¼ cups avocado flesh (about 1 large avocado)3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)1 handful fresh cilantro leaves½ teaspoon garlic powder¾ teaspoon cumin½ teaspoon sea salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, to taste3 tablespoons water, to thin2 red onions2 zucchini2 carrots2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons taco seasoning, divided (store bought or homemade)3 rings or spears fresh pineapple2 cups cooked black beans1 package favorite tortillas, warmed¼ cup thinly sliced radish (for garnish)1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage (for garnish)1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (for garnish, optional)INSTRUCTIONS
To make the avocado cream, place avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, salt and a pinch of pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula and adding water to thin. Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and store in the refrigerator.Cut zucchini and carrots in half lengthwise. Peel onion and cut crosswise into ½ to 1” rounds. Brush veggies and pineapple with olive oil and sprinkle the veggies lightly with about 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. Grill until charred marks appear and veggies are just tender crisp. Be careful not to over cook the veggies, as zucchini can get soggy. Grill the pineapple just until marks appear. Cut the grilled veggies and pineapple into bite-sized pieces.Meanwhile, heat the beans and the remaining tablespoon of taco seasoning in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.Fill tortillas with black beans and grilled veggies. Top with avocado cream, grilled pineapple, radish, cabbage, and jalapeno. *Make-ahead tip: The veggies can be grilled and the avocado cream can be made in the morning. Reheat the veggies before serving.http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2017/07/grilled-veggie-tacos.htmlCreated using The Recipes Generator.recipe-inner{text-align:left;max-width:620px;border:6px double #009BFF;padding:20px;background:#f2f2f2;margin: 40px auto;font-family:Lato, sans-serif;}#recipe .recipe-name{font-size: 21px;}#recipe .info{font-size:13px;text-transform:capitalize;border-bottom:2px solid #000;padding-bottom:7px;margin-bottom:20px}.info:after{content:'';display:table;clear:both}#recipe .info span:first-child{margin-right:30px}#printbutton{border:0;margin:0;color:#fff;float:right;background:#555; padding:5px;border-radius:3px;cursor:pointer}#recipe .time{text-transform:uppercase;font-size:12px;text-align:center;background:#fff;padding:15px 0;margin-bottom:20px}#recipe .time span:not(:last-child){margin-right:12px}#recipe .time span:not(:last-child):after{content:'';display:inline-block;height:10px;width:1px;background:#000;vertical-align:middle;margin-left:12px}#recipe .summary{line-height:1.7;font-style:italic}.ingredients{line-height:1.7;clear:both}.ingredients h3,.instructions h3{font-size:20px !important;margin-bottom:0;color:#000}.ingredients ul{margin:0!important;margin-top:5px !important;}.instructions li{margin-bottom:15px !important;line-height:1.6;text-align:left;}.ingredients li{text-align:left}#recipe .instructions{margin-top: 30px;}#recipe .instructions ol{padding-left:39px;margin:0!important;margin-top:6px !important;}.posturl{border-top:1px solid #ccc;padding-top:10px;}.ing-section{padding-left:20px;margin: 10px 0;}.ing-section > span{font-weight:700}.recipe-credit{display:none;font-size:13px;border-top: 1px solid #ccc;padding:10px;text-align:center;background:#ffffff;margin:-20px;margin-top:15px;}.recipe-credit a{color:blue;text-decoration:none;}.copyright-statement{ font-size: 13px;font-style:italic;border-top: 1px solid #ccc;margin-top:15px;padding-top:15px;line-height:1.6;}#recipe .image{text-align:center;margin-bottom:25px;margin-right:20px;float:left}#recipe .image img{max-width:250px}#recipe .recipe-name{line-height:1.6;text-transform:uppercase;margin-top:0;letter-spacing:1px;text-align:left}#recipe .summary{line-height:1.7;font-style:italic}#recipe .time{background:#fff;clear:both;border:1px solid #d7d7d7} *Avocado cream sauce adapted from Oh She Glows, who was inspired by Kathy's recipe.
We've just returned from our month in Italy. I'm so happy to be back to blogging. As much as I adore cooking and eating in Italy, I always come home craving Mexican food big time. Taco, burrito, or fajita night is at least a once a week meal for us, so we always miss it while away from California. I also come home craving loads of healthful, colorful veggies. This grilled veggie taco recipe is the result of those post-travel cravings. 
This veggie taco recipe is highly adaptable, so feel free to play around with the veggies. I'm a big fan of "clean out the fridge" meals, and that's sort of the way this recipe went when I made it. After being away for a month, our veggie garden was bursting with zucchini, so that's what I used the most of here. I also used a few pieces of cauliflower, though I'm not writing that into the recipe, because it's what we had. Yellow summer squash, portobello mushrooms, corn, and bell peppers would also be delicious in this recipe and I can't wait to try them next time I make this! At my daughter's request, we added some pineapple to the grill. What a great idea! Sweet, juicy pineapple ads another irresistible layer of flavor. The veggies get a quick brush with olive oil and sprinkle with taco seasoning. I love the rich smoky flavor the seasoning ads to the veggies. You can add as much or little taco seasoning as you would like. I went light since I wanted my kids to eat this, but feel free to go heavy for more flavor.
These veggie tacos are really easy to make. You can use an outdoor BBQ or a grill pan. If you don't have either, you can cook the veggies in a skillet and they will still be delicious. The only trick is to not overcook the veggies. We want our grilled veggie filling to have some bite, and zucchini can easily go mushy when cooked a few minutes too long.
This is one of those recipes where the leftovers may have been even more delicious than the original recipe, so I had to share the version 2 with you! For lunch today I topped some rice with the leftover grilled vegetables, beans, cabbage and a dollop of the avocado cream sauce. It made the most delicious burrito bowl lunch! Watch the quick video for an idea of how this recipe works.
Yield: Serves 4-6Author: Yummy Mummy KitchenPrint Recipe
Grilled Vegetable Tacos with Black Beans and Avocado CreamThese colorful vegan black bean and grilled vegetable tacos are topped with an avocado cream sauce, pineapple, and cabbage.prep time: 10 MINScook time: 20 MINStotal time: 30 minsINGREDIENTS:1 ¼ cups avocado flesh (about 1 large avocado)3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)1 handful fresh cilantro leaves½ teaspoon garlic powder¾ teaspoon cumin½ teaspoon sea salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, to taste3 tablespoons water, to thin2 red onions2 zucchini2 carrots2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons taco seasoning, divided (store bought or homemade)3 rings or spears fresh pineapple2 cups cooked black beans1 package favorite tortillas, warmed¼ cup thinly sliced radish (for garnish)1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage (for garnish)1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (for garnish, optional)INSTRUCTIONS
To make the avocado cream, place avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, salt and a pinch of pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula and adding water to thin. Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and store in the refrigerator.Cut zucchini and carrots in half lengthwise. Peel onion and cut crosswise into ½ to 1” rounds. Brush veggies and pineapple with olive oil and sprinkle the veggies lightly with about 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. Grill until charred marks appear and veggies are just tender crisp. Be careful not to over cook the veggies, as zucchini can get soggy. Grill the pineapple just until marks appear. Cut the grilled veggies and pineapple into bite-sized pieces.Meanwhile, heat the beans and the remaining tablespoon of taco seasoning in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.Fill tortillas with black beans and grilled veggies. Top with avocado cream, grilled pineapple, radish, cabbage, and jalapeno. *Make-ahead tip: The veggies can be grilled and the avocado cream can be made in the morning. Reheat the veggies before serving.http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2017/07/grilled-veggie-tacos.htmlCreated using The Recipes Generator.recipe-inner{text-align:left;max-width:620px;border:6px double #009BFF;padding:20px;background:#f2f2f2;margin: 40px auto;font-family:Lato, sans-serif;}#recipe .recipe-name{font-size: 21px;}#recipe .info{font-size:13px;text-transform:capitalize;border-bottom:2px solid #000;padding-bottom:7px;margin-bottom:20px}.info:after{content:'';display:table;clear:both}#recipe .info span:first-child{margin-right:30px}#printbutton{border:0;margin:0;color:#fff;float:right;background:#555; padding:5px;border-radius:3px;cursor:pointer}#recipe .time{text-transform:uppercase;font-size:12px;text-align:center;background:#fff;padding:15px 0;margin-bottom:20px}#recipe .time span:not(:last-child){margin-right:12px}#recipe .time span:not(:last-child):after{content:'';display:inline-block;height:10px;width:1px;background:#000;vertical-align:middle;margin-left:12px}#recipe .summary{line-height:1.7;font-style:italic}.ingredients{line-height:1.7;clear:both}.ingredients h3,.instructions h3{font-size:20px !important;margin-bottom:0;color:#000}.ingredients ul{margin:0!important;margin-top:5px !important;}.instructions li{margin-bottom:15px !important;line-height:1.6;text-align:left;}.ingredients li{text-align:left}#recipe .instructions{margin-top: 30px;}#recipe .instructions ol{padding-left:39px;margin:0!important;margin-top:6px !important;}.posturl{border-top:1px solid #ccc;padding-top:10px;}.ing-section{padding-left:20px;margin: 10px 0;}.ing-section > span{font-weight:700}.recipe-credit{display:none;font-size:13px;border-top: 1px solid #ccc;padding:10px;text-align:center;background:#ffffff;margin:-20px;margin-top:15px;}.recipe-credit a{color:blue;text-decoration:none;}.copyright-statement{ font-size: 13px;font-style:italic;border-top: 1px solid #ccc;margin-top:15px;padding-top:15px;line-height:1.6;}#recipe .image{text-align:center;margin-bottom:25px;margin-right:20px;float:left}#recipe .image img{max-width:250px}#recipe .recipe-name{line-height:1.6;text-transform:uppercase;margin-top:0;letter-spacing:1px;text-align:left}#recipe .summary{line-height:1.7;font-style:italic}#recipe .time{background:#fff;clear:both;border:1px solid #d7d7d7} *Avocado cream sauce adapted from Oh She Glows, who was inspired by Kathy's recipe.
