Sunday, July 20, 2008

Turkey Tacos with Brown Rice Tortillas

I blanked on dinner tonight, so I just browned some frozen turkey and made do with what we had in the house. Luckily I had bought brown rice tortillas last time I was at the store. Also, we always have avocados and green salsa around. Easy as pie. Or tacos, as it were.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1lb free-range ground turkey
  • 1 cup chicken stock (or water)
  • 1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded & chopped
  • 1 large zucchini, diced very small
  • fresh cilantro
  • green onions or chives
  • 1/4 cup (or more) nutritional yeast
  • spices: 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 Tbsp paprika, 1/4 tsp clove, 1tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup shredded raw cabbage or lettuce or other greens
  • 1 can of Green Salsa - or make your own with jalapenos, tomatillos, onions & salt
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 package Brown Rice Tortillas
  • 1 -2 Tbsp safflower oil
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Brown turkey. Add stock a little at a time to help turkey thaw. [If you are using fresh turkey, add the stock with spices after turkey has browned.]
  2. Add water, green onions, nutritional yeast & spices. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring.
  3. Add zucchini, chopped cilantro, and tomato. Simmer on low-medium with lid on while preparing the next ingredients.
  4. Finely slice/shred greens. Set aside.
  5. Cut avocado in half, scoop out pit with spoon. Scoop out flesh from skin with spoon. Cut up into chunks.
  6. Prepare tortillas - rub the surface of each tortilla with safflower oil and nuke in microwave for 10-15 seconds. Alternatively, have oven preheated on warm/low and toss them in the oven for a few minutes.
  7. Check meat/zucchini - the water should be mostly absorbed. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so.
  8. Stir in lemon juice and throw some fresh cilantro on for garnish.
We eat ours by putting a line of the turkey filling down the middle of the tortilla. Then add avocado and fresh cabbage (and spicy green salsa down the middle if you are Dave or I). Last we attempt to roll the tortillas up. Even with the warming and the oiling they are a bit... brittle, shall we say. Lily likes to rip up the tortillas and make mini tacos. Dave likes to eat them with a fork. I manage to hold mine together long enough to eat it like a burrito. Aevryn kind of just goes for it and eats with her fists - inelegant yet effective. You could also toast the tortillas and make nachos or taco salad. The possibilities are endless.

Serves 6, if everybody eats just one (large) taco/burrito.

ALTERNATIVES:
  • Additions: raw onions, raw tomatoes, salsa, sauteed peppers & onions, mushrooms - whatever you have in the house
  • Make avocado into guacamole and spread onto tortillas first
  • (VEGETARIAN): swap meat for quinoa or beans & rice

No comments: