Black Bean Tacos

My family is made up of voluntarily picky eaters and not so voluntary, tricky dietary needs.

My mom hates bell peppers, my dad has Celiac disease and has suddenly decided that now is a good time to try going vegetarian, and my aunt Anne can’t eat, god, I can’t even list it all: dairy, gluten, shellfish, nightshades, sugar, and potatoes, to state a few. 

I am an exception to this, as is my grandfather, Papa Bill. We’ll eat about anything you put in front of us.

Papa Bill always jokes that while they might have their diets, he has one of his own. The seafood diet. 

“I see food, and I eat it.”

An ancient joke, but always kind of refreshing to hear in a family that, when ordering in a restaurant, gets glares of disgust that make you wonder if instead of ordering your salad with no croutons and no tomatoes and the dressing on the side, you might have somehow accidentally told them you like to eat children for dinner. 

So for anyone who can relate to a family who is as dietarily-disabled as mine, or is just made up of picky eaters, or is simply trying to cut a few calories or experiment with something different by cutting gluten, or meat, or whatever else, hopefully some of the recipes here will help.

This is a fantastically simple recipe with wholesome, filling ingredients. It’s gluten free, and vegetarian, but more than that, it tastes good—which has always been, and will always be, the most important part. 

 

Black Bean Tacos

Serves 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup carrot, shredded

1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded

4-6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

optional: salsa and/or plain Greek yogurt

Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, sauté until beginning to brown, add garlic and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes.

Add black beans and water to onions, sauté until liquid has reduced and beans have softened and are fragrant. About 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a dry skillet heat each tortilla over medium heat, about 30 seconds on each side. Set aside and keep warm.

Fill each tortilla with bean mixture, shredded carrot, lettuce, and cheese. Top with salsa or a spoonful of Greek yogurt if desired.