Crispy Plantain Tacos

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
6 oz. tomatillos
1 poblano pepper
1 lime
¼ oz. parsley
1 apricot or peach
1 red Fresno chile
1 plantain
1 red onion
6 oz. curly kale
6 whole wheat tortillas
2 tbsp. vegan sour cream
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F for the tortillas. Peel the garlic. Remove husks from the tomatillos, and rinse and halve the fruit. Destem, deseed, and chop the poblano pepper. Halve and juice the lime. Roughly chop parsley leaves and stems. Remove pit from the apricot or peach and dice. Trim, deseed, and thinly slice the red Fresno chile. Peel plantain and cut into ½ inch thick slices. Peel, halve, and thinly slice red onion. Destem curly kale and roughly chop the leaves.

Add the peeled garlic, halved tomatillos, chopped poblano pepper, just half the lime juice, chopped parsley, and ½ tsp. salt to a blender. Blend the fiery green sauce until smooth. Taste, and add salt as necessary.

Add the remaining lime juice, diced apricot or peach, thinly sliced red Fresno chile, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Stir the apricot salsa. Taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced plantain and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the crispy plantain to a large plate.

Wrap the whole wheat tortillas in foil and place in the oven until warmed through, 4 to 5 minutes. Return skillet to high heat with 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Add sliced red onion and a pinch of salt and cook until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-high and add chopped curly kale and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until kale is bright green, 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide the warm whole wheat tortillas between plates. Add charred red onion and kale, crispy plantain, and apricot salsa. Top the crispy plantain tacos with fiery green sauce and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 2

Kimchi Quesadillas with Togarashi Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients
1 sweet potato
1 tsp. togarashi (or other spice)
1 can black beans
1 tsp. chili powder
1 lemon
¼ cup vegan mayo
1 jalapeño
5.5 oz. vegan cabbage kimchi
2 whole wheat tortillas
vegetable oil
Salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the sweet potato into wedges and place on a baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, togarashi, and a pinch of salt. Roast until the sweet potatoes are crisp in places and slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain and rinse the black beans. Heat 1 tsp (2 tsp) olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the black beans, chili powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mash the beans with the back of a fork, stir well, and cook until hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste, and add salt as necessary. Cover and set aside.

Halve the lemon, juice one half, and divide the other half into wedges. Add the lemon juice, vegan mayo, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. Mix the lemon aioli.

Thinly slice the jalapeño. Roughly chop the kimchi. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface and add the mashed black beans to one side of each tortilla. Top the beans with the chopped kimchi and sliced jalapeño, fold the tortillas in half, and press to seal.

Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the first kimchi quesadilla and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining quesadilla(s).

Cut each quesadilla into thirds and divide between plates. Top the kimchi quesadillas with any remaining sliced jalapeño and serve with togarashi sweet potato fries, lemon wedges, and lemon aioli for dipping.

Smoky Portobello Tacos

Ingredients
Spanish rice
¼ cup cashews
8 oz. portobello mushrooms
1 garlic clove
1 lime
1 radish
1 scallion
1 jalapeño
1 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
4 whole wheat tortillas
2 oz. shredded red cabbage
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
Cook Spanish rice. Preheat the oven to 400°F for the tortillas. Add the cashews and ¼ cup hot tap water to a small bowl. Soak nuts for at least 10 minutes. Thinly slice the portobello mushroom caps. Peel the garlic. Halve and juice the lime(s). Trim the radish(es) and cut into matchsticks. Thinly slice the scallion(s). Deseed and roughly chop the jalapeño(s).

Add the cashews and their soaking water, garlic, lime juice, chopped jalapeño, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a blender. Blend the jalapeño cashew sauce until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced portobello mushrooms and let cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tamari and just 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke. Toss to coat, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in tin foil and place in the oven to warm, 3 to 4 minutes. Top the warm tortillas with Spanish rice, smoky portobello mushrooms, sliced radish, sliced scallion, and shredded red cabbage. Drizzle with jalapeño cashew sauce. Serve the smoky portobello tacos with any remaining Spanish rice.

Fast & Easy Banh Mi Tacos

Ingredients
7 oz. sprouted tofu
2 oz. vegan kimchi
2 tbsp. Sriracha
1/4 c. vegan mayo
4 corn tortillas
4 oz. shredded red cabbage

Directions
Cut the tofu into cubes. Roughly chop the kimchi. In a small bowl, combine the Sriracha and vegan mayo. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Layer the cubed tofu, kimchi, and red cabbage onto the tacos. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo.

Serves 2.