Recipe: Spicy Tofu Tacos

Recipe: Spicy Tofu Tacos

Back in the days, tofu was always a weird food to me. My image of tofu was a product with a bland taste, which could be transformed to have the consistency of meat. What was the purpose of trying to make something taste like meat if you were trying to avoid meat? Over the years, however, I have learned to appreciate tofu as one of the great healthy foods, and have learned the right ways to prepare tofu with amazing flavors.

My inspiration for trying tofu in my cooking was my friend Silas, who always bragged about how good his tofu tacos were. I was curious – how good could tofu be? By the time I was finally invited over to try his tofu tacos, which were amazing, I had already developed my own little recipe. His version of tofu tacos is actually not too far from my own, but mine are perhaps a bit spicier. Silas also introduced me to a taco topping that I now can’t live without, kalamata olives. That amazing salty taste perfectly complements the other flavors in the right way – give it a try even if you think it sounds a bit strange.

Today it is rare that we eat meat tacos at home, both because we try to keep a healthier lifestyle and because the tofu tacos are really good.

Here is the recipe for homemade taco seasoning

Recipe: Spicy Tofu Tacos

Recipe by 2 Hungry Birds – Tina Course: Dinner
Servings

4

servings

My inspiration for trying tofu in my cooking was my friend Silas, who always bragged about how good his tofu tacos were. I was curious – how good could tofu be? By the time I was finally invited over to try his tofu tacos, which were amazing, I had already developed my own little recipe. His version of tofu tacos is actually not too far from my own, but mine are perhaps a bit spicier.

Ingredients

  • 1 package 1 extra firm tofu

  • 2 tablespoons 2 olive oil

  • 1 1 small onion, cut into small cubes

  • 2 2 garlic cloves

  •  Juice from ½ lime

  • 4 tablespoons 4 tomato paste

  • tablespoons homemade taco seasoning

  • Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon 1 chopped cilantro

Directions

  • Press the liquid from the tofu for about 20 min.  To press the tofu, you can place it on a plate, with another plate on top, and then add some weight on top (for example, a couple of heavy books).
  • Heat olive oil in a pan, and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent and slightly browned.
  • Crumble the tofu with your hands and add it to the pan with the onions and garlic.
  • Mix in the taco seasoning (you can add more or less of the taco seasoning depending on how flavorful and spicy you like it) and stir until well mixed. Add the squeezed lime juice and tomato paste, and stir until combined. If the tofu is too dry, you can add a tablespoon or two of water to dilute the tomato paste and create a sauce.
  • Transfer the tofu to a serving bowl, and garnish with cilantro.
  • Serve the tofu with you favorite toppings such as sliced cherry tomatoes, lettuce, chopped kalamata olives, lime wedges, fresh corn, sour cream, salsa, shredded mozzarella cheese, avocado (guacamole) and black beans.

Recipe: Creamy Black Beans

Recipe: Creamy Black Beans

Black beans have become one of our favorite dishes at home after finally finding the right combination of spices and the perfect cooking time. I have tried many different recipes back in the days but nothing that gave me a good creamy sauce. The secret to making the creamy black beans is actually adding tomato paste it just gives the right texture. It’s easy to make the dish but the downside is the cooking time. It takes about 2 hours to cook in a pot, but if you have a crockpot then you can just throw it in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a warm and delicious meal.

I prefer to serve it over rice (for a healthier version I cook ⅔ of brown rice with ⅓ of wild rice) and a bit of shredded cheese and then topping the beans with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro. You can eat it just like that or spoon the rice and beans up with organic blue corn tortilla chips.

For this dish you need to make the homemade taco seasoning mix that I have posted previously. It’s a lot of spices to buy if you don’t have them already but it will be worth the money as you can add this taco seasoning to any meat, tofu and vegetables you like. Just remember to add some tomato paste and water for the meat and tofu dishes.

Recipe: Creamy Black Bean

Recipe by 2 Hungry Birds – Tina Course: Dinner, Lunch
Servings

4

servings

The secret to making the creamy black beans is actually adding tomato paste it just gives the right texture. It’s easy to make the dish but the downside is the cooking time. It takes about 2 hours to cook in a pot, but if you have a crockpot then you can just throw it in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a warm and delicious meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon 1 sunflower oil

  • 1 1 small onion, chopped.

  • 2 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 cup 1 black beans

  • 3 cups 3 water

  • 1 ½ tablespoons 1 ½ chicken bouillon or vegetable if you prefer vegetarian (I use “Better than bouillon”)

  • 3 teaspoons 3 homemade taco seasoning (see recipe here)

  • 3 oz 3 tomato paste

Directions

  • Soak the beans in cold water for 8 hours or over night.
  • Drain the beans and discard the water. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
  • Sauté onions and garlic in a medium pot until translucent and then add the taco seasoning and sauté for another minute.
  • Add the beans in the pot with water and chicken bouillon and simmer on low for about 1 hour with a lid on and another 45 min to1 hour without a lid on. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent the beans from burning to the bottom. 4. Serve over steamed rice, shredded cheese and top the beans with sour cream, sliced avocado and a sprinkle of cilantro. Scoop the delicious rice and beans with corn tortilla chips.
  • Serve with rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro and sliced avocado.
Recipe: Creamy Black Bean

Recipe: Homemade Taco Seasoning

Recipe: Homemade Taco Seasoning

This homemade taco seasoning brings authentic flavors to your dishes without the added sodium and artificial additives often found in store-bought packets. By making it at home, you ensure a healthier and fresher version tailored to your taste preferences. My taco seasoning is made with ingredients including cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, and this mix is not just reserved for tacos. Its versatility extends to sprinkling over vegetables, blending into soups, and spicing up grilled meats.

Recipe: Homemade Taco Seasoning

Recipe by 2 Hungry Birds – Tina Course: Sauces and Condiments
Servings

1

jar

My taco seasoning is made with ingredients including cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, and this mix is not just reserved for tacos. Its versatility extends to sprinkling over vegetables, blending into soups, and spicing up grilled meats.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons 4 chili powder

  • 2 tablespoons 2 paprika

  • 6 teaspoons 6 ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon 1 garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon 1 onion powder

  • 1 teaspoon 1 crushed chili flakes

  • 1 teaspoon 1 dried oregano

  • 4 teaspoons 4 salt

  • 4 teaspoons 4 black pepper

Directions

  • Mix all the spices together and put it in a little jar.
  • Use about 2 ½ tablespoons of seasoning for a batch of meat, vegetable or tofu. You can adjust the spice – if you want it spicier, just add more of the mix.
Recipe: Homemade Taco Seasoning