Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? In celebration, we’re focusing on some of our favorite healthy cooking methods: baking, steaming and sautéing.

While deep-fried foods are certainly delicious, they aren’t very nutritious! Eating such large quantities of unhealthy fats in one sitting doesn’t do much good for our minds or bodies. When we eat foods that are cooked in the oven, steamer or pan, which aren’t made with much oil, we can focus instead on all of the amazing nutrients vegetables have to offer, like fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Today, we’ll be sharing a recipe that incorporates all three of these fantastic techniques: veggie tacos with roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, and caramelized onions, wrapped in homemade tortillas. Every winter, we make this delicious dish with our classes, and it’s always a big hit. We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!

Roasting is the Allergic to Salad team’s favorite cooking technique. We love how easy it is to chop up your favorite vegetables, toss them with a little oil and spices, and cook them in the oven until golden brown, crispy and aromatic. For this recipe, we’ll be roasting sweet potatoes until soft and sweet. Cutting up this vibrantly-colored tuber is also a great way to practice our knife skills!

Steaming is a simple, healthy way to cook every kind of vegetable under the sun. If you love tender, moist veggies, this technique is for you! We recommend keeping a close eye on the stove when steaming, since it’s easy for vegetables to get overcooked and become mushy. For this recipe, we’ll be gently steaming broccoli until it’s softened, but still has a bit of bite.

Sautéing is another great technique for getting crunchy, fragrant vegetables. In one of her classes last year, program coordinator Sarah had a student who always had a difficult time calming down for cooking. But chopping and caramelizing an onion always did the trick, so every time class met, he could be found sautéing his cares away. By cooking down the pungent, acidic allium for a long time, it becomes juicy and sweet, adding a welcome burst of flavor to any dish.

In addition to preparing the vegetables three different ways, we’ll be making corn tortillas from scratch. Many of our students have only ever had store-bought tortillas before, so preparing and trying homemade ones is always a welcomed treat.

Print

Roasted Veggie Tacos with Homemade Tortillas

Course dinner

Keyword Mexican, tortillas, vegan, vegetables

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Corn Tortillas (makes around 20 4-6” tortillas)

• 2 cups masa harina
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups hot water

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2 sweet potatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste

Steamed Broccoli

• 1 head of broccoli chopped into florets
• salt and pepper, to taste

Caramelized Onions

• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter, or a combination
• ½ teaspoon salt
• pinch of sugar, optional

Toppings

• 2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar, monterey jack, cotija
• salsa
• cilantro leaves for garnish
• a couple avocados, sliced or cubed
• limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

Corn Tortillas

1. Combine masa harina and salt. Add hot water and stir to combine. Knead until smooth and no longer sticky. The dough should feel springy. Let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Break off a small nugget of dough, roll into a ball, then press between 2 sheets of plastic with a tortilla press or roll out thinly with a rolling pin.
3. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tortillas for 1-2 mins per side.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1. Roast chopped sweet potatoes, tossed well with two tablespoons of olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, for 30 minutes at 425℉ until cooked through.

Steamed Broccoli

1. Place a steamer basket fitted inside a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and add the broccoli, salt and pepper. Cover and steam until tender and bright green, about 3-5 minutes.

Caramelized Onions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil, butter or a combination in a large, deep saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the sliced onions and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium low and sprinkle on the sugar, if you're using it. Cook for another half an hour, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft. 

To Assemble

1. Assemble tacos in tortillas with about ¼ cup of veggies, a sprinkle of cheese, some avocado, and top with a spoonful of salsa and a few leaves of cilantro.

What are your favorite cooking techniques? Let us know in the comments below!

See you next time,

The Allergic to Salad Team