Crunchy Chickpea & Walnut Taco "Meat"
I’ve been playfully experimenting with my favorite meatless taco for 6 years. This one is finally hands down a winner! Everything about it was perfectly delicious.
When I first started my meatless journey, I unknowing picked up a lot of the packaged vegetarian options. Which, are highly processed options and often are gluten and/or soy based both of which, now I mindfully avoid. Since then, I have been on a mission to make the best version of a meatless taco from whole foods.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Deets://
Ingredients for Taco "Meat"
2 Tbsp Coco Oil
1/2 Sweet Onion
A half or a whole jalapeno (Up to you)
1 Can Chickpeas (I prefer the unsalted however, it's up to you) rinsed and drained
Cilantro - I used about 1/2 Cup
2 Cups Walnuts (Raw are preferred however, whatever you can get)
Your favorite taco seasoning (I love Siete Mild Seasoning https://sietefoods.com/products/mild-taco-seasoning )
Tortillas of choice- I used sprouted corn tortillas
Slaw
1/2 Thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
Juice of half a lime
Avocado Cilantro Dressing
Half of a ripe avocado
1/4 Cup Non Dairy Greek Style Yogurt
2/3 Cup water
1 Cup Cilantro
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
Juice of half a lime
Process://
Place thinly sliced purple cabbage in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lime juice and sprinkle with sea salt. Mix well and let sit.
Avo Cilantro Dressing: add all ingredients to a your food processor and blend. Taste and make adjustments as needed.
Next, In a food processor, pulse chickpeas and 1/2 cup cilantro. Just slightly pulse, you don't want hummus here, the idea is to keep the beans still slightly intact. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat pan and saute sweet onion and jalapeno for approx 5 minutes or until translucent. Add chickpea mixture, reduce to low heat.
Next, add to your food processor the walnuts and chosen taco seasoning. Pulse until a well ground texture. Add to the chickpea/onion mixture. Let warm for approx 5 minutes and then turn off heat.
Toppings I highly suggest:
Pickled onions, avocado, cilantro, olives, hot sauce, radishes, slaw and avo cilantro dressing.
Warm tortillas of choice, add taco "meat" drizzle with avo cilantro dressing and top as you choose
