Recipe: Vegetarian (or not!) Tacos

Ever REALLY wanted a taco but thought you can't have them because you're a veggie or a coeliac or both? Or even that it's just too difficult? Well, think it no more because what follows is the easiest, tastiest way to make gluten free tacos that can also be vegetarian AND lactose free, if you happen to be avoiding milk. Interested? Let me photo-tempt you:

 

Now, first I have to tell you that this recipe is the result of desperately wanting Mexican food a few years ago and not being able to find much. Actually, there is a wealth of recipes for coeliacs when it comes to Mexican food and all you need are gluten free tortillas (my favourites are by B-Free because they're delicious AND low in fat - get in!), and a little imagination. So, this is what happened after I came across a recipe for beef tacos and combined it with my recipe for vegetarian bolognese. It is a bit of a cheat, as two of the ingredients are ready-made, but that makes it great for busy mums and worker bees alike. Ready? Here goes:

This recipe makes enough for 3-4 mouths (unless you're super hungry!)

Ingredients

1tsp olive oil
1 small onion or 1/2 large onion, diced
Fresh chilli, minced (choose amount based on desired spice level)
3/4 large bell pepper (any colour), diced
Dehydrated soya mince (Tesco Wholefoods is gluten free)**
1/2 250g carton passata/sieved tomatoes
400g chopped tomatoes
Old El Paso/Discovery (now Santa Maria) Crispy Taco Shells
1/2 pack Discovery Taco Seasoning

Method

Make sure everything is nicely chopped.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on a low heat, then add the onion and chilli. Cook slowly until the onion has softened and become transparent. Don't let them colour!This should take around 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper and slowly cook them until they've softened. Again, this should just take a few minutes.

Next, pour your soya mince into a heatproof jug and stick the kettle on (with water in it, obviously!). For 3-4 people, the soya mince should be just under the 1/2 pint mark before the water is added. When the kettle has boiled, pour in enough water to reach just past the 1 pint mark. The soya mince will swell as it takes on the water, so it will fill the jug.

Let the soya mince sit for around a minute, then pour through a colander/sieve to remove the excess water, and pour the mince into the pan with the veg. Give it a good stir to mix, and add the chopped tomatoes and passata/sieved tomatoes. Give it another stir to make sure it's all combined. Turn up the heat on the pan to medium, throw in the 1/2 packet of Taco Seasoning, stir and leave to cook. Make sure you give it a stir every few minutes so it doesn't burn on the bottom.

In the meantime, turn the oven on to 200 degrees C. When it's pre-heated, place the taco shells top-side-down on a tray. DO NOT LAY THEM ON THEIR SIDES!!! They soften a little under the heat, so if you lay them on their sides they'll close up and you'll never be able to stuff them. Trust me, I speak from experience! You'll want 2-3 taco shells per person, depending on how hungry everyone is. Let them cook for around 6 minutes, or until they've darkened slightly in colour.

The taco filling is ready when all the liquid has disappeared from the pan. You can eat it while there is still liquid there, but the liquid can seep through the taco shell or run out the bottom and believe me when I say it is scalding hot! So it is best to dry the mixture out as much as possible first.

When it's all done, remove the pan from the heat and spoon the mixture into the shells and, if you're not lactose intolerant, top with grated mature cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

And there you have it! Delicious gluten free, vegetarian tacos with very little fuss.

Enjoy! 

** If you aren't veggie, you can, of course, use fresh minced beef instead. Just don't pour boiled water on it!