Black Bean Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa

Cooking for picky eaters is really tough. I think we all know someone who is very set in their taste preferences and completely unwilling to even taste something new.  My family seems to have more than it's fair share of picky eaters, and conversations at the dinner table include echoes of the same theme:  I don't eat that.  When you are a home cook trying to be health-conscious and increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in your family's diet while sticking to a budget, what can you do?  I say, get creative and get sneaky.

While I am all for people, especially children, learning to love vegetables just as they are, I understand that for picky eaters this can be a little unrealistic.  My family scoffs at anything "foreign" in their favorite time-honored recipes, so I sneak extra veggies in.  Case in point: my black bean tacos.  No one objects to having beans in Tex-Mex dishes, in fact it's almost expected, so I use this to my advantage and use all beans and skip the meat.  Not only is this an excellent source of protein and fiber, using beans saves on calories from fat and they're cheap!  To stretch my beans further and boost the nutrition, I finely chop and saute some zucchini, yellow squash, and sweet potatoes and add them the bean mixture.  When fully mixed, your family will never notice that more than half of their taco filling is actually vegetables and not just beans.  These veggies again add extra fiber, vitamins A, C and B6 as well as magnesium, and further stretch your dollar - a batch of this taco filling will set you back just under $5 and satisfy twice the people that you can feed with a single pound of ground beef.

Another cost saving tip for you dollar-savvy home cooks - stop spending your money on pre-mixed taco seasoning. At just around $1 a package, you're spending your money on a very small amount of some really versatile spices you should already have in your spice cabinet.  Cumin and chili powder can be used in everything from Tex-Mex to chili or even Indian curries.  Additionally, these spice mixes contain extra fillers and are loaded with extra salt.  It's always healthier when you control what goes into your dishes, and that includes all the spices.  Now, I will admit the initial investment to create a well-stocked spice cabinet isn't exactly cheap, but you can save money by buying in bulk.  I don't mean buying a 2 lb container of parsley either!  More and more conventional grocery stores offer spices in bulk where you buy the amount you need and pay 30-75 cents per ounce.  In contrast, the standard bottle of a name brand jar of spice may cost $5-$7 and only contains 2 ounces of spice.  If your local mega-mart doesn't offer bulk spices, check your local food coop which will often offer an excellent selection of bulk spices.

Even though I can turn just about anything into a taco, I've never been fond of setting up the traditional set of toppings for tacos. Sure shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, a little cheese goes nicely with most tacos, but it creates a lot of extra dishes. As an alternative, I like to mix my toppings together and serve a fresh salsa instead, and nothing complements this recipe quite like my Fresh Mango Salsa. Serve with a side of freshly sliced avocado for a little extra heart-healthy fat and you'll have the perfect family-friendly meal that even the pickiest eaters will love!

Black Bean Tacos, Serves 8

1 small sweet potato, cut to ¼” dice

1 zucchini, cut to ¼” dice

1 yellow squash, cut to ¼” dice

3 Tbsp olive oil

¼ red onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder or ground red pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp oregano

¼ cup water

Juice from one orange

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place prepared sweet potato, zucchini, and yellow squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Stir to coat well.  Roast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat remaining oil over medium low heat.  Sauté onion until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic, black beans, cumin, coriander, chili powder and oregano.  Cook an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add roasted vegetables to the pan, then add water and orange juice, cook until heated through.  Finish by adding salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with desired toppings or fresh mango salsa.

Note: if you like spicier tacos, try adding freshly diced jalapeno to the beans and saute, or add a little cayenne pepper.