If you had to choose between being in great shape for the rest of your life or tacos, would you choose hard or soft tacos? Yep, I’m totally paraphrasing an Instagram post I saw with this deep question of the day here. Fortunately for us, there’s no reason to have to choose (except for the hard and soft part) — you can create epic tacos out of truly healthy ingredients that contribute to your wellbeing with each, flavor-packed bite!
Personally, I’m a BIG taco fan. They are, in fact, one of my favorite things to make when having dinner parties, because tacos are such an ideal way to offer really creative food that’s completely unpretentious. I like to offer a lot of sides, and let guests make their own creations, so everybody walks away with a personal plate of perfection.
I also really appreciate the loose structure of a taco — literally speaking — because it allows for the inclusion of stunning, hyper-seasonal produce … you know, the kind of thing you pick up at the farmer’s market because it’s pretty, only to take it home and realize you have no idea what to do with it. Well hey, put it in a taco!
Right now my taco of the season is extra herbaceous, because to me, green herbs are so symbolic of spring, freshness, and renewal. I whip them up in a classic chimichurri sauce, and use it as a marinade for meaty portobello mushrooms. This juicy micro-recipe alone may be all a person really needs in life, but to round out the taco, I put in some thinly shaved cabbage for crunch, hemp seeds for protein, and do a quick pickle on some shallots that are cured with maqui powder, adding anti-aging antioxidants and making them the most vibrant, gorgeous shade of purple. I wrap them in warmed organic corn tortillas, but you can use virtually any kind of wrap you desire, including lettuce leaves and coconut “paleo” wraps. Here’s to being in great shape and abundant tacos (aka dreams do come true).
Chimichurri Mushroom Tacos
These massively flavorful, abundantly colorful, and almost meaty-tasting tacos feature succulent marinated mushrooms, vibrant maqui-pickled shallots, crisp cabbage, and an herbaceous chimichurri sauce. Better still, once the easy prep-work is done, the dish can be put together in just minutes.
Serves 4
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
¼ cup olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sea salt
½ pound portobello mushrooms, cut into 1-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon maqui powder
¼ medium head green cabbage, thinly shredded
¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
8 small organic corn tortillas, warmed
In a food processor, make the chimichurri: combine the parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, 4 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Blend into a pesto-like marinade. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl, and toss with the mushrooms. Cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours to allow the mushrooms to marinate.
While the mushrooms are marinating, place the sliced shallot in a small mason jar. Add the maqui powder, remaining 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Cover, and shake vigorously to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use, or a minimum of 1 hour.
After the mushrooms are fully marinated, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms into the hot pan, while reserving any remaining chimichurrri in the bowl as a sauce. Let the mushrooms cook for a couple minutes without stirring, to lightly sear the bottoms, then use a spatuala to flip and sear the other side – about 4-5 minutes total. Remove from heat.
To serve, spoon some of the mushrooms into the base of each warm tortilla. Drizzle lightly with reserved chimichurri sauce. Top with shredded cabbage, a few slices of pickled shallot, a sprinkle of hemp seeds, and a pinch of mint.
