Happy Taco Tuesday AND Cinco de Mayo! What better way to celebrate than to enjoy some tasty, healthy tacos - but these aren’t just any tacos! The star of these tacos is none other than avocado itself. Usually avocado is a delicious addition to any taco, but this recipe brings them center stage. These baked avocados are crispy on the outside, and warm and gooey on the inside and so flavorful!
You can add any vegetables or other taco fillings you like, but I think they pair great with balsamic mushrooms, so I added these and other veggies. You can use any type of taco shell; however I actually don’t have taco shells at home right now (that quarantine life), so I made a flax taco shell! I made these flax “tacos” last year to use up my extra flaxseed, and they are very simple to make and quite tasty and versatile (we did a “build your own taco” brunch with them).
Have fun experimenting with different filling options! These tacos are very satisfying and a great vegan taco option! I intended to use all almond flour so they would be gluten-free, but ran out, so I used half almond flour and half whole wheat flour, but you could use either one to make these either gluten- or nut-free. If you want the avocado to be spicier, feel free to add more chili powder, or switch up the spices.
P.S. Enjoy tacos today, but please be socially conscious and avoid cultural appropriation! There’s nothing wrong with celebrating and appreciating different cultures, such as celebrating holidays and enjoying various cuisines, but Cinco de Mayo is often especially problematic in terms of cultural appropriation and disrespectful stereotyping. I think these articles explain the history of Cinco de Mayo and an important perspective on how to respectfully celebrate the holiday: Cinco de Mayo From a Mexican by WBUR, and How Not to Culturally Appropriate Cinco de Mayo by 303 Magazine. I am definitely not an expert on this, and welcome any input from those who know more than me, but just wanted to bring up this point because I think it is important.
Ingredients
Makes about two servings
Flax taco shells or taco shells of your choosing
Veggies for taco filling (ideas below)
1 avocado
Wet dipping mix:
¼ cup plain, unsweetened milk of choice (I used oat milk, almond would probably work too)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
Breading mix:
¼ cup almond flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ tsp each of: sea salt, minced garlic, cumin, and paprika
Dash of chili powder
Dash of black pepper
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and lightly spray with oil.
2. Slice your avocado.
3. Mix wet and breading dipping mixtures in separate bowls
4. Spear avocado slices with a fork to dip into the liquid mixture, then coat on all sides in the breading mixture.
5. Place slices on the baking sheet. I sprayed the slices very lightly with cooking oil before baking just to make sure they didn’t burn and got crispy.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip the slices and bake on the other side for another 10-12 minutes. The breading should get slightly golden brown and crispy, but not too dark or burnt, of course.
7. Let cool slightly, and enjoy warm! Add to taco shells along with veggies and other fillings.
Veggie filling options: I added balsamic mushrooms, sauteed onions, roasted cumin beets, and lettuce.
Balsamic mushrooms:
Toss about ¼ cup mushrooms (I usually use baby bella) with balsamic vinegar, 1-2 tbsp olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. The amount of balsamic vinegar will depend on how many mushrooms you are cooking, but just start with 1-2 tbsp and if all the mushrooms don’t get covered evenly after tossing, add more. Place in a pan over medium heat, cover, and sautee until cooked through, stirring occasionally so all sides cook evenly. You can also air fry the mushrooms if you have an air frier, in which case, you will not need the olive oil.
Cooked and diced onions:
Slice ¼ of an onion. I left out a small amount and diced them separately. Toss the sliced onions with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, a dash each of salt, pepper, and paprika (or your own choice of spices). Add to a pan over medium heat, cover, and sautee until cooked through, stirring occasionally so all sides cook evenly
Beets:
Slice beets and microwave until soft. Toss with cumin and olive oil, salt, and pepper, and cook in the oven at about 350 F until evenly roasted and soft. (I will work on coming up with an exact recipe for this, I’ve done this a few times, and I honestly just keep checking on them until they seem good to me)!
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