In my house, we are fans of simple, healthy, delicious tacos. I love to do “Taco Tuesdays” and alternate between fish tacos, shrimp tacos and vegan tacos.
All three are delicious, and I keep them low-carb by using homemade almond flour tortillas (or I buy the Siete grain-free tortillas). Also, I make sure to ALWAYS add a healthy homemade sauce (my creamy cilantro sauce is vegan and delicious!) and some greens and/or veggies to keep them extra-nutritious, fiber-rich and balanced.
Note: all 3 recipes are high in protein, fiber and healthy fats to support optimal blood sugar balance (plus great for your gut and “anti-inflammatory” especially as they’re dairy-free and gluten-free).
Here are my 3 go-to Taco Recipes (FISH, SHRIMP and VEGAN tacos):
HEALTHY FISH TACOS
Ingredients (serves 2):
4 almond flour tortillas (like Siete) (chickpea or cassava flour also work)
avocado oil and/or coconut oil (to cook onions, cabbage and fish)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded cabbage (green, red or mixed - all work great) (and option to add a tsp organic avocado-oil mayonnaise or tahini to cabbage)
8oz of white, local, wild-caught fish (for me in Nicaragua it’s usually dorado, corvina or pargo)
sea salt & pepper to taste
1 lemon (to marinate and serve) + a few lemon wedges to serve
1/2 avocado, sliced (to serve)
microgreens & cilantro leaves (to decorate)
optional: 2-3 tablespoons almond flour to lightly coat the fish
creamy cilantro sauce:
1/4 cup cashews, soaked then rinsed
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice (and more to taste)
1/4 cup cilantro (plus a little extra to decorate)
sea salt & pepper to taste
optional: 1 tsp avocado-oil based mayonnaise OR 1 tbsp mashed avocado
Instructions:
Heat a small/medium pan on medium/low heat with a drizzle of avocado oil, then add the thinly sliced onions, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile, slice the avocado, and wash and dry the microgreens (if not already prewashed), then set aside. Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets and season with sea salt and pepper on both sides, and spray with a little avocado or olive oil, and a bit of lemon juice. Option to coat the fish with a little bit of almnond flour on both sides.
Remove the onions once they’re soft, almost caramelized, then drizzle a tiny bit of coconut oil and add the shredded cabbage. Lightly sautee the cabbage for 3-5 mins, constantly stirring. Season with sea salt and pepper. Once finished, option to add either a tsp mayonnaise (avocado-oil based, preferably organic) or tahini. Set aside. *see note below
In the same pan (or slightly larger pan if you wish), set heat to medium/high. add a tiny drizzle of oil (avocado or coconut oil) and add marinated fish fillets. Cook fish for 4-6 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the fish. Add a little more lemon to the fish once it’s done.
Meanwhile prepare the cilantro sauce by blending cashews, hemp seeds, water, cilantro, lemon juice and pinch of salt an pepper. Option to add a tsp mayonaisse or 1 tbsp avocado flesh. Blend until creamy, then taste and adjust if needed.
When the fish is ready, warm up the tortillas (either in the toaster oven or on a dry pan, just 1-2 minutes! You want them soft and just a little warm; if you overheat them, they get too crispy and break).
Serve: 2 tortillas, 4oz fish, sauteed onions, cabbage, sliced avocado, microgreens, cilantro sauce, plus extra chopped cilantro and lemon wedges - per person. And serve wtith a large green salad!
*NOTE: Sauteeing the cabbage is optional, but I find it’s yummier and easier to digest this way! however you can keep it raw and just season with salt/pepper/lemon and either mayo or tahini.
SHRIMP TACOS *similar recipe as above using shrimp instead of fish
Ingredients (serves 2):
4 almond flour tortillas (like Siete)
avocado oil and/or coconut oil (to cook onions, cabbage and shrimp)
1/2 red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded cabbage (green, red or mixed - all work great, ideally organic) (and option to add a tsp organic avocado-oil mayonnaise or tahini to cabbage)
8oz of white local wild-caught shrimp
sea salt & pepper to taste
lemon (to marinate and serve) + a few lemon wedges to serve
1/2 avocado, sliced (to serve)
microgreens & cilantro leaves (to decorate)
optional: 2-3 tablespoons almond flour to lightly coat the shrimp
optional: 1 teaspoon blackeded seafood seasoning, or 1/2 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp garlic powder (all ideally organic!)
creamy cilantro sauce:
1/4 cup cashews, soaked then rinsed
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice (and more to taste)
1/4 cup cilantro (plus a little extra to decorate)
sea salt & pepper to taste
optional: 1 tsp avocado-oil based mayonnaise OR 1 tbsp mashed avocado
Instructions:
Heat a small/medium pan on medium/low heat with a drizzle of avocado oil, then add the thinly sliced onions, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile, slice the avocado, and wash and dry the microgreens (if not already prewashed), then set aside. Rinse and pat dry the shrimp, season with sea salt and pepper, and spray with a little avocado oil, and a bit of lemon. *Option to coat the shrimp with almond flour on both sides. *Also option to add spices to shrimp: I like to add 1 tsp blackened seafood seasoning , OR a mix of 1/2 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp cumin + 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Both are delicious variations!
Remove the onions once they’re soft, almost caramelized. In the same pan, drizzle a tiny bit of coconut oil and add the shredded cabbage. Lightly sautee the cabbage for 3-5 mins, while constantly stirring. Season with sea salt and pepper. Once finished, option to mix in either a tsp mayonnaise (avocado-oil based, preferably organic) or tahini to the cabbage. Set aside. *see note above
In a larger pan (it’s important to not overcrowd the shrimp), set heat to medium/high. add a tiny drizzle of avocado oil, then and add shrimp. Cook shrimp for 3 minutes, then carefully flip each one and cook 2 more minutes. I personally like them a bit browned on the outside, so I finish with 1 minute at highest heat.
Meanwhile prepare the cilantro sauce by blending cashews, hemp seeds, water, cilantro, lemon juice and pinch of salt an pepper. Option to add a tsp mayonaisse or 1 tbsp avocado flesh. Blend until creamy, then taste and adjust if needed.
When the shrimp is ready, warm up the tortillas (either in the toaster oven or on a dry pan, just 1-2 minutes! You want them soft and just a little warm; if you overheat them, they get too crispy and break).
Serve: 2 tortillas, 4oz shrimp, sauteed onions, cabbage, sliced avocado, microgreens, cilantro sauce, plus extra chopped cilantro and lemon wedges - per person. And serve wtith a large green salad!
VEGAN TACOS (with mushrooms and black beans)
Ingredients (serves 2):
4 almond flour or cassava flour tortillas (like Siete)
extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil (to cook veggies)
1/2 red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms (they will shrink!)
3/4 cup cooked (or canned) black beans
1/2 bell pepper (I like to use orange, yellow or red for the burst of color)
spices: 1/2 tsp paprika. 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground corainder, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper and optional 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (for extra spice)
sea salt to taste (start with 1/2 tsp)
cilantro sauce (see above; I use same sauce as my fish/shrimp tacos. If adding mayo, make sure it’s a good-quality vegan mayo, like THIS or THIS one, with avocado-oil and preferably soy-free)
to serve: microgreens, chopped cilantro, sliced avoado (or guacamole), and I always like to accompany my tacos with a side salad for extra greens!
Instructions:
In a medium pan, heat a little bit of oil on low/medium heat, then add sliced onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring, then add minced garlic. Cook one more minute then and add the sliced mushrooms and all the spices. Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered, while stirring, then add the sliced bell pepper. Note: The mushrooms will release liquid, but keep stirring, and increase heat to medium high for a few minutes to help the excess liquid to evaporate.
Once the veggies are soft, add the black beans to the pan and stir to combine. Turn off heat. Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed.
Blend all the ingredients of the creamy cilantro sauce together, tasting and adjusting as needed.
Warm the tortillas for a minute. Slice some avocado, chop cilantro, and wash/dry microgreens if not prewashed.
Serve each tortilla with some cilantro sauce, black bean-mushroom mixture, and top off with avocado, cilantro and microgreens. Option to enjoy with a side salad.
Hope you try one (or all three) of these recipes for your next healthy Taco Tuesday!
Reminder: all 3 recipes are nutritious, and high in protein, fiber and healthy fats to support optimal blood sugar balance (plus also great for your gut, being dairy- and gluten-free).