Vegan chickpea tacos with peach mango salsa and avocado
Who doesn't love tacos? Apparently no one, in America, at least. Last year, Americans allegedly ate over 4.5 BILLION tacos. So, one can probably pretty safely assume that tacos are pretty awesome. Except, I usually don't like them, being a weirdo, unless they are actually burritos. Until recently, with this vegan chickpea version that changed everything.
What's not to like about tacos, really? Well, for me, it was the meat and the cheese and the problem of enjoying what we traditionally think of as a taco without these. But that's just semantics. What also comes with a taco is a feeling, one that is festive and carefree and easy. And these hand-held meals offer so much potential for versatility and variety with a zillion and one filling, garnish, salsa, and everything combinations, why bother getting hung up on definitions of what actually constitutes a real taco when you can throw yourself into colorful creative play?
Roasted chickpeas lend satisfying crunch and chew; peach, mango and tomatoes color the plate like a vibrant summer sunset; creamy avocado and lime give that lovely zesty kick and creaminess one expects and loves from avocado and lime. The whole package, which comes together almost ridiculously simply, delivers a cheerful festiveness of summer holidays. Which, by the way, we are enjoying right now. We're on vacation--or as Dave says/the British say, "on holiday" in beautiful British Columbia, which is why I haven't been posting a whole lot recently, and why this post is so short. That said, I am stashing some ideas to share for later, along with some pics of simply gorgeous sea-meets-sky kind of scenery; and, I need to tell you about a mouthwatering, savory gem of a vegan homemade quinoa and almond burger in a very unexpected place that reminded me, like these, to always keep an open mind and open eyes for hidden treasures.
More soon. :)
Spicy chickpea tacos with peach mango salsa and avocado 4 servings
- 1 cup chopped seeded fresh tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped peaches, pitted
- ½ cup chopped mango
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or approximately 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 tablespoons chili powder
- Cooking spray
- 1 avocado
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Approximately 2 cups spinach leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, peaches, mango, bell pepper, and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate salsa until serving.
- Spread chickpeas evenly on a baking sheet and spray with a coating of cooking spray. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt and pepper to taste and lightly toss to combine. Roast 20 minutes, gently stirring halfway.
- Peel and remove remove pit from avocado. Place in a blender or food processor with lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, and ¼ cup water. Process until smooth.
- Warm tortillas. Divide spinach leaves among each, then top with avocado, chickpeas, and salsa.