Recipe:
These chickpea tacos can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes for dinner. Packed with protein and fiber, these tacos are a healthy and filling meal with lots of flavor. Chickpeas become savory, sweet, spicy, and smoky when cooked in a chipotle soy maple sauce. The spiciness of the chickpeas is cooled down with a fresh, creamy, tangy, crunchy cilantro cabbage slaw. The slaw gets its creaminess from lime tofu mayo–a combination of silken tofu, cashews, and lime that almost exactly replicates mayo with much less fat. Cashews contain zinc, which may help improve acne and aid in hair growth. Consuming cashews may also help your skin glow because they contain arginine, an amino acid which boosts circulation.
Ingredients:
For the chipotle chickpeas:
2 15 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1⁄2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or more, if you can handle the heat)
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄4 teaspoon smoked paprika
For the lime tofu mayo:
8 oz silken tofu (1⁄2 large block)
1⁄2 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 1 hour
3 tablespoons lime juice
1⁄2 teaspoon lime zest
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
For the slaw:
6 cups shredded green cabbage
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions, chopped
Instructions:
6 8 inch whole wheat tortillas
Optional lime wedges, for serving (not included in nutritional info)
In a large pan, combine chickpeas, soy sauce, maple syrup, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Heat over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
In a blender, combine silken tofu, soaked cashews, lime juice and zest, and salt. Blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix green cabbage, cilantro, and scallions. Toss with the lime tofu “mayo”.
To serve, fill each tortilla with a portion of the chickpeas and a portion of the slaw. Wrap it up and serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Yields: 6 servings
Per serving: 344 calories, 16.2 g protein, 51.34 g carbohydrates, 11.25 g fiber, 10.24 g sugars, 9.16 g fat, 1.88 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1028 mg sodium, 216 mg calcium, 0.03 g omega-3 fats, 819 IU vitamin A, 36.5 mg vitamin C, 0.5 mg vitamin E, 8.38 mg iron, 0.82 mg zinc
Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D.,
is the author of THE BEAUTY DIET and STRONG, SLIM, and 30! For more of Lisa’s Beauty Bites, visit www.lisadrayer.com.