Easy Black Bean and Toasted Corn Tacos

I'm not gonna lie, I got this recipe from the May/June 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times. I love that magazine. Seriously. I've been a subscriber for years and I've never been disappointed by anything I've tried. These tacos are no exception. They're SUPER easy and quick to make and the only deviation I made from the recipe was leaving out the cotija cheese (well, and cilantro. I don't use it fast enough to justify buying it, so I leave it out. Also, cilantro in Missouri is always sketchy. I'm not sure why).

I figured since the recipe was free and available online, I'd repost it, but I strongly urge you to get a subscription to VT. Many of the recipes are vegan or easily veganizable, and lots of gluten-free recipes abound as well. It's the longest running subscription I've held, and I plan on renewing for a fourth time! Huzzah!

 Not my picture. Just saying.

Black Bean and Toasted Corn Tacos:

• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 6-inch corn tortillas
• 12 baby spinach leaves (green leaf lettuce is also super tasty here)
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper strips
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 small green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese, optional (leave out to make vegan... just saying...)

1. Bring beans, salsa, garlic, and 1 tsp. cumin to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat, and mash with fork to crush beans for creamier filling, if desired.
2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil cooking spray. Wrap corn in paper towels, and squeeze out excess water. Add corn to skillet in single layer, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy, stirring frequently.
3. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas in toaster oven 1 minute to soften. Alternately, bake tortillas on taco baking rack in oven 7 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup beans, 1/4 cup corn, 3 spinach leaves, red pepper strips, cilantro, and green onions. Top each taco with 1 Tbs. cheese, if using. Serve immediately, or pack into lunch container, and chill.

To find the original recipe from Vegetarian Times, go here.

Note: When I made these I also added paprika to the corn while roasting in the skillet to give it a little spice and I left off the cilantro (it's not my favorite) and the cheese, of course. Many authentic brands of corn tortillas are already vegan, so those won't be hard to find. I got a huge stack of refrigerated Mexican corn tortillas for like, $2 and they lasted in my fridge for about 3 months. They got me through lots of these tacos! I also microwaved the tortillas when I was in a hurry, but they truly do taste better if you stick them in the oven.

I took these tacos to work with me on a couple of occasions and every time I made them my co-workers were like, "wow! Those smell great!". I really think this is my favorite taco recipe ever. Try them, and have a great day!