Tag: salsa

S.M.A.R.T : Tacos Week (Faylina’s Vegan Tacos)

So for this weeks SMART meal we were given the topic of tacos. YAY! I love eating tacos, they’re a great way to full up on healthy carbs and tons of fresh vegetables. Although these aren’t my typical tacos, I found they were still super tasty and amazing.
Best of all, this WHOLE meal (including the leftovers) only cost me… you ready for it?…: $11.00! Sure that seems like a lot, but you must figure I’ll get probably 6 meals out of this for my husband and myself so that breaks down to only $1.83 per meal. Not bad at all.
I used:
A homemade multi-grain flour tortilla – click HERE for my recipe
homemade re-fried pinto beans
romaine lettuce
green bell pepper
spring onions
guacamole
medium spicy salsa

For two of these tacos I calculated 1220 calories. That may seem like alot however I skipped lunch, oops!

How could I have improved them? Well, nothing beats fresh tomatoes on a taco, unfortunately since its the end of the month I already ate most of my produce, and what was left (2 romas) went bad to the point I couldn’t trim the bad bits so we had to toss them. Never-fear, this is why I keep salsa in the fridge. I also really like olives on my tacos, I’m not sure why It was just something I was raised with. I know that’s not traditional, but I still like them. I think next time I have tacos I’ll get some from the olive bar at Whole Foods. All in all, this meal was freaking amazing. I was so full after two tacos and the cron-o-meter showed I received almost 100% of my vitamins and minerals. Oh yeah, talk about healthy and delicious!

Better yet, I had left-overs for my husband’s lunch. I packaged the vegetables and salsa in a seperate container than the tortilla shells and pinto beans. That way he can warm up the beans without cooking the veggies, and the shells stay fresh and not soggy.
Don’t know what smart is? Click HERE for my explanation of it.

Fresh Tomatoe Salsa ( tomatoes el fresco ) , gluten free & raw vegan friendly

This fresh tomato (tomatoe) salsa or tomatoes el fresco, is a staple in my house when tomatoes are in season! Its great on eggs, salads, fresh chips, you could even eat it by itself if you wanted! The possiblities are nearly endless with this dish. As if it couldn’t get better, this is a super fast, simple, and CHEAP budget friendly recipe that is not only gluten free, but raw vegan friendly. So lets make this tasty salsa!

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Ingredients:

1.5lbs of your favorite tomatoes, I used romas & yellow grape, but any will work
1/2c – 1 1/2c chopped onion
2 tablespoons raw olive oil
5-10 grinds black pepper
1/2tsp or to taste good quality salt, I suggest pink salt
1 bunch fresh cilantro or 2 tablespoons dried parsley ( I used dried parsley, however fresh cilantro is more traditional)
***Optional: other items as desired to taste, I suggest bell peppers, hot minched peppers, etc***

Directions:

Wash your tomatoes well and cut just the very top stem part off. Slice your tomatoes into your desired size and add to a bowl. I choose not to seed or devein my tomatoes because I want the liquid from the inside to marinade with the salsa, however you can choose to seed them & adjust your seasoning accordingly. Slice your onions up and add to the bowl. Add your olive oil, sprinkle with salt, black pepper, herbs, and any additional toppings as desired.
Toss well with your hands, being careful not to squish your tomatoes.
Set your salsa on the counter for 10 minute, then store in the fridge a minimum of 8-12 hours before using for best flavor. This salsa will stay fresh in the refridgerator for 1-2 weeks!

Makes: approx. 4 cups prepared, Preparation: 15 minutes + 8-12 hours in fridge *for best flavor* (nutritional information shown is for 1 cup salsa)

dietary notes: this recipe is raw vegan friendly & gluten free