Pinto Bean and Roasted Vegetable Tacos [Recipe]

Taco Tuesdays just got a lot more interesting. Here's one way to add more vegetables to your diet or add a twist to your usual tacos. The combination of roasted vegetables and pinto beans is a delicious way to incorporate wholesome ingredients into a meal. 

This healthy recipe gives you a good dose of whole grains and antioxidants. It is vegetarian friendly, and can be made vegan by leaving out cheese or using a vegan cheese substitute. 

Ingredients

•    1 16-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
•    2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
•    1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
•    2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
•    1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
•    ½ teaspoon minced garlic
•    Cooking spray
•    1 medium yellow squash, sliced crosswise
•    1 medium zucchini squash, sliced crosswise
•    1 small yellow onion, sliced
•    Salt and pepper, to taste
•    8 6-inch corn tortillas
•    ½ cup prepared green salsa
•    ½ cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
•    1 medium tomato, chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Puree beans and broth in food processor until smooth. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onion and jalapeño pepper 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add bean puree and stir until well combined. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until heated.
3. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray yellow squash, zucchini and sliced onion with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake approximately 20 minutes, flipping sliced vegetables halfway through cooking time.
4. Heat tortillas. Spread approximately ¼ cup bean mixture onto each tortilla. Top with approximately ¼ cup squash and onions. Finish each taco with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon cheese.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 Tacos
Serves: 4
Calories: 309 
Total fat: 7g
Saturated fat: 2g
 Trans fat: 0g
 Cholesterol: 5mg 
Sodium: 444mg 
Total carbohydrate: 53g 
Dietary fiber: 11g 
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 13g

This recipe originally appeared in Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

For more information about nutrition services at South Shore Health, please visit our website.