Sometimes, we do taco nights multiple times a week in our house… especially when we are having a busy week, or are hosting company.
Two totally different reasons, right?!
Busy Weekdays Require Easy, Healthy Meals
Busy weeks involve a lot of running around to kids various activities, on top of daily mom life or work. Between laundry, cooking, cleaning, feeding, nap times, school schedules and extracurricular activities – sometimes I feel like I don’t come up for air all day. I’m not complaining, because I’m so happy for this beautiful and chaotic mom-life and even happier that I can provide my family with healthy food on top of the enriching daily life we provide them… But show me an easy, healthy, whole food based meal – and I’m all over that!
Curious what I do all day? Currently, my busy week looks like this:
The last thing I have time for, is spending hours in the kitchen. BUT I am passionate about healthy living and giving my family the best. I want to serve my family a wholesome homemade meal every night. What to do? Tacos!!! Literally, the quickest dinner I can throw together, with endless variations on protein and toppings. This Chipotle Lime Tempeh Taco recipe with Avocado Crema is just ONE of our faves, when I want to go meatless, and accomplish tons of delicious flavor. While this recipe combines tempeh AND sprouted black beans for tons of plant protein, you can totally swap them for cubed chicken, pork or steak and you will still get BOMB results – promise.
An Easy and Fun Dinner when Hosting a Group
The other reason to make tacos: dinner party! When you need a big-batch dinner that’s sure to please – tacos are the answer. The Chipotle Lime Tempeh Tacos recipe easily doubles and triples and is a real crowd pleaser. The flavor combination of chipotle, lime, cilantro, avocado and coconut is so refreshing and flavorful, even your pickiest non-vegetarian friends may be surprised to find they love it 😉 wink, wink. I personally love corn tortillas, and always choose non-GMO and/or sprouted varieties, to keep things healthy and non-toxic but it’s fun to serve a variety of “vehicles.” Some favorite tortillas include sprouted grain tortillas, the grain-free varieties offered by Siete, and some days you just need a traditional homemade-style flour tortilla. Just do yourself one favor, and always read the ingredients to make sure you’re not buying tortillas with all kinds of unwanted stuff added to it (like flavors, preservatives, etc…) * When you click on my favorite product links, I may earn a tiny commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Big Little Bites blog*
How to Make Chipotle Lime Tempeh Tacos
Now, let’s get down to business. While not required, I do recommend my method for prepping tempeh prior to marinating. Boil some water and simmer the tempeh in for 10 minutes – this helps prep the tempeh for marinating and achieving the best flavor. I combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl, so I can easily whisk them together. This marinade calls for chipotle lime seasoning, and I find mine at Trader Joes in the spice section for the best price. I use this seasoning in most of my mexican-themed recipes and just love it! Once the prepped tempeh cools, cube it and place them side by side in a flat storage container of the appropriate size. Pour the marinade over top to evenly coat the tempeh, cover the dish and let it rest overnight. If you start this recipe in the afternoon and need it that night – 2 hours of marinading will suffice.
When you’re ready to start cooking, preheat your oven and set a skillet to heat on the stovetop. I love using my cast iron skillet for it’s natural nonstick capability, which means I can sauté with less oil. Once the skillet is hot, you can add a little oil and the sliced onions and peppers. I start the onions and peppers first, because they don’t take long to cook, and by time you’re done with them, the oven will be ready for the tempeh!
I love to line my sheet pan with parchment paper, because I’d rather not increase the risk of health issues related to aluminum exposure. Bake your tempeh on the lined sheet pan (adding the beans, halfway through cooking time) and you’ll see it browning and crisping up around the edges – yum! While that’s going on inside of the oven, throw all of the avocado crema ingredients into a blender and whip that up. From here on out, it’s just a matter of assembling tacos, and most people (and kids!) prefer to do that themselves. You’ve got this!
Chipotle Lime Tempeh Tacos with Avocado Crema
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 tbsp chipotle lime seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 lime, juiced
Chipotle Lime Tempeh Taco Recipe
- 1 package tempeh, prepped ahead
- 2 c sprouted black beans
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 package non-GMO corn tortillas
Avocado Crema
- 2 avocado, pitted and shelled
- 1/4 bunch cilantro, stems in tact
- 4 tbsp coconut cream
- 1/2 tsp real salt
- 1 clove garlic (small)
- 1/2 c water
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Cut tempeh into cubes and place into a flat container for marinating. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and whisk. Pour the marinade over the cubed tempeh and marinate overnight, or at least 2 hours.
- Set the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Once it is hot, add 2 tbsp of olive oil, sliced onion and garlic salt to the skillet. Cook for 7 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to brown (turn down the heat if beginning to burn). Add the sliced bell pepper and cook an additional 5 minutes until they begin to soften but remain bright.
- Reserving the marinade, remove just the tempeh and spread it on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, adding the beans and reserved marinade, halfway through (coat well before placing back in the oven).
- While the tempeh and beans cook, combine the avocado, cilantro, coconut milk, salt, garlic, lime juice and water in a blender. Blend until smooth, and check the taste and consistency, making any liquid or flavor adjustments necessary. Transfer avocado crema to a small bowl or gravy boat for serving.
- When the tempeh and beans are finished cooking, transfer them to a serving bowl. Turn the oven off, and throw away the parchment paper on the pan. Add your tortillas to the sheet pan and place back into the cooling oven just a few minutes prior to eating, to warm them.
- Sprinkle fresh cilantro over top of the tempeh and beans, and serve!
