Cinco de Mayo Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Tacos

… We Like to Call it Taco Bar Night! What Will You Put on Yours?

We Love, Love, Love tacos at Daily Forage! We’ve always loved them, perhaps even to the point of being accused of having a taco obsession. So we really don’t need Cinco de Mayo to put them on our menu. And that’s okay with us. Tacos are easy to make, can be concocted into a well-balanced gluten-free, dairy-free meal to include meat, “dairy”, veggies/fruits, good fats, and grains (if you are one who considers corn a grain or a vegetable – there’s great controversy on this topic. But that’s for another post), and are so customizable everyone will be sure their taco combo is the best!

When we have tacos, we like to set up a taco “bar”. We put a vast assortment of ingredients out for grazing and taco-stuffing fulfillment. The possibilities are only limited by one’s imagination. For example, our spread might include some, or all, of these items: chipotle-seasoned shredded chicken, black beans, a bowl of shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, and finely sliced radish (for a little “snap” of peppery flavor), perfectly ripe avocado, sweet cherry tomatoes, briny black olives, and maybe even some dairy-free pepper-jack cheese and sour cream. Then for the great garnish to put everything just right, we make sure the fixings are there to add a salsa splash, maybe some tabasco for an endorphin rush, a large pinch of fresh cilantro (for a clean green taste), and a squeeze of fresh lime to brighten all the flavors. Okay, my mouth is watering. Then any, or all if you want to really tempt fate, of these delicious ingredients can make gluten-free corn tortillas feel needed. Be creative by combining different flavors and textures, or create the ultimate “everything” taco, and stuff away!

Bet you don’t have any doubts now about how much we Love our tacos, right?

Prep time: 20+ minutes (depending on your ingredient choices)

Cook time: 10 +/- (depending on how you choose to prepare your taco shells – see below)

Servings: 4 (for this recipe)

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked chicken, shredded

2 teaspoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1/4 – 1/2 cup gluten-free, vegan mayonnaise for sauce (depending on how thick you like it)

1/2 – 3/4 cup gluten-free salsa

6 or so Romaine lettuce leaves, washed, dried, and shredded

1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage

1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 red globe radishes, cut into matchsticks

12-15 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half – yellow and red are great

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/3 bunch of fresh cilantro, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped

1 lime, sliced for squeezing

dairy free sour cream, for topping or garnish

1 package (12 pieces) yellow corn tortillas

Directions:

Depending on how you like to prepare your tortilla shells, here are two prep directions: 1) Preheat a cast iron griddle, or very heavy-bottomed flat pan, over low heat, allowing pan to become quite hot. Lay your tortillas, as many as will fit without overlapping, in the pan. Heat until hot and flexible. Begin the filling process immediately, or place in a towel-lined basket, covering tortillas to keep warm and pliable. OR 2) Heat a fry pan on low heat, with about 1/2 inch of oil in bottom, until oil is hot but not smoking. Place tortillas, only cooking one at a time, in the oil. Heat on first side for a minute or so, then turn and heat on second side. Cook to desired crispiness. Using two forks, or tongs, fold the hot tortilla almost in half to create a “U” shape. Hold tortilla vertical over pan to allow excess oil to drip back into pan. Place hot tortilla on a paper-towel-lined plate. Continue cooking the rest of the tortillas. Serve when all tortillas have been cooked.

Place shredded chicken in a small bowl. Stir in the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce until all the chicken is seasoned. Warm in the microwave until hot. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine the mayo and salsa. Stir well. Set aside. This makes a “salsa ranch” type of dressing. It’s quite good on tacos, in Daily Forage’s humble opinion. Slather this on when “stuffing” begins – great flavor in every bite.

In a medium size bowl, combine lettuce, cabbage, peppers, and radishes, and toss to blend ingredients. Set aside.

Place tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and lime in separate bowls. Place sour cream in small bowl.

Put all ingredient bowls in central serving location. Serve the tortillas. Everyone can create their own favorite taco combination. I usually go for the “Everything” taco much too overstuffed to eat without losing half the contents:-D What are your “stuffing” choices? Be sure to leave us a comment letting us know.

Safe food is a journey … Thrive!