spring tacos // lime cumin pinto beans

I totally go through food phases. Currently, I am obsessing over tofu scrambles, I can't get enough of fresh spring rolls and tacos have become my new best friend. I have a feeling these tacos and I will be BFF's for a very long time- they totally make me *swoon*.

This recipe is so awesome, especially if you are short on time. A few days during the week I am home later than typical due to a couple late night classes at the health club - I just started a new Barre class (ummm side note, has anyone tried this class out? It took me 4 days to recover!!!! It never takes me that long to recover - this class is pure craziness!) that ends at 7pm, which means I am not home until 7:15pm or so......so my point is; I want dinner on the table and in my belly like yesterday. Well, if you have the slaw in your fridge ready to go it does only take a matter of minutes to get dinner on the table, which makes me and my belly super happy.

While the beans are quickly cooking away, you simply prep your fillings & fry up come corn tortillas- in our case we chop up some fresh tomato & green olives and dish out a bit of prepared salsa and already made slaw. To make it even easier you can skip the corn tortillas and replace with flour tortillas- personally I love corn tortillas, they are worth the extra few minutes it takes to fry up a batch.

Lime, cumin, garlic and red onion are the main flavorings for the beans- for added heat toss in some chipotle in adobo or chili pepper. A bit of water is added to help with the moisture content, canned beans or great in a pinch or if you have a batch in your freezer / fridge even better! Black , navy or kidney beans would also work really well in place of the pinto beans.

Quick, easy, filling and delish- what more do you need in a weeknight meal?  Plus they're TACOS- who doesn't love Tacos? If you don't you must be crazy....just kidding, sort of.

Spring Tacos ~ Lime Cumin Pinto Beans

makes filling for 8 small tacos

you will need:

for the pinto beans

(1) 15oz can pinto beans , about 2 cups 

2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp freshly minced garlic

3 tbsp diced red onion

1 tsp olive oil

dash maple bourbon sherry (optional)

1/4 cup - 1/3 cup water

juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime

8 corn tortillas + canola oil for frying 

or

8 small flour tortillas

fillings

sliced green olives

Napa siracha slaw

Kumato or other tomato- diced

salsa

assembly:

In a medium fry pan heat olive oil over medium heat - saute garlic and red onion until translucent. Add cumin, beans, sherry & water. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 - 8 minutes. Add lime juice, keep warm until ready to serve.

In another fry pan, heat canola oil over medium high heat- working with one tortillas at a time pan fry each side until golden brown. Remove and repeat.

Fill tacos with beans, slaw, tomatoes, olives and salsa.

Enjoy!