Refried Beans, Pepper and Corn Tacos with Avocado Cream

Monday, 9 January 2017

My first recipe post of 2017 and it really has to be a healthy one doesn't it? I don't know about you but it's actually been a relief to get back to real food following all the festive overindulgence. My body is literally crying out for fruit and vegetables. Today's recipe is a wee bit of a departure for me as it's Vegan. I'm guessing that I must have unconsciously made and eaten vegan food in the past but its definitely outwith my usual comfort zone - which is no bad thing. My friends at Iceland Foods challenged me to come up with a dish using the #PowerOfFrozen to celebrate Veganuary. If you've not come across Veganuary it's a campaign that aims to inspire and support people across the globe to go vegan for the month of January. Personally I'd really struggle to go vegan for a month but I think that we all realise that we need to be cutting down on our meat consumption and upping the veggies. Hat's off to you if you are doing the full 31 days.


To create my Mexican vegan taco filling I used a selection of frozen vegetables and herbs. These are an absolute staple of my freezer and encapsulate much of what is good about frozen food with particular emphasis on quality, convenience and less waste. I can't be the only one to buy fresh herbs for a recipe, use a couple of sprigs, then find the remainder of the packet languishing in a black and slimy mess a week or so later at the bottom of the salad drawer?! Frozen herbs reduce food waste, have quality and freshness locked in and are wonderfully convenient. Sames goes for the sweetcorn, diced onions and sliced peppers. You only use exactly the amount you want with no need to defrost before cooking. 


I was delighted to regularly work with Iceland Foods in 2016, creating seven recipes across the year utilising #ThePowerOfFrozen. Iceland have been around for a while and I'm the first to admit that I had preconceived ideas about the types and quality of products they sold, but those myths have been well and truly busted. As well as seriously upping their game in general, they also cater for the increased variety in dietary demands with products suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Just checkout their frozen superfood range which includes quinoa, kale, asparagus and cous cous. You'll be surprised and inspired.


Vegan Refried Beans, Pepper & Corn Tacos with Avocado Cream
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Frozen Chili
435g Can of Refried Beans
2 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
Salt & Pepper

Avocado Cream
1 Avocado
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
Pinch of Smoked Paprika
Salt & Pepper

To Serve
8 Taco Shells
1 Large Carrot - spiralized or grated
Shredded Lettuce
Fresh Coriander, chopped
Smoked Paprika

Preheat your oven and heat the Taco shells according to the packet instructions.
Heat a the oil in a large frying/saute pan over a medium heat. Add the frozen onion, peppers and sweetcorn and saute 5 to 7 minutes or until soft.
Then add the garlic, chilli, parsley and cook for a further minute or until fragrant.
Stir in the refried beans and chopped tomatoes then season with the smoked paprika and a generous quantity of freshly ground salt and pepper.
Allow everything to warm through over a low heat whilst you prepare the tacos and toppings.

To make the Avocado Cream blitz together the avocado flesh, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt and pepper with a hand blender. Depending on the ripeness of your avocado you may need to add a splash of water to get a smooth creamy consistency.

Fill each warmed taco shell with some shredded lettuce before topping with the Refried Bean and Vegetable filling. Drizzle over the avocado cream, sprinkle with chopped coriander, smoked paprika and finally the spiralized carrot.


Isn't it just a riot of colour? We really should be eating the rainbow when it comes to fruit and vegetables. If you like it hot top it with with Sriracha and if you fancy it vegetarian as opposed to vegan you could add soured cream and grated cheese. We ate ours with a couple of the white rice steam bags. The Refried Beans, Pepper and Sweetcorn filling is so quick and easy to make and would work really well as a baked potato topping or in other Mexican classics such as Tortillas or Enchiladas. Thanks to the #PowerOfFrozen and a tin of Refried Beans, this vegan dish is going to become a family friendly weeknight staple.





For further Veganuary #PowerOfFrozen inspiration check out Bintu's Baked Quinoa Falafels with an Orange Tahini Dressing and Janie's Vegan Buddah Bowl with Spicy Peanut Dressing.




Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for Iceland Foods. As always, all views expressed are my own.
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you. I’m super choosy and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

31 comments

  1. I think I will be doing about 50% vegan for veganuary. My freezer stocked full of Iceland Foods eatc will help in that goal.

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    1. You are doing better than me although I am having a variation on your Falafels tonight.

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  2. Yum! I love me some tacos. We always put avocado cream on ours too.
    Got to love a freezer full of ingredients too.

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    1. I absolutely couldn't live without my freezer full of Iceland ingreedients

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  3. Ooh vegan food, this looks really tasty I can't believe it's all from Iceland. It also looks really easy to eat vegan with something as tasty as this!

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    1. If you've not been to Iceland in a while I suggest you give it a go. There are great discoveries to be found in those freezers!

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  4. Claire they look gorgeous. Isn't it funny that eating the rainbow is so much more pleasing to the eye (and the body) yet all the naughty stuff is generally boring & brown.
    Happy new year lovely
    Janie x

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    1. I was discussing this with my daughter as trying to get her to eat healthier. Suggested to avoid beige food and eat a rainbow. She suggested Skittles #parentingfail

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  5. This tacos look so good! I love keeping frozen veggies handy for a quick meal, but I've never seen frozen herbs before. That's such a brilliant idea! Totally keeping my eyes out for these at the store.

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    1. Seriously the frozen herbs are a total gamechanger!

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  6. I'm trying to eat more vegan meals this month, and these tacos look SO good! I love Iceland, my freezer is stocked up with lots of frozen veg from Iceland Foods!

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    1. Can't beat a well stocked freezer. Looking forward to seeing what Vegan meals you've been cooking up.

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  7. I used to be vegetarian and transitioned into being a vegan for a few years. I couldn't take it! It just wasn't for me! I've never heard of veganary! Funny. I love using frozen veggies, especially when fresh veggies look so horrible in the stores. I love tacos. Can't wait to try these.

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    1. I like cheese too much to ever be Vegan but like you I was Veggie for a while and still really enjoy vegetarian food. Frozen veg can definitely be fresher than fresh thats for sure.

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  8. Wow! These tacos sound incredible! I love the avocado cream! Yummy!

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    1. Avocado is possibly my favourite thing about Mexican food.

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  9. We eat plant based meals about half the time. I love the look of your tacos, proving that it isn't necessary to load them with cheese for them to taste good. I use those frozen herbs from Iceland too - excellent product.

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    1. Plant based half the time is really good going. I was trying to convince myself that the spiralized carrot was a cheese substitute!

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  10. These look great! I really like the avocado cream sauce addition - I love anything with avocado in it. Also appreciate that these are vegetarian - we try to eat meatless fairly often.

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    1. I'm with you on the loving all things Avocado. Easting meatless a wee bit more often makes so much sense on so many levels.

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  11. I do try to have more vegan meals. I love tacos and these look delicious! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x

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    1. You certainly don't miss the meat or dairy in these. Bursting with flavour and colour.

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  12. These tacos look sensational! I'm doing veganuary and enjoying it :). These tacos will be in our dinner meal plan rotation next week.

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    1. Wee done in taking on the Veganuary challenge, hope you enjoy your Tacos next week.

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  13. oooh yum! The Peachicks' would love these with all the refried beans & avocado! I guess for us going vegan wouldn't be too much of a stretch but with soy, lentils & chickpeas all off the menu and school being nutfree its hard to sort out the Peachicks' protein, so we do a eat less meat veganuary! Definitely going to give these a go!

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    1. Gosh that must be tricky with all those restrictions and nutfree at school. Hope they enjoy these when you try them.

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  14. Loving these tacos! I am craving one right now. Did you know tacos are a big trend for 2017? Anyway thanks for submitting them to Meat Free Mondays. I featured your recipe and the roundup is now live. Right off to promote this for you!

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    1. Goodness - for once in my life I am on trend ;-) Thanks for including my recipe in your roundup.

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  15. that looks beautiful - I think I am going to try some spiralised carrot on my next batch of tacos - and I hope that will be soon

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    1. Thanks Johanna, they are definitely colourful. I was attempting to get the carrot to look like cheese!

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  16. Using our freezers to their full potential is such a fab way to help prevent food waste. What a gorgeous recipe you've created; it's hard to believe it's all made with frozen food! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge! :)

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