Black Bean Vegetable Tacos with Kefir Avocado Crema

Crema is a Mexican cheese with the consistency of a thick cream, but a slightly sweeter taste. This recipe is a twist on the traditional crema, using Lifeway kefir as a base. Lifeway kefir contains 12 strains of probiotics, and this variability has been shown to be beneficial for gut health. This recipe also includes prebiotics from the beans, sweet potatoes, onions and other vegetables. Prebiotics feed the gut bacteria, and these components work best when consumed together.

Ingredients:

12 small whole wheat or corn tortillas -or- 1 cup raw long grain brown rice

2 medium sized sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 can of low sodium black beans

1 container (10 oz) baby belly mushrooms

1 large zucchini

Avocado crema:

1 cup plain low fat organic kefir

1 avocado

1 handful cilantro (about ½ cup)

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoonblack pepper

Toppings:

½ cup cotija cheese (or queso fresco), grated

Pickled onions, recipe here

Instructions:

1.       If you are opting for the bowl option, then start by cooking the rice.

a.       Add rice to a large saucepan with 2 ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until water has absorbed.

b.      If you are opting for tacos, then skip to step 2.

2.       Heat oven 400F. Cut sweet potatoes in 1 inch chunks (pieces can be uneven). Toss with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, plus the chili powder, paprika, and black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.

3.       Drain and rinse black beans. Set aside.

4.       Chop mushrooms and zucchini. Heat other tablespoon of avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Cook until soft, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

5.       Blend all ingredients for avocado crema together until smooth.

6.       Assemble.

a.       If making bowls: Arrange rice, sweet potatoes, cooked vegetables, and black beans around the bottle of the bowl. Top with crema, cheese, and pickled onions.

b.      If making tacos: Lay your tortillas flat, and spread each with crema. Add sweet potatoes, cooked vegetables, and black beans. Top with crema, cheese, and pickled onions.

Notes:

Bowls are great for meal prep.

You can also cook a half batch of rice to have tacos for dinner, and then leftovers bowls for lunch the next day. Tacos tend not to travel/store well.

leftover taco filling make the perfect burrito bowl