Fiery Red Pepper, Broccoli & Artichoke Tacos

Hey, wassup, hello! It’s been quite some time since I have posted a recipe to the blog. The end of the semester is always pretty hectic for me, and this year was no different. Also, training for my marathon took up some extra time in my schedule as well (running in one week – eeeeeeeek!) so I apologize for the lack of posts.

This taco recipe is so simple, delicious & very quick to make! Who says tacos have to be filled with meat, cheese, and sour cream?? Not this girl! These tacos are packed with veggies and offer a lighter take on traditional mexican fair. I’ve never been much of a traditional kind of girl anyway, so these were right up my alley. I love using lots of fresh veggies in my cooking to up the fiber content of meals and help to keep me satiated.

I actually was inspired to make this recipe because I had some delicious veggie tacos similar to these out at a restaurant a while back (line a few months) but they were very oil heavy, leaving me feeling not my best. I loved the idea of combining broccoli and artichokes in a taco, but could do without the excess and unneeded oil. These tacos will leave you feeling energized and full without feeling weighed down. The best thing about these tacos is that they are super healthy so you can eat as much as you desire/ until you are fully satiated. I typically eat three tacos at one time and don’t feel sick or gross afterward like I would if they were filled with typical ingredients.

Here’s what you will need:

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas

1 head fresh broccoli

1 can/ jar of artichoke hearts (about 2/3 cup)

3 large red bell pepper

1 small red onion

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 garlic clove

pinch sea salt

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1 tsp chili powder

crushed red pepper (optional/ to taste)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut and slice 2 large red peppers into thick chunks about 1-2 inches wide. Add them to a baking sheet or pan and roast until they are soft and a bit charred around the edges (mine took about 20 minutes). While the peppers are roasting, chop up the head of broccoli into floret sized pieces and add it to a pan on the stove top. Add a couple tablespoons of water to prevent the veggies from sticking. Next slice the red onion into strips and add it to the pan as well. Then chop up the remaining red bell pepper into strips and add it to the pan as well.

Cook the veggies on low for about 15 minutes and then add the can/ jar of artichoke hearts (be sure to drain the liquid!) to the pan. Continue cooking on low for about 5-10 minutes. While the veggies are cooking, keep checking on the red peppers to see if they are done. Also, wrap a stack of corn tortillas in aluminum foil and warm them up in the oven (not optional ;)).

After the red peppers are done cooking, add them to a food processor or high powered blender and pulse for a few seconds. Then add the garlic, paprika, apple cider vinegar, chili garlic sauce, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, and crushed red pepper and pulse until everything is well incorporated.

Taste the sauce and see if you would like to add any more spice/garlic, etc. Then just assemble your tacos and pour the sauce over the top of the tacos! You could also add lettuce, salsa, avocado, or other taco fixin’s to these as well. I bet corn, and avocado would be delicious additions :).

Be sure to let me know in the comments if you decide to try this recipe and also let me know what the strangest ingredient you have ever had in a taco!