Meat Free "Taco" Meat

I've explained in previous posts (here) that we are not strict vegetarians, but we do live in a vegetarian house- meaning I don't cook meat. On very rare occasions I will cook fish (here) but 99.9% of the time I'm cooking veggie-only meals. I'm always on the lookout for veggie options of popular staples. I used to subscribe to a magazine called Clean Eating, which I would read cover to cover- I let my subscription go when I stopped cooking meat, and this magazine doesn't give too many vegetarian options, but I did get a few major gems from it while I did subscribe. 

The basis of this recipe comes from their April/May 2011 issue. I have modified it quite heavily to suit our tastes but if you would like to view the original please click HERE.

This filling can be used in so many ways- basically any way that you would use taco meat, whether ground beef or ground turkey. We use it as filling for burritos, tacos, spread on tostadas and of course on nachos. Tonight I piled them on tostadas. 

Here's what' you'll need:

(this recipe serves two.)

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 medium onion (I use yellow), diced

1 large clove of garlic, minced

about 8 mushrooms. I have used both cremini and white button- either works fine, roughly chop into small pieces

1 cup of cauliflower roughly chopped into small pieces.

taco seasoning (I use either Lowrys or McCormick's- any powdered kind will work)

1/2 cup water

Optional Toppings:

avocado

sour cream or plain greek yogurt

black olives

tomato

cilantro

romaine lettuce

cheese

salsa or hot sauce

jalapenos

corn

black beans 

brown rice 

corn or flour tortillas

Instructions:

ONE: In a large skillet, heat oil on med/high. Add onion and saute for about 5 mins, until it begins to soften and become translucent. Add garlic and saute about half a minute more. 

TWO: Add mushrooms and cauliflower, stirring constantly until vegetables start to release water and shrink. (about 2 minutes). continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cauliflower is tender with a fork. (approximately 10-15 minutes).

THREE: Add half a packet of taco seasoning. If doubling my above recipe, then use the whole packet. Add 1/2 cup of water and let boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer with a lid on for about 5 minutes, or until  all of the moisture has been absorbed. 

FOUR: gather toppings and set aside. If you are making tacos or tostadas, now is the time to make your shells. If making burritos, warm the tortillas. Assemble your yummy dish!!

We did a layer of brown rice topped with a layer of the cauliflower/mushroom "meat"

So good!!!