taco meat Archives • New Nostalgia

5 Minute Raw Nut Taco “Meat”

Once in a while, I make a recipe that I end up getting giddy excited to share with you. This 5-minute raw nut taco meat is one of those recipes! Can you imagine not having to deal with the greasy mess of browning hamburger meat for tacos, but still have the amazing flavor of taco meat? This recipe keeps your stove off and will please even the meat eaters in your life.

I served this to my kids last night and said, “I’m trying out a new recipe. It is chopped up nuts that are flavored with taco seasonings. Nuts are super good for you and will give you the protein and good fats that our bodies need. Try it and let me know if you like it.”

Okay, so I only told 2 of my daughters that. My youngest HATES nuts, so I did not tell her what was in her taco until she devoured it. Hee! Sneaky Mom! She looked at me with wide eyes and a dropped jaw when I told her. Then crossed her arms over her chest and said “Mom! Why didn’t you tell me?” I answered, “I thought just maybe you were getting old enough to start liking nuts, but I was not sure.” She was not sure if she liked that answer!

5 Minute Raw Nut Taco "Meat"

Prep Time

5 mins

Resting Time

10 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Such a great meat alternative for those Taco Tuesdays or Meatless Mondays! My family now prefers this over ground beef. Bonus: no heating up the oven or stove!

Recipe Type: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: food processor, meatless, Mexican, raw, vegan

Servings: 5

Ingredients

1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup almonds or walnuts
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin or to taste
pinch red pepper flakes or more for heat
1/4-1/2 tsp salt to taste, start with 1/4. If using salted nuts, you may not need salt!
2-4 tbsp olive oil (or hemp, or flax, etc)

Instructions

Put all ingredients into food processor. Pulse until you get desired consistency. Add more oil if it looks too dry. Do not over process or it will be a paste! The flavor is best once it sits a bit.

I used unsalted nuts. The original recipe I found on Pinterest. It is from Raw Veggies & Yoga. It called for an entire teaspoon of salt, which just about ruined my batch. It was WAY too salty. Fortunately, I had enough ingredients to double my batch and I ended up saving it.

I went for years without a food processor, and now I don’t know how I lived without it. I use mine all the time. I have a 7 cup Kitchen Aid Food Processor. I love using it for chopping onions and veggies for soups, for making nut butter and date pastes, and my yummy healthy chocolate mudballs.

I am new to the world of sun-dried tomatoes but bought them for a pasta recipe that I will be sharing with you soon. I am now a HUGE fan. The flavor they add to this recipe is key. I had no idea how much flavor these packed! I now keep a jar in my refrigerator at all times.

I used these Chia Seed Flour Tortillas that I just found at Trader Joes this week. They are my new favorite. Boy, do they fill you up with all that extra fiber from the Chia. New to Chia? Read all about this mega superfood here.

This is the finished Raw Nut Taco Meat. Oh. My. Yum!

I make a large batch of brown rice each week in my rice maker, and keep it in small mason jars. I love to freeze it, too, so I always have it on hand. Using brown rice instead of white keeps your blood sugar level and gives an extra punch of fiber.

Notice we only use a VERY light sprinkling of cheese on our tacos. We eat very little dairy around here, really just shredded cheese, but small portions.

I just put the tortilla on a plate, added some rice and cheese. I microwaved it for 30 seconds until the cheese melted and the tortilla was soft. I put the Raw Nut Taco Meat right on top.

We topped it with lettuce and wrapped it up. My husband had his with some salsa, and loved it. I can’t wait to sprinkle it on top of my salad today for lunch. I will add some black beans and crunch with tortilla chips. Taco Salad! Mmmm.

Would you consider having a meat-free meal once a week? Do you think you could get your family to try this recipe?

GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES

Garbanzo Bean Taco “Meat”

I get so excited when I find plant-based recipes that are easy, healthy and my whole family loves. This is one of those recipes. I will make it again and again!

Even if you do not consider yourself vegetarian or vegan, it is still a great thing to incorporate more plant foods in one’s diet. Even one meat-free dinner a week will help your health, and your budget! Beans are much cheaper than meat!

This recipe is from Happy Herbivore. She has done it again with a fast and easy recipe that will find it’s way into my regular rotation recipe box.

All you do is drain a can of garbanzo beans (or chickpeas if you will) and then toss them with taco seasoning, tamari (or soy sauce), & lemon juice. Then roast.

While my beans were roasting, I decided to use up some of the veggies I had on hand and sliced them thin with a mandolin slicer, then softened them up in my grill pan. I added a little grill seasoning (21 Salute Seasoning from Trader Joes.) This added a layer and texture that really made these tacos.

When the beans are done, they are nice and crunchy on the outside. I pulsed them in the food processor for a minute, as suggested by others who commented on this recipe. Leaving the beans round can make for very messy eating. This also gave them what I consider a “meaty” texture.

I did make sure I saved a few whole beans out for snacking. My sister-in-law recommended this recipe to me and said that her husband just ate the leftover beans as a healthy, crunchy snack. Yum!

Another way to eat this is wrapped up in lettuce. This was super good and refreshing lunch that I made the next day with leftovers.

Garbanzo Bean Taco “Meat”

15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)

2 tsp lemon juice

1 recipe taco seasoning (I used 1/2 of a Trader Joes Taco Seasoning packet. Can use 3 tbsp of this recipe if desired)

Preheat oven to 400. Toss tamari, lemon juice and seasonings. Add beans and toss until coated. Place on a tray, spray with oil. Bake 20-25 minutes until crunchy.

Assemble tacos with lettuce and tomatoes and fajita vegetables (optional) & enjoy!

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