Veggie Chickpea Tacos
It has been sometime since I wrote a blog post…they’re backing up guys; I have so many, but I seriously feel like there’s 2 hours in a day not 24. I have so many things I want to accomplish on my blog and only 3 1/2 weeks till I’m back to work full-time from Mat Leave, woah!
This year has flown by, like seriously disappeared before my eyes. My daughter is almost a year old?!? What the hell happened to the last 12 months? UGH.
Anyways, I have a huge laundry list of food recipes that have been piling up and I am going to try my very best to post at least one a week and hopefully two.
This is an awesome weekday recipe because it’s relatively quick and perfect for those nights you don’t get home till 6:30 and you’re wondering what the hell you’re going to eat. Eat this over takeout – I promise you’ll be happy you did.
These chickpea tacos are vegetarian and are easily made vegan with just a couple minor changes.
They are light, and flavourful and you won’t feel bad eating three or four of them.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
- vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sumac (I get mine from Silk Road Spice Merchant)
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 2 mini cucumbers (or 1 regular English cucumber), sliced into matchsticks
- 4-6 radish, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt + 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt*
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped mint
- Juice from one lemon
- 2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 3/4 cup feta cheese 3/4 cup, optional*
- 8-10 corn tortillas*
*Special Note – if you are vegan you can substitute the plain greek yogurt for vegan yogurt and you can omit the feta cheese or substitute with your favourite vegan cheese, I recommend something a little saltier. I use corn tortillas because I personally enjoy them more, but you are welcome to use whatever kind of tortilla you like.
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Wrap tortillas in tinfoil and put in the oven for about 10-15 min or until heated through.
- In a small bowl with a lid, mix together apple cider vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp. salt. Add the sliced radish, close tightly and shake until salt and sugar have dissolved and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl mix together sumac, pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt and set aside.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a medium heavy bottom pan to just coat the bottom. Heat over medium-high heat until the pan is hot and the oil begins to glisten. Carefully add the chickpeas to the oil and sauté them until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes. Remove chickpeas from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool for a minute and then while still hot, pour the chickpeas into the bowl with the spice mixture. Toss to coat and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix yogurt, lemon juice and mint. Stir until combined.
- Once tortillas are warmed you can assemble your tacos.
- We do a little of the mint lemon yogurt, then the chickpeas, and top that with the cucumbers, pickled radish, olives, feta, a little more mint lemon yogurt and fresh parsley and voila – the perfect veggie chickpea taco.
If you’re having trouble finding sumac, just mix together a little lemon zest, salt and a pinch of pepper. It works fine as a substitute.
The best thing about these tacos is that you can really make them your recipe. Just add and takeaway what you want. If you don’t like olives, you can omit them and maybe add tomatoes. You can change the spices up on your chickpeas if you like too, for example if you love garlic, swap the sumac for garlic powder. You can use tzatiki instead of the mint lemon yogurt and cucumbers. Maybe you love hot sauce, so feel free to add it. You can adjust the flavours to your own palette.
That’s the best thing about recipes – they are there as a guide, but always open to personal touches.
So I hope you enjoy my little tacos and until the next recipe,
Kristen xo
15 Comments
Food Meanderings
Oh do I remember how fast mat leave went! Then it only goes faster from there…. I know what you mean about having so many recipes and so little time 🙂 It doesn’t get less busy when they are older – just different busy. I know it’s tough going back, but remember to try to focus on enjoying the positives of going back to work -like you get to take real breaks, pee alone, not have to buckle someone in and out of a car seat all day, eat warm food by yourself if you want, not be puked, peed or pooped on, and not have to feed anyone else (besides yourself) and basically focus on someone other than your offspring for those 8 hours. 🙂
kmysweetmess
Terri you are so right!!! There are so many great aspects to going back to work, so I’m definitely going to try and soak ’em up. Oh the car seat I think is the worst one for me, I can handle getting peed and poope do but oh the car seat in and out a hundred times a day, ugh. Thank you so much for this 🙂
Denise@urbnspice
These Veggie Chickpea Tacos look amazing, Kristen! I love having different recipes to make for Meatless Monday. So healthy, wholesome and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us.
kmysweetmess
Thank you so much Denise! They are an awesome addition to Meatless Monday for sure.
Sharon
I love anything that I can eat three or four of!! Lol. I feel the time passing when I look at friends kids. Except they are like TWENTY now. I’m like, weren’t you literally just a baby?? How are you driving and voting?? Haha.
kmysweetmess
Oh my, right?!? Haha. It’s beautiful and amazing watching them grow but a little bittersweet.
loveandotherspices
Time sure flies and before long the kids are all grown up. Love these tacos with fried chickpeas ! Looks delicious.
kmysweetmess
Thank you so much! It really does go by too fast doesn’t it.
Cathy
I totally understand your busy feeling. I’m constantly pushing to post once a week, and I don’t have children at home or another job! Enjoy your wee one!
kmysweetmess
Thank you so much Cathy 😊
joandsue
First of all: your photos are art. I want them hanging in my kitchen. Second, this sounds amazing! Pinning to try later.
Wanda
I love cooked chickpeas and roast them regularly just for snacking! These tacos sound and look fantastic – I would love them!
kmysweetmess
Aren’t they an awesome snack! Thank-you so much!
crumbtopbaking
I can totally relate to the passage of time! I can’t believe how fast this year went by. This is great taco recipe Kristen, and I can’t wait to see what other recipes you been creating!
kmysweetmess
Thanks so much Leanne. Woah lets hope 2019 slows down just a little.