Fun Fall Recipe: Festive Tacos

Fun Fall Recipe: Festive Tacos

I’m not sure about you, but one thing I love about fall is that it’s the season of some of my favorite ingredients.  Cranberries and sweet potatoes top my list of fall favorites so when I saw this recipe a few weeks back I knew I HAD to make it. The only problem? It has a ton of ingredients!  I sent the link to the recipe to Mr. Fit Armadillo when he was out shopping one week and he even agreed (and he loves to cook complicated recipes if the outcome is delicious).

Luckily, Mr. Fit Armadillo is a Bengali and knows the art of andaj.  What’s andaj? It’s my new favorite Bengali word (I know about 10 others and they are either animal names or dog commands. I don’t know the words for palm tree or armadillo, so if you’re Bengali and know them, please hook a sister up!).

I first learned of andaj when my hubby asked if I had learned how to make some of his favorite recipes when hanging with his mom. I told him I could kind of make them. I knew what to buy, but not the measurements. He laughed and said “yea….andaj, everything by estimation!” I didn’t think this was too funny at the time, but I’ve learned to embrace it and at my request Mr. Fit Armadillo andajed the long recipe to make it easier for us! According to him, andaj is also a little about magic coming from the estimation part.  When he cooked it up for me tonight (hehehehe I also got a free chef out of the deal!) I could really see what he meant!

Happy to have my own chef. Apparently andaj is serious business!

So, now that you have your Bengali word of the day and are hopefully ready for some magic, let’s get to that recipe!

Here’s what you’ll need to cook up 8 tacos:

12 oz fresh cranberries
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp chili powder
1 lime (zest and juice!)
1-2 serano peppers
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small sweet onion
1 large sweet potato, chopped
3/4 c cooked quinoa (due to andaj, cook in the steps below!)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 c cooked black beans
1 small bunch cilantro
8 four tortillas
1 c low fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Here’s how to put it all together:

Step One: Salsa time! Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place your cranberries, brown sugar, chili powder, lime zest and juice, serano peppers and a pinch of salt and pepper on the sheet. Once your oven is ready, add your seasoned cranberries and cook them up for 15 mins.

Tools of the trade: Small Pot, Skillet, Baking Sheet

Step Two:  Taco time! Begin by heating your olive oil over a skillet set on a burner at medium heat. Then, add your onions and sweet potatoes. Toss them to coat using a spatula (try not to show off and toss them in the air like some chefs I know….).  Cover the pan and start cooking your quinoa in another pot according to package directions (should need 2x the water). When your quinoa is 7 mins into cooking, pour it into your sweet potato’s skillet.  Add your garlic once the sweet potatoes are tender and saute it for 30 secs. Turn up the heat to medium high and add your remaining ingredients (well, not the tacos, cheese or cilantro!). Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until all of the water evaporates.

Step Three: Assembly time.  Assemble your taco with the mix, then the cranberry salsa, and finally cheese and cilantro on top.

Marvel in the deliciousness of the tacos, tastes of the season, and magic of andaj!

Will you try this festive fall recipe? Do you know any Bengali? Have any cool words your know from another language? Share your thoughts with a comment: