Mojo Mushroom Tacos with Kale Avocado Salad

I just added a new taco to my Taco Tuesday lineup. These vegetarian tacos are some of the best ones I have ever made. Portabello mushrooms infused with flavor from a Cuban-style marinade, then nestled on top of kale and avocado salad with black beans, corn, red onions, and a spicy Southwest avocado mayo.

I can be inspired by the simplest of things. An example of this is how this recipe came about. I decided to bring back Meatless Mondays to my kitchen. I thought this would be an excellent way to get back on track with eating healthy. When I asked my fellow foodies what meatless options they liked, someone responded with mushroom tacos.

I love mushrooms, and I thought that putting them in a taco was a great idea. I had never heard of mushroom tacos. They were totally not on my radar until now. So, while the culinary wheel in my head started to spin, I remembered by Cuban-Style Grilled Pork Tenderloin, and the idea for this recipe took off from there. The spices used in this type of marinade are a variation of a mojo, commonly used in Cuban cuisine. The addition of the kale and avocado salad was supposed to be a side dish, but when my husband asked if the salad was supposed to go in the taco, that is when everything came together. What was the salad dressing just became a sauce to spoon over the mushrooms and the kale salad. It was a fantastic idea, and we were both into it! The mushrooms soak up some of the marinade's juice, making a super flavorful, meat-like, taco filling.

Until next time, friends! XO

Mojo Mushroom Tacos with Kale Avocado Salad

Makes 6 to 8 tacos

Spicy Southwest Sauce:

1/2 cup avocado mayonnaise

Juice of 1 lime

1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons (or more) of water or cream (to thin out the dressing)

Kale Avocado Salad:

1 bunch of lacinato kale. Stems removed, leaves chopped small enough to fit in a taco shell

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions

1 cup corn - canned or frozen (defrosted)

1 cup black beans

1 large avocado, outer skin and pit removed, flesh chopped

About a 1/4 cup shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds

Marinade for mushrooms:

1 pound portabello mushrooms, gills scraped away, sliced thick

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

About 1 tablespoon of Canola or vegetable oil

For assembling - Charred corn tortillas and crumbled cotija cheese

For the sauce, combine everything in a small bowl. Add just enough water or cream to thin the sauce out a bit. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped kale with the black beans, corn, red onions, avocado, and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.

Over a gas flame, slightly char the corn tortillas on each side. Stand them up in taco holders, or place them on a plate.

Place sliced mushrooms in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the seasonings for the marinade in a smaller bowl, and pour over the mushrooms. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the mushrooms until they have released their juices and turning brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

To assemble the tacos, put some of the kale and avocado salad in the bottom of a corn tortilla, top with mushrooms, and spoon spicy sauce over the mushrooms and sprinkle cotija cheese on top.