Vegan Chorizo Potato Tacos, 4 points+

Happy Biggest Loser Day all!!!  Thanks for playing along with my random thought of the day yesterday by answering “I think I Should Be”.  I was smiling all day long as I read all your responses.  It is SO FUN to hear all the things you all wish you were doing.  I think I “need” to change my answer though to Jeannie’s to be a Skinny Person who cannot gain weight ever that is a world wide food taster!!!! Pick me, pick me LOL…..

Speaking of being a food taster, my day started off with a banana pre-train ride.  Then, when I got into the office, I let the Café make my breakfast again.

Is it bad that I am totally playing the “our fridge is empty because we are going on vacation” card to justify the Café twice in one day?!

It’s totally true, but, how often can you get big containers of fresh fruit like this…..

Paired with a simple hard boiled & and slice of honey oat bread with butter ( 6 points+)

The only thing is ALL MORNING long, I was starving.  I really think that happens on nights I go to bed hungry and/or have just salad for dinner. (2 points+)

Isn’t this like the HUGEST serving of roasted chicken you’ve ever seen?  Today’s “Health” special included Cherry Glazed Chicken…..(skin removed, 1/3 cup = 3 points+)

Cherry Sour Dough Stuffing!!!  It is honestly the “little things” ~ As some of you all might remember from our Christmas Dinner on Thanksgiving last year that I rarely get to eat stuffing.

Today, it was all I could think about 1/2 cup = 5 points+

Next time, I think I’ll tell them to just give me piles of stuffing, skip the chicken and the

Greens….Ok, maybe, just the greens and stuffing? LOL….

The BEST part about lunch aside from the stuffing ~ I was FINALLY full!  The rest of my day flew by and since I was home first, I decided to get dinner started.

Dinner tonight actually came about after I saw a menu item on our Café menu and wondered what it was.  Have any of you heard of Papa’s??  I never had but I have yet to find a breakfast food that I do not love.

When I asked how to make Papa’s they told me it was veggies, potatoes, eggs and sausage with salsa ~ WOW, it took everything in me to resist ordering it!  I knew I could make a healthier version and veganized it to make one delicious Papas Taco ~ it’s good for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

VEGAN CHORIZO POTATO TACOS (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo
• 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 20 oz diced potatoes with onion
• 1 red and green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup Pico de Gallo
• 10 corn tortillas, warmed
• Ketchup, salsa, sour cream, avocado and any of your favorite toppers, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Spray a large nonstick pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  Add the Soy Chorizo, crumble and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

2.  In the same pan, add the canola oil, then, potatoes and bell pepper.  Cook potatoes thoroughly until slightly golden, about 12-15 minutes. 

3.  Return Soy Chorizo to the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and build your potato taco by starting with 1 corn tortilla, adding 1/2 cup of the potato soyrizo pepper mix and then adding all your favorite toppings.

Makes 6 Potato Tacos, 4 points+ each

Nutritional information per taco

STEP – BY – STEP

INGREDIENT #1 POTATOES WITH ONIONS!

Simply Potatoes partnered with Foodbuzz as part of the Taste Maker Program and provided us with packages of their fresh potatoes (which you can find in the fridge section at most grocery stores) to develop recipes.

I like the idea of having fresh ingredients already prepared for me like Simply Potatoes for weeknights when time is limited.  It doesn’t hurt that it’s only 2 points+ a serving!

INGREDIENT # 2  ~ TRADER JOE’S SOY CHORIZO

Do NOT FEAR the SoyRizo ~ I do not like Soy anything, but, I fell IN LOVE with this SoyRizo over 3 years ago when I did the Vegan thing and I still eat it today.

It’s slightly spicy and the texture is just like the real deal.  It comes in at 4 points+ a serving, but, a little goes a long way and each package contains 5 servings (70 g each).

Brown up HALF your SoyRizo ~ you can freeze the other half if you won’t use it.  It is excellent on top of soups, in eggs, burritos, tacos, etc.

“Fry” your potatoes and peppers until slightly golden and browned, about 12-15 minutes.

Return your SoyRizo to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Build your tacos ~ You could use salsa or be weird like me and add organic vegan ketchup.  It’s sweet so it automatically goes with spicy, but, ketchup is awesome with potato tacos too!

Add your potato soyrizo pepper mix

Finishing with pico de gallo ~ you can totally cheat like me and buy store bought pico or make your own.

We served ours up with salad topped with Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (2 points+)

Only TWO more days ~ but who is counting?!  By the way, if any of you live in or near Hilton Head South Carolina or Kissimmee, Florida, and want to meet up for a fun lunch or dinner, email me because I want to meet you.

Night all!