Spiced cauliflower, spinach & chickpea tacos
This recipe is brought to you by Richard Fox, consultant plant-based chef, writer & presenter. Instagram: @manrejuvenated.
The best way to cut down on food waste is to go for recipes that can utilise what you already have in your cupboards, fridge and veg rack. That is: those recipes that have maximum flexibility for substitution of ingredients. This means less money spent and fewer shopping trips. Not only does this make cooking a little more fun and creative - it also makes you a better cook as you begin to think about and experiment with different flavours and ingredients.
Tacos are a perfect example. They are all about the principle rather than blindly following an exact recipe - essentially creating a flavour packed spicy filling with an accompanying salsa or similar condiment. This recipe works beautifully using a mango chutney for example instead of the salsa. You could equally substitute the mango for a couple of tomatoes and create a delicious tomato salsa. Spring onions` can be substituted for some leftover red onion; lemon instead of lime etc. If you have a pot of shop-bought hummus - no problem. Just add some smoked paprika or chipotle paste. Or just leave it as it is. It's still going to do the job! You get the idea. And practically any combination of vegetables will roast to delicious perfection in the oven.
There are also lessons to be learned here about storage for maximum shelf-life: fragile fresh herbs such as coriander, parsley and chives will last literally ten times longer wrapped in some damp absorbent kitchen paper and then put in an airtight container in the fridge. Just take out what you need and wrap back up. Bags of spinach, kale and salad leaves will last for days in perfect condition if stored in a container lined with damp kitchen paper with another piece laid over the top instead of keeping in the open bag they came in.
This recipe also cuts a swathe through those little jars of dry spices you’ve had in the cupboard for longer than you can remember. That makes them essentially free flavour! Remember: that best before date is just that, not an instruction to throw in the bin. If they still have their aroma they will be good to use.
Finally, this recipe is a fun and tasty way to get the kids eating some seriously healthy food. Absolutely packed with vitamins and vital nutrients, never has ‘boring old fruit and veg’ looked and tasted so good. You may even find that you have a little of the salsa, hummus and cauli mix left over - so much the better for a tasty, healthy snack for the next few days.
