Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

I'm sorry I haven’t posted in over a week, but we took a quick trip to Lake Tahoe.  My son has been begging us for a snowboarding trip for months, but with all of our busy schedules, this was the first opportunity we had to get away.  It was a beautiful spring weekend in the snow, but I’m a little behind this week.  I have piles of laundry waiting to be folded, and I had to make a quick trip to the store after work since my cupboards were bare.  I needed something easy and quick to make for dinner, so I chose Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Slaw.  

I don’t usually re-post recipes, but Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Slaw has become a family favorite, and I’ve tweaked the cilantro slaw enough, I wanted to share my new recipe.   This is one of my go-to dinner recipes when I know I’m going to be busy.  But, the best thing about these tacos is the kids love them.  When the kids find out we are having Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Slaw they are thrilled, and I’m thrilled my son is eating cabbage and enjoying it!  

Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Slaw
Adapted from Bon Appétit  
2 14-ounce cans black beans
½ teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons canola oil
12 6-inch corn tortillas

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Place the black beans and cumin in a bowl and partially mash. Brush oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place two or three tortillas in skillet. Add ¼ cup of bean mixture in the middle of the tortilla, and cook one minute. Fold in half and cook about one minute on each side or until golden brown. Fill tacos with feta cheese and Cilantro Slaw.

Cilantro Slaw
1 16-ounce bag of coleslaw mix (I use the ready made coleslaw mix for convenience, but you could thinly slice a head of cabbage)
6 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts only)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon salt

Place coleslaw mix, onions and cilantro in a large bowl, set aside.  In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, limejuice, jalapeño and salt until smooth and creamy.  Pour the mayonnaise mixture into the coleslaw and mix well.


Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

Quick Take Tuesday

Quick Black Bean Tacos
Tuesdays, usually call for a quick dinner, and Bon Appétit (2/09) has a recipe that fits the bill. I noticed this recipe in my quick flip through the magazine, and then I saw it again on Smitten Kitchen’s blog (I have to try her Whole Lemon Tart). She didn’t like the coleslaw in the taco recipe, and she recommended using a Bobby Flay recipe instead. I decided to take her word for it, and make the Bobby Flay coleslaw. I just had to hope my kids would like a black bean taco with coleslaw and feta cheese. Hmm…it was worth a try.

I made small changes to both the taco and the coleslaw recipes. I only used ¼ teaspoon of the cumin in the black beans. I like cumin, but only in small quantities. And, in the slaw recipe, I used the jalapeno chili sauce I make and keep in my freezer instead of the serrano peppers the recipe called for.

I knew my daughter would try the tacos, and probably like them, but I was worried my son wouldn’t like them. I had him try the coleslaw and he said he liked it. So, I left off the feta cheese from his tacos, but piled on the coleslaw. He ate them and asked for seconds. My daughter liked them too. Both kids said I should make the tacos again. High praise indeed!

Black Bean Tacos
1 15-ounce can black beans drained
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
White or yellow corn tortillas
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
3 teaspoons canola oil
Green Onion Slaw

Place the black beans and cumin in a bowl and partially mash. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place tortillas in skillet. Add ¼ cup of bean mixture in the middle of the tortilla, and cook one minute. Fold in half and cook about one minute on each side or until golden brown. Fill tacos with feta cheese and Green Onion Slaw.

Green Onion Slaw

1 cup green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup pure olive oil
1 head purple cabbage, finely shredded
 (I used pre-packaged coleslaw mix)
1 small red onion halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Blend, vinegar, chili sauce, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and oil with a whisk until emulsified. Place cabbage, green onions and red onions in a bowl, add the dressing and stir until combined. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.