spiced cauliflower and chickpea tacos

prep: 10 MINUTES | cook: 35 MINUTES | total: 45 MINUTES | serves 4

Throughout my entire pregnancy with Maxwell, I did not stop craving Mexican food. Burritos, tostadas, enchiladas, taco salads—you name it, I needed it. That said, I wanted to figure out something new and fresh to add to the rotation, especially because we vegetarians have to get a little more creative when it comes to fillings if we don’t want to settle for beans and cheese. I knew that roasted chickpeas made an awesome taco filling, so I started with that and added cauliflower, which gets almost meat-like when it’s seasoned and roasted. The finishing touch was a lime crema—Greek yogurt brightened up with lime juice and cilantro—which brought the whole dish together. You heap everything onto warmed corn tortillas with all your favorite toppings, and it’s like having the best taqueria in your own home.

SPICED CAULIFLOWER AND CHICKPEAS

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

LIME CREMA

1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 to 2 limes)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR SERVING

Corn tortillas—I’d say at least 8

1 cup finely chopped red cabbage

1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced

1 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced

Chopped fresh cilantro

1 Make the cauliflower and chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir in the chickpeas and cauliflower florets until evenly coated.

3 Arrange the seasoned chickpeas and cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are slightly crispy and the cauliflower is tender. Set aside.

4 Make the crema: In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt with the lime juice and cilantro. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5 To serve: If you want to warm the tortillas first, you can use my trick, which is to use tongs to heat them directly over a gas burner on low; this usually takes 10 to 20 seconds per side, depending on the strength of your burner. Or you can use Josh’s trick: Working with two tortillas at a time, place them between two damp paper towels and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Or you can just enjoy them fresh! Mound each tortilla with cauliflower and chickpea mixture. Top with cabbage, jalapeño slices, avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle with the lime crema and enjoy!

NOTE: You can make these tacos vegan by using vegan sour cream or yogurt in the crema.