Meatless Monday with Ricotta Spinach Tacos

Spinach Ricotta Tacos image courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com

Welcome (back) to the blog and thank you for joining us for another Meatless Monday. We at Miratel Solutions took the Meatless Monday pledge as part of our CSR business initiatives in support of reducing meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of the planet. You can learn more about the positive impact of giving up meat one day per week at www.meatlessmonday.com. Now let’s get to our recipe.

Do you love tacos? Do you want a fast, vegetarian meal to make at the end of a busy day that will appeal to everyone? If you answered yes to any of the above, then you’ll love our recipe for Ricotta Spinach Tacos. This Italian twist on a Mexican classic comes courtesy of Food Network Magazine. Let’s get into the kitchen and start cooking – it won’t take long at all.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces ricotta (preferably fresh), at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3cloves garlic, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
• 2 (4-ounce) cans sliced green chile peppers, drained
• 2 bunches fresh spinach (about 1 pound), stemmed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 to 12 corn tortillas
• Salsa verde, for serving

Directions

1. Combine the ricotta, cilantro and 1 clove garlic in a medium bowl and season with salt.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and cook without stirring until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the chiles, spinach (in batches) and cumin and cook, stirring, until the spinach begins to wilt. Add the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and cook until the spinach is completely wilted, about 3 more minutes. Season with salt; transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
3. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or wrap in a damp towel and microwave 1 to 2 minutes. Divide the spinach mixture among the tortillas, top with the ricotta mixture and a spoonful of salsa verde and fold.

This recipe for ricotta spinach tacos will yield four servings and can be adjusted easily. If you want to make this dish healthier you can use whole wheat or whole grain soft taco shells – some brands boast as few as eighty calories per shell. By switching over from traditional flour tortillas you’ll be adding more fiber to the dish.

What makes this recipe for ricotta spinach tacos even better is that it is not only delicious but also takes only 15 minutes to prepare and cook. Since it is such a fast meal to whip up it is perfect for a hectic Monday night. Serve this dish with extra salsa and a garden salad on the side. If you want a more substantial meal, you can make a side of rice (preferably brown rice). When boiling your rice, substitute half of the water for salsa for a great tasting Mexican-flavoured rice.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit www.meatlessmonday.com to learn more. Join us in taking the pledge and promote going Meatless on Monday to family, friends and even co-workers to build on your CSR business initiatives and make your green call centre, office, factory, shop or salon even greener.

Enjoy!