I know, I’ve been going on and on lately about the cold weather, and how I love soup, and how the Crock-Pot is the best thing going in the cold winter months, and so on and so forth. But sometimes, all a girl really wants is a summertime treat, a meal that evokes memories of warmer days, of lounging about on the beach, of a tropical rendezvous with the mercury sailing past 90. Sometimes, all a girl really wants is a vegan shrimp taco.
And who am I to forbid myself the joy of such a wonderful delicacy? Never mind that it’s supposed to snow again tomorrow. I wanted a warm-weather treat, dangit. Nothing but a crispy “shrimp” taco would do!
So, when I got home from work, I rolled up my sleeves and hopped into the kitchen. First, I heated a package of Sophie’s Kitchen breaded vegan shrimp in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes, and then I opened a can of refried beans and put them in a saucepan on low heat. Next, I pulled out one of my beloved Corningware cooking bowls and warmed up the remaining leftovers from Sunday night’s fajita party. With about five minutes left in the shrimp’s cooking time, I added several crispy taco shells to the baking sheet and let them cook alongside the shrimp for a few minutes.
As everything neared its completion, I sliced up an avocado for garnish. Paired with some shredded lettuce (plus some Daiya pepperjack and vegan sour cream!), it fit the bill perfectly.
All that was left after that was to put the tacos together! In each shell, I added a layer of refried beans, then a layer of fajita peppers, then several shrimp. Next, I topped each one to the brim with the toppings I listed above – if you’ve got lettuce spilling over and avocado hanging out the side of your shell, you’re doing it right!
I paired the tacos with a nice side salad, and all of the fresh, cool ingredients did their best to make me think I was lounging poolside, awaiting a pina colada. And I can revisit the tropics again for lunch tomorrow – we’ve got plenty of leftovers! This meal makes a whole passel of tacos, and I couldn’t be more pleased – in summer or winter!
:)