Author: lazysmurf

Dear Taco Scientist: Family just doesn’t understand

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Photo credit She Eat's Here

Photo credit
She Eats Here

Dear Taco Scientist,
My Taco Cleanse is going great. After just a few days I noticed that my eyes were clearer and my heart felt lighter in my chest. I feel like colors are more brilliant and I laugh a lot more, especially after taking my supplements.

I’m writing to you because, even though I’m seeing so many benefits, my family just doesn’t understand my choices. My mother, especially, acts like if I don’t eat some dumplings I’m going to waste away. My father has tried to ban tortillas from family meals. I’ve had to resort to sneaking salsa in using my hip flask. How can I make them understand?

Help Please!

Frustrated and Hungry

Dear Frustrated,
Families are tough. Mine are immigrants to the US, and I can tell you, for a long time I thought it was easier to just avoid the subject of food altogether rather than get into the specifics of my taco-based diet. But, eventually, they had to learn that eating tacos all the time is just a huge part of who I am.

As time went on they have really come around. Just recently my brother-in-law enjoyed a vegan taco from a local truck here in Austin, and, believe me when I tell you, I never thought I’d see that day come.

Have you tried to cook them an amazing dinner to show them how filling tacos can be? If they are super traditional like my grandparents, they won’t even try it, and if that’s the case, you are just going to have to win them over with persistence and time. Remember that you weren’t born eating tacos all the time either, it’s something you had to learn about and come to on your own. Eventually they will see that Taco Cleansing isn’t just a phase, it’s a way to a better life!

Good luck!

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How to Fancy Up your Guacamole

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In the Taco Cleanse book we have a very simple recipe for Guacamole that you put on tacos. But when you are serving this amazing avocado concoction as a dip alongside your tacos it’s fun to add a little something extra. Above I just scattered some toasted salted pepitas for some extra crunch but there are dozens of ways you can make your guacamole a little more fancy.

A restaurant here in Austin called La Condesa has a guacamole sampler and my favorite drizzles pomegranate molasses on the guac along with some pomegranate arils. It’s tasty and beautiful. They also do another version with chopped apples.

Another spot, a trailer called Guac and Roll has an ever- changing assortment of toppings one called Guac and Awe tops their dip with grape tomatoes, red onions, jalapenos, cilantro, crumbled plantain chips and dried edamame seeds. Another has shredded coconut, toasted macadamia nuts and currants.

Rick Bayless has a version with sundried tomatoes and he has another recipe where he recommends roasted garlic among other things.

Jason Wyrick’s cookbook, Vegan Tacos, has a recipe for Guacamole with roasted poblanos that you can find here on an An Unrefined Vegan.

Or there’s always peas.

Just remember, if you are having a party make more than you think you will need ’cause you can NEVER have too much guacamole.

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