Like all children of the south (I know there’s some debate as to whether Oklahoma is in the Midwest or the South, but I’ve made my decision), I love Mexican food. Whether it’s Tex-Mex, New Mexican-style or fresh farm-to-table fare, I’ll eat it readily and happily.

No new information here, but Mexican food is often (1) not very healthy and (2) loaded with meat. While there are of course exceptions to the norm, I’m still surprised when I visit a Mexican restaurant that has more that just cheese enchiladas or nachos as a vegetarian option. While this is a recipe post, I’ve got to shout out local OKC restaurants Big Truck Tacos, Barrios Fine Mexican Dishes and Mamasita’s for their creative (and tasty) offerings for vegetarians.

*First time making this taquito recipe. Note the smaller & more manageable taquitos!*

Personally, the more veggies and beans I can stuff into my Mexican meal, the better. That’s why I love these homemade Black Bean Taquitos; the filling includes protein-laden beans, several veggies (tips for adding even more are included in the ingredients below), and enough cheese to keep it interesting without instantly raising your cholesterol. Served with a tangy Avocado Yogurt Sauce for dipping, you’re sure to love these quick and simple taquitos!

You can use either full-sized or street taco-sized tortillas for this, but either way I definitely recommend using whole wheat flour tortillas rather than corn tortillas, as corn tortillas tend to split while rolling. If you do choose to use full-size tortillas, you can always cut the tortillas in half when you’re done so the taquitos are a bit more bite-sized.

TAQUITO FILLING - INGREDIENTS

2 15-oz. cans of beans (recommend black beans, but you could also mix in kidney beans or vegetarian chili beans)

1 small yellow onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 poblano pepper, de-seeded and diced

1 8-oz. can fiesta corn

1 T. cumin

1 T. chili powder

1/2 T. smoked paprika

Salt & peper to taste

Juice of one lime

1 c. low-fat cheese (Monterrey jack, Mexican blend or sharp cheddar would all work)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Olive oil

If you'd like to add more veggies, bell peppers, spinach, peas and even diced carrots would all work well!

DIPPING SAUCE - INGREDIENTS

1 large avocado

1/3 c. plain Greek yogurt

Juice of one lime

Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Salt & pepper

Cayenne pepper

Granulated onion

Last night we chose to serve the taquitos with roasted red potatoes, but you could also use the following recipe for veggies like broccoli, cauliflower or green beans.

SIDE OF POTATOES - INGREDIENTS

6-8 small red potatoes (or vegetable of your choice)

Olive oil

Smoked paprika

Cumin

Garlic powder

Salt & pepper

*The makings of a super easy & delicious side dish*

TAQUITO FILLING - STEPS

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2) Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, poblano, garlic and corn and saute until they start to brown. Remove from heat.

3) Add the beans and filling spices to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is semi-pureed (you still want the beans to be a bit chunky).

4) Add the bean mixture, lime juice, cheese and cilantro to the vegetable mixture and stir to blend.

5) Wrap about five tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave 30 seconds.

6) Remove tortillas and assemble taquitos by adding a spoonful of filling onto one side of the tortilla, roll up, then brush the seam with olive oil to seal.

7) Spread a bit of butter onto the bottom of a baking dish and add taquitos seam-side down. Once the dish is full, brush the top of the taquitos with olive oil.

8) Bake 20-25 minutes, then finish in the broiler for extra crispiness.

DIPPING SAUCE - STEPS

When the taquitos are done cooking and you’re letting them cool, add all dip ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add spices according to your own tastes (the spices help to cut down on the bitterness of the yogurt). You could also substitute a bit of the yogurt for low-fat sour cream if desired.

SIDE OF POTATOES - INGREDIENTS

For the potatoes (or whatever vegetable you decide to go with), add everything to a plastic bag and shake well. Add to a pan and cook in the oven until crispy.

Plate the taquitos and top with crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro. I like to dip mine into salsa in addition to the Avocado Yogurt Sauce. This recipe makes enough for 3-4 people (I ate about two and a half taquitos), FYI. For leftovers, heat in the microwave until hot and then add to the broiler to regain crispiness!