Vegan Chickpea tacos

A couple of years ago my husband and I tried a Vegan diet. It was supposed to be a two week experiment, inspired by our trip to Veggie Fest, however, we decided to give it a go for six months!  It was fun, it was challenging, but mostly, it was a great opportunity to experiment with new foods. These tacos became our favorite for our weekly Taco Tuesday dinners, so much so, that my nickname became, “chickpea.”  This taco filling takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, lasts for a week in the fridge, and is perfect for making taco salads and burrito bowls too! I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

​Ingredients

½ chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic minced 
2 Tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil
1 can of chickpeas (drained, not rinsed) 
1.5 Tablespoons of taco seasoning (we recommend Costco brand)
2 T of chopped cilantro 

6 hard taco shells warmed in the oven

Directions

1. Heat a medium sized saucepan on medium heat
2. Add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan 
3. Add the garlic and onion and saute until translucent and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes
4. Reduce the heat to low, and add the chickpeas and the taco seasoning. 
   
5. Mash with a potato masher until most of the chickpeas have been mashed. (If your mixture is too dry you can add a tablespoon of water.)
6. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro 
7. Place filling into taco shells OR store filling in the fridge in a  reusable container for up to a week. 
8. Add your favorite taco toppings!