Pinto Bean Tacos with Sautéed Veggies

Who doesn’t love tacos? Celebrate Taco Monday with this simple recipe. Mix it up by using different types of beans or veggies if you like! This is a Kids Cook Monday original recipe.

Serves 4 (two tacos each)

Cooking Tip of the Week: Baking your tacos with the bean filling both heats them up and softens the bottom of the taco so they don’t crumble apart when you eat them!

Food for Thought: Corn and beans have a long history together! Both are native to the Americas. These crops originated in Mexico and made their way north to what is now the United States thousands of years ago. Native Americans would plant corn and beans along with winter squash and the plants would help each other grow. So perhaps it’s not a coincidence that these foods are also very nutritious and taste great together, too!

Family Dinner Conversation Starter: What helps you grow? Is it food, your family, what you’re learning in school? Maybe it’s lots of things!

Ingredients:

• For the Pinto Beans:
• 1 15-oz can pinto beans
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 tsp. taco seasoning
• For the Veggies:
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 ear fresh corn or 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 yellow onion
• To Assemble:
• 8 crunchy taco shells
• Lettuce leaves
• Smoked paprika or chipotle powder, optional
• Salsa

Directions:

Adult: Preheat oven to 350F.

To Make the Pinto Beans:

Adult: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized pan. Add the onions and minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the pinto beans and taco seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Set aside.

Together: Divide the pinto bean mixture evenly among the taco shells. Bake for five minutes.

To Make the Veggies:

Adult: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sized pan. Add sliced veggies and sprinkle lightly with salt. Sautee for about five minutes, until veggies have softened.

To Assemble the Tacos:

Together: Once tacos have baked, remove from oven.

Kid: Top the pinto beans with a lettuce leaf and add some of the veggie mixture.

Kid: Sprinkle each taco with some smoked paprika or chipotle powder and serve with salsa.