Tacos are a fun meal for any night of the week. Here in Southern California, tacos are wildly popular as a street food, as a restaurant delicacy, and as a quick meal to put together at home. While I love a good traditional street taco, I decided to make a healthier, whole food plant based version at home this week.
The key feature of this recipe is that instead of using a typical corn or flour tortilla, I used purple cabbage leaves. By making this simple swap, I was able to enjoy a meal that was way more nutritious, (almost) free of processed ingredients, keto-friendly, and more visually appealing as well! My main goal with the recipes that I post is to help you find ways to pack more plants into your diet, without sacrificing flavor and the pleasure that comes with eating a delicious meal. Since most of the flavor in this meal comes from the fish, I’m certain that both your taste buds and your gut will be pleased with this recipe.
While I used tilapia for this recipe, you can feel free to swap this fish out for any meat or meat-substitute that you prefer.
Let’s take a brief look at the health benefits of purple cabbage:
Ingredient spotlight: Purple cabbage
Purple cabbage, as evidenced by its deep dark purple coloration, is filled with anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are a class of phytochemicals, and they are responsible for many of the red, blue, and purple tones found in the plant world. These beautiful colors are not just there for our visual pleasure - they help to attract pollinators and also fortify the plant against environmental stressors such as extreme cold and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
When we consume anthocyanin-rich foods, these compounds are metabolized and absorbed in our gut. Once they enter the bloodstream, they function as free radical scavengers, thereby helping to reduce oxidative stress. This helps to stave off chronic diseases such as dementia and heart disease, which tend to develop in an environment where oxidative stress levels are very high. Additionally, anthocyanins have been shown to protect eyesight.
Part of the health benefits of anthocyanins can be attributed to their ability to modify the composition of the microbes in our colon. Studies show that these phytochemicals can increase the amounts of beneficial probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacilli in our intestines. Keeping a healthy balance of gut microbes has been shown to be important for both our physical and mental well-being.
Now, on to the recipe!
This recipe yields 6 servings.
Ingredients:
For the fish:
6 tilapia fillets
½ cup of all-purpose flour (to coat fish for frying) and 1.5 cup canola oil (for frying) OR
3 tbsp olive oil (to coat pan for baking)
Adobo seasoning to taste
For everything else:
½ a head of purple cabbage
6 sprigs of fresh cilantro
24 cherry tomatoes
¼ red onion
1 lime
Directions:
Start by preparing the fish, thawing if necessary and seasoning with the adobo. You can then coat the fish in flour and lightly pan fry them, or you can bake them in the oven on 350F for about 20 minutes. If you choose to bake them, remember to coat your baking dish with a thin layer of olive oil before laying the fish inside.
Next, peel off one layer of cabbage at a time. Try to peel layers the size of a 6 inch tortilla. It helps to cut the cabbage in half first, and start peeling from there.
Prepare the onion, tomato, and cilantro by slicing/chopping them to a size of your liking.
Put the taco ingredients together, sprinkle on some fresh lime juice, and you’re good to go!
Prep time:
30 minutes
Cook time:
30 minutes
Total time:
1 hour
Enjoy today.
~Recipe by Michelle Adams @YellowCedarNutrition~
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