There’s reason why everyone is going cuckoo for cauliflower. The health benefits of cauliflower in these Crispy Harissa Cauliflower tacos are staggering and undeniable. These Crispy Harissa Cauliflower Tacos are a fast, easy and tasty recipe for taco night.
You’ll also discover the brain boosting benefits of cauliflower and how it can help to get your brain in top shape!
Recently I got back from a much needed vacation to Mexico.
I can’t believe that someone who loves Mexican food as much as me had never been to Mexico!
Although they had tacos there and the most delicious fresh guacamole, these crispy harissa cauliflower tacos weren’t on the menu.
One of my favourite things to do in the kitchen is to recreate my fav less than healthy meals and re envision it into something healthier. Case and point – this general tso chicken.
I’ve said it many times before that eating healthy does NOT and SHOULD NOT suck. It’s possible to recreate your favourites just by using your imagination and having some healthy food swaps on hand.
Spices and herbs are one of the easiest ways to do this. Not only do spices and herbs add flavour they also pack a nutritional punch as well. Trust me – you are getting A LOT of nutrients and flavour in these tasty ‘lil tacos.
Let’s taco ‘bout our star ingredient cauliflower – shall we? You see what I did there?! 🙂
Cauliflower is rich in choline the key ingredient that makes cauliflower such a powerful brain food.
Choline helps increase efficiency in the main area of the brain responsible for reasoning, decision-making and working memory.
In humans choline converts to acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for brain function.
Some other benefits of cauliflower are that it detoxifies your system and offers digestive benefits due to fiber. Cauliflower is also an anti-inflammatory food, important since inflammation may affect your brain as you age. When you consider that inflammation is at the root of most if not all major disease, adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet regularly is a smart not to mention life saving move.
Okay so that’s just cauliflower – we’re just scratching the surface here.
Extra-virgin olive oil is another food you should be getting more of due to the brain protective benefits it offers. Extra-virgin olive oil is a key staple food in the Mediterranean diet, and people in the Mediterranean diet consume it liberally. People in the Mediterranean also have lower incidences of cognitive decline and disease like Alzheimer’s and dementia so they are definitely on to something.
They don’t just drizzle it on things here and there, they cook with it and pour it on liberally.
Olive oil is a great source of oleocanthal, a type of anti-inflammatory plant compound that powerfully stimulates your body’s repair mechanisms. Oleocanthal has been shown to help the brain rid itself of amyloid plaque, the sticky protein that accumulates to toxic levels in Alzheimer’s disease.
Now let’s move on to cabbage. Not only will cabbage make your tacos look pretty with those bright purple ribbons it also boasts a amount of nutrients like B Vitamins which are important for producing neurotransmitters like serotonin [the one that makes you feel good :)]. Cabbage is a great source of fiber that plays a key role in gut and digestive health and also helps to regulate your blood sugar. Many people these days are not getting enough fiber due to processed foods which strip most of the fiber from foods during processing. So load up on that fiber!
You’re in luck because I’m giving you a tasty, scrumptious harissa sauce to pair with these tacos but if you’re short on time you can sub it out for taco spice – but I warn you it won’t be nearly as tasty.
Harissa is a fiery and garlicky North African spice paste that’s that’s usually served with stews and bread. I first tried it at a brunch spot a few years back. This harissa sauce can not only be used to smother your tacos but you can also use it in stews, soups, eggs, burgers, roasted veggies, pasta. So make sure to bookmark this recipe and make this harissa sauce again and again.
The harissa sauce has red bell peppers which are one of the top sources of Vitamin C. Vitamin C, which is actually an antioxidant is one of your brain main protectors. Some studies have shown that regularly consuming Vitamin C, [in addition to Vitamin E, and A] can reduce the speed of brain aging, lowering your risk of dementia.
There are over 9.9 million new cases of dementia each year worldwide, which is about one new case every 3.2 seconds. Your diet plays a huge role in whether those genes are turned on or off.
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So this sauce also has one of my culinary secret weapons – adobo sauce #drool.
Now when I eat foods that are spicy I like a smoky heat. I don’t enjoy killing my tastebuds with heat and no flavour. Adobo gives you a little of both. You can find it in your Mexican aisle. Now I would warn you to just use a little bit. A little goes a long way and I’m not trying to turn you into a fire breathing dragon so….easy on the adobo – but SO worth it.
I told you this recipe had mad nutrients y’all!!
Now do me a favour. If you make this I want you to c’mon back and post a comment below or reach out to me on the socials and let me know what you thought!
Crispy Cauliflower Tacos
Ingredients
Tacos
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups cauliflower cut into small florets
- 4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 to rtillas
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
- Sour cream [optional]
Harissa sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 roasted red bell pepper*
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice from one lime
- 1/3 cup cilantro
Instructions
- In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add 3 cups of small cauliflower florets, stirring occasionally for about 7 minutes or until tender and golden. Toss panko breadcrumbs and stir for an additional 3 minutes until panko crumbs are browned. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Set aside.
- While cauliflower is cooking make harissa sauce.
- In a blender or food processor, pulse garlic until minced. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until harissa is well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Set aside.
- Heat tortillas and set on a plate, and add 1-2 Tbsp of the harissa sauce. Then coarsely mash avocado with fork and spread a generous amount on top of avocado. Then layer about 2 spoonfuls of crispy cauliflower, next add a handful of shredded cabbage and a dollop of sour cream if desired.
- *To roast a bell pepper, slice pepper into large pieces, place on a baking sheet and broil on high for 5 minutes or until soft and lightly charred. If you want to pull off the charred pieces [I personally think the char adds flavour!] place roasted pepper in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Uncover and peel off charred bits.
