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INGREDIENT SCAVENGER HUNT

Plantains are a tropical fruit that look like big bananas, but their texture is firmer and more starchy, so they’re a better fit for savory food than for desserts. Many supermarkets carry plantains, but you might have better luck at a West Indian, South Asian, or Latin market. If you can’t find plantains for the life of you, then steam a big sweet potato for this dish. Peel and cut into ½-inch pieces, and steam for about 10 minutes. It’ll give you the touch of sweetness this recipe is looking for.

Black Bean, Zucchini, & Olive Tacos

MAKES 8 TACOS • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES

PER SERVING

(1 TACO; ⅛ RECIPE):

Calories: 160

Calories from fat: 25

Total fat: 2.5 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 29 g

Fiber: 8 g

Sugars: 2 g

Protein: 7 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 290 mg

Vitamin A: 4%

Vitamin C: 25%

Calcium: 6%

Iron: 10%

Have you got some zucchini burning a hole in your pocket? These tacos should do the trick. Tacos somehow sound unhealthy, but they aren’t. Corn tortillas are low in fat and have some fiber, too. The key, I think, is to make the filling somewhat saucy and packed with flavor, so that a bunch of guac and cheese is not needed.

Olives are often overlooked in Latin foods, but they work so well, adding bursts of succulent, salty flavor. Here I use canned tomatillos (salsa verde) to make for a superfast weeknight meal and chopped kalamata olives for a burst of salty flavor. You can serve with the Garlic-Lemon Yogurt, but it’s not wholly necessary; I eat these all by their lonesome all the time. If you’ve got some fresh greens to add, you can go ahead and do that, too.

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 zucchini, diced small (about 1 pound)

2 jalapeños, seeded, sliced thinly

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 (6-ounce) can salsa verde

1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup finely chopped scallions

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

INGREDIENT SCAVENGER HUNT

You should be able to find a small can of salsa verde in the Latin aisle of your supermarket. It shouldn’t contain many more ingredients than tomatillo, jalapeño, cilantro, and salt.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and jalapeño to the oil and sprinkle with the salt (salt will help draw the moisture out of the zukes). Sauté for about 7 minutes, until the zucchini is lightly browned. Add the garlic, olives, cumin, and coriander, and sauté for 2 minutes more.

Add the salsa verde and black beans. Cook for 5 more minutes; the salsa should reduce a bit so that it’s juicy but not soupy.

Place the tortillas in a moist paper towel and heat in the microwave for 1 minute on high. Serve with Garlic-Lemon Yogurt and chopped scallions.

Garlic-Lemon Yogurt

1 cup unsweetened plain yogurt (Wildwood is great)

2 to 3 cloves garlic

Zest from ½ lemon

Juice from 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

½ teaspoon light agave nectar

PER SERVING

(1 TABLESPOON):

The nutritional infor-

mation is included in

the tacos list.

Scoop the yogurt into a small bowl. Use a Microplane to grate in the garlic and then the lemon zest. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the agave. Use a fork to mix well. Taste and adjust the garlic and lemon to your liking.

Mango BBQ Beans

SERVES 6 • ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

PER SERVING

(⅛ RECIPE):

Calories: 220

Calories from fat: 15

Total fat: 1.5 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 43 g

Fiber: 9 g

Sugars: 13 g

Protein: 12 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 480 mg

Vitamin A: 8%

Vitamin C: 25%

Calcium: 6%

Iron: 20%

Plain old BBQ beans are nice and everything, but mango gives them another dimension—a tart, tropical sweetness that makes them a bit more special. Barbecue flavors really benefit from a nice, long cooking time. Let these simmer on the stove for at least 45 minutes so that the beans