BRUSSEL SPROUT AND PINTO TACOS WITH MANGO SALSA

SERVES 4 / ELEGANT
INGREDIENTS
4 cups shredded brussels sprouts
1 (15.5‑ounce) can low-sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed, or 1-1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1 cup Mango Salsa (recipe below)
8 (6‑inch) corn tortillas
Creamy Tofu Sauce, for garnish (optional)
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Edible flowers or microgreens, for garnish (optional)
RECIPE
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the brussels sprouts, pinto beans, and taco seasoning to the skillet and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes, until the brussels sprouts have cooked down in size.
Add 2 tablespoons of water or vegetable broth to prevent the brussels sprouts from sticking; add more liquid as needed.
Divide the mixture among taco shells and top with the mango salsa. Garnish with the tofu sauce, scallions, edible flowers, or microgreens, if using.
PER SERVING (. OF RECIPE): 271 CALORIES, 10 G PROTEIN, 48 G CARBOHYDRATE, 12 G SUGAR, 5 G TOTAL FAT, 2% CALORIES FROM FAT, 1 G SATURATED FAT, 10 G FIBER, 457 MG SODIUM
MANGO SALSA
SERVES 2-6 / EASY
1–4 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 mangoes
1 small Persian cucumber, diced (optional)
1–3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or fresh mint, stemmed
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or mango vinegar
Juice of 1 small lime (optional)
Salt and pepper (optional)
1/2 avocado (optional)
Soak the onion in cold water for 5 minutes; drain. Remove the skin from the mangoes and carefully cut the mango flesh away from the large pit. Dice small and set aside.
If using a cucumber, remove the skin and dice small. In a mixing bowl, toss together the onion, mango, cilantro or mint, and vinegar, plus the cucumber and lime juice, if using. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Chill for 15 minutes, or longer if you can. If using avocado, dice it small and mix it in immediately before serving or it may brown.
Note: For a spicy version, add 1 to 2 teaspoons minced habanero or jalapeño pepper. If you can’t find a Persian cucumber (they are much smaller than “regular” cucumbers), remove skin and seeds from a regular cucumber, then dice it. Soaking onions first mellows the onion flavor and helps retain their crunch.
PER SERVING (ENTIRE RECIPE, EXCLUDING AVOCADO): 414 CALORIES, 6 G PROTEIN, 102 G CARBOHYDRATE, 93 G SUGAR, 3 G TOTAL FAT, 3% CALORIES FROM FAT, 1 G SATURATED FAT, 11 G FIBER, 12 MG SODIUM
As a society, we keep looking for ways to lose weight—preferably ones that are simple, effective, and permanent. When properly chosen, certain foods cause weight loss, with no need for the restriction and planning that most weight-loss regimens require.
In The Power Foods Diet, Dr. Neal Barnard reveals three breakthroughs that are supported by research, revealing that certain foods:
1. Reduce the appetite
2. Trap calories so they are flushed away and cannot be absorbed
3. Increase the body’s ability to burn calories for three hours after meals.
These breakthroughs make weight loss incredibly easy, without calorie counting or deprivation. Dr. Barnard also reveals that some of the foods we think are good for us can actually be harmful, like salmon, goat cheese, and coconut oil, all of which pass easily into body fat and often overstay their welcome. The Power Foods Diet will help you to eat delicious foods and simultaneously lose weight.
Dr. Barnard includes a simple to follow meal plan that includes delicious, and even indulgent recipes that include foods we have often been told to avoid, so you can eat real food, and still lose real weight.
Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 9 squares.