Orange Scented Black Bean Vegetarian Tacos

I have a terrible record with oranges lately.   Love them, just can't seem to eat them fast enough.

January usually has me craving citrus.     A month when oranges are actually good and not those dried up flavorless versions you find during non-citrus months.  

I also have a small addiction for buying boxes of little cuties clementines.    (Whoever came up with the idea of little cuties is a marketing genius.)

So, this week, I found myself with an aging box of cuties and a bag full of fresh from the backyard oranges from a friend.    As if this wasn't enough, John arrived home from work with a gift box filled with perfectly wrapped Cushman honeybell oranges which we promptly taste tasted and declared to be some of the juiciest, sweetest oranges we've ever had.  

With more oranges that I knew what to do with, I had to start getting creative.    Hence, the birth of orange scented citrus black beans.    A perfect addition to vegetarian tacos and a nice change to the usual.   The citrus and cumin adds both a brightness and earthiness that lends a very fresh flavor.   Plus, tacos are just plain fun.

Orange Scented Citrus Black Beans

Ingredients

2 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 can black beans, rinsed
8 tablespoons orange juice
juice from half a lime
salt and pepper, to taste


Preparation

1.   Heat olive oil in large skill over medium heat.    Add diced onion and saute until golden, about five to eight minutes.   Add garlic and saute for another minute or two until scent is released.
2.   Add cumin and chili powder to onion mixture and saute another one to two minutes.
3.   Add can of black beans to skillet.   Continue to heat over medium heat for several minutes until warmed.  
4.  Add orange and lime juice to beans and mix.     Cook for five to ten minutes to blend favors and heat fully.
5.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
6.  Set aside.





Black Bean Vegetarian Tacos

Ingredients

Orange Scented Citrus Black Beans (see above)
corn tortillas
green cabbage, chopped*
cilantro, chopped*
tomatoes, diced
avocado, chopped
fat free sour cream
fat free feta cheese

Preparation

Part of the fun of tacos is the lack of a recipe and allowing everyone to add a little or a lot of everything they want!
1.   Warm tortillas on skillet, one or two at a time.   Heat 15 - 30 seconds on each side and set aside.
2.   Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup bean mixture to center of corn tortilla.
3.   Top with whichever ingredients you want, fold and enjoy!  

* I combined the cabbage and cilantro in a medium bowl with some additional lime juice and a sprinkling of apple cider vinegar.    Added some additional acidity to the slight sweetness of the orange black beans.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with all the rest of these little cuties ...