Inventive tortilla fixings – savoury or sweet – satisfy every craving and power your running with plenty of nutrients. – By Matthew Kadey

Homemade Tortillas

Corn tortillas are rich in flavonoids, which help protect against certain cancers.

Ingredients
2 cups corn flour
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups warm tap water

Instructions
In a large bowl, combine corn flour and salt. Slowly pour the water into the dry ingredients and mix until the dough is just moistened and forms small clumps. Add more water, if needed by the tablespoon, but don’t let dough become too moist. It should feel like play-dough.

Divide dough into 12 golf-ball size balls. Cover with a damp paper towel. Cut a quart-size ziptop plastic bag up both side seams. Place one ball of dough between the plastic sheets and press down firmly with a medium pot or a tortilla press to form a 13 centimetre circle about 25mm thick.

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium and lightly brush with some oil. Cook the tortilla for 1 minute, or until darkened in some spots and the dough looks dry. Flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and fold over to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, brushing the skillet with more oil as needed.

Nutrition Information
Calories per serving: 69
Protein: 2 g
Carbs: 15 g
Fibre: 1 g
Total fat: 1 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Sodium: 99 mg

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Cocoa Black Bean Avocado Cream Tacos

Cocoa adds antioxidants to these fibre-rich beans.

Ingredients
2 tsp. canola or grapeseed oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 ripe banana, lots of black spots on skin, peeled and diced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 1 large lime)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sour cream
½ avocado
8 small corn tortillas
1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Instructions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, banana, black beans, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, ¼ cup water, and ½ tsp. salt and pepper; cook 3 minutes more. Stir in cilantro and 2 Tbsp. lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Blend together sour cream, avocado, remaining 2 Tbsp. lime juice and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Top tortillas with beans, red pepper, avocado cream and pumpkin seeds. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information
Calories per serving: 408
Protein: 11 g
Carbs: 59 g
Fibre: 12 g
Sugar: 12 g
Total fat: 16 g
Saturated fat: 5 g
Sodium: 320 mg

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Chipotle Pork and Sweet Potato Tacos

Grated sweet potato cooks in a flash so you can quickly nail your immune-boosting vitamin A quota. Pork tenderloin provides plenty of low-fat muscle-building protein and a yogurt topping gives you some gut-friendly probiotics.

 

Ingredients
4 tsp. canola oil or grapeseed oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin, sliced ¼” thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
½ cup plain yoghurt
1 tsp. minced chipotle chilli in adobo sauce
½ tsp. lime zest
1½ tsp. lime juice
¼ tsp. ground cumin
8 small corn tortillas
2 cups baby spinach
⅓ cup cilantro

Instructions
Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper, add to pan and cook until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes. Remove pork and set aside. Add remaining oil to skillet. Add sweet potato, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, stirring often, about 4 minutes.

Stir together yoghurt, chipotle chilli, lime zest, lime juice, cumin and a pinch of salt. Top tortillas with spinach, pork, sweet potato, yogurt sauce and cilantro. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information
Calories per serving: 367
Protein: 29 g
Carbs: 41 g
Sugar: 7 g
Total fat: 10 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Sodium: 202 mg

* * *
Chicken Lettuce Tacos with Pickled Strawberry Salsa

Using crisp lettuce as a taco base adds fresh flavor and shaves off calories. The vinegar soaked strawberries infuses the salsa with sweet, briny taste and special antioxidants shown to bolster heart health by improving cholesterol numbers.

 

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ cup cider vinegar; more as needed
2 cups halved strawberries
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
500g ground chicken
½ cup chopped mint
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
8 large lettuce leaves, such as Boston

Instructions
In a glass jar, stir the sugar and ½ tsp. salt with ¼ cup boiling water until dissolved. Add the cider vinegar and let cool to room temperature. Add the strawberries and more vinegar if needed to cover berries. Seal lid and let stand for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

In a large skillet, bring coconut milk, garlic and ½ tsp. salt to a simmer. Stir in chicken and simmer until meat is no longer pink, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt.

Remove strawberries from brine and toss with tomato, yellow pepper, scallions and jalapeno.

Divide chicken among the lettuce leaves and top with strawberry salsa. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information
Calories per serving: 221
Protein: 22 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sugar: 6 g
Total fat: 10 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Sodium: 360 mg

* * *
Banana Chocolate Tacos

This taco is a smart dessert choice as research shows dark chocolate can improve brain functioning. Each bite also has the carbs needed to restock your muscles after a spirited run. Plus, ricotta is rich in whey protein to make it easier to build stronger muscles.

 

Ingredients
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. almond butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1–2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 oz. chopped dark chocolate
½ tsp. cinnamon
4 small bananas, sliced
4 small whole-wheat tortillas, heated according to package
¼ cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes

Instructions
Stir together ricotta, almond butter, syrup, orange zest and vanilla.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted. Stir in cinnamon.

Spread ricotta mixture on tortillas and top with banana. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information
Calories per serving: 439
Protein: 14 g
Carbs: 54 g
Fibre: 13 g
Total fat: 20 g
Saturated fat: 9.5 g
Sodium: 342 mg

* * *
Sushi Tacos

The dynamic duo of carbs and protein in this sushi riff will recharge your muscles postrun. Up-and-coming black rice is loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants, while salmon has a boatload of omega-3s that may help burn off body fat when paired with bouts of exercise.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. wasabi powder
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. sesame oil
500g skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup black rice or brown rice
½ avocado, diced
½ cup cubed pineapple
½ cup diced cucumber
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 nori sheet, chopped
8 small tortillas
Lime wedges

Instructions
Combine soy sauce, vinegar, wasabi, ginger, and sesame oil in a large zip-top bag or shallow container; add salmon. Marinate in the fridge for 30 – 60 minutes.

Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.

Heat a skillet over medium. Add salmon and marinade to pan, stirring until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Toss together avocado, pineapple, cucumber, carrot and nori. Top tortillas with rice, salmon and avocado salsa. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information
Calories per serving: 509
Protein: 30 g
Carbs: 49 g
Fibre: 7 g
Sugar: 5 g
Total fat: 23 g
Saturated fat: 5 g
Sodium: 976 mg

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