Vegan Jackfruit Carnitas

Two years ago I went to a Franklin Road Runners picnic and I wanted to bring a unique dish. I had never tried jackfruit before and I thought it seemed interesting so I whipped up some Korean BBQ jackfruit tacos and the group all really liked them. They didn't even know they were vegan! Since they were such a hit I have made them several times since then. I had been wanting to try different versions and thought carnitas would be a great one to cook. I am hosting a cooking demo at the Williamson County Health Department and I thought these would be great to test out on new tasters! While jackfruit makes for a great meat replacement due to its texture and how easily it absorbs the flavors you add to it, it unfortunately doesn't have the protein. I added in the beans to help with that and also served it with my White Bean Guacamole to make the meal more filling. If you want to add more veggies into your life or try out new recipes, you have to give this one a go! This makes for a cheap, easy and delicious Taco Tuesday :) You can order a bunch of the jackfruit boxes from Amazon or purchase them from Sprouts (I'm sure it is available in other stores but I haven't checked). The best part is that this is a fun, unique, healthy, delicious budget meal! To feed a family of 4 with 2 tacos each PLUS the guacamole and chips - it falls under a total of $10 (and that even includes buying all of the spices which you might already have)! 

Servings: 4
Prep/Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 7 oz jackfruit, boxed unseasoned pieces 
• 1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 tsp chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 an orange, juiced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Dash salt/pepper/cinnamon
• 8 corn tortillas (for the tacos)
• 1/4 small sweet onion, diced (toppings)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (toppings)

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Directions

1. Spray a skillet over medium-high heat with some oil.
2. Add the jackfruit and onion and cook until onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add in the beans, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, water and orange juice and mix well.
4. Season with the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper and cinnamon.
5. Cook until sauce has absorbed and looks slightly sticky and smells fragrant.
6. Set aside to cool.
7. Top corn tortillas with jackfruit mixture, onion and cilantro.
8. Serve with White Bean Guacamole and some chips on the side and enjoy!