Potato Tacos for your Health!
Elva is also kidney dialysis survivor. Her sister is being tested to become her kidney donor. She was diagnosed with stage five kidney failure, meaning she would need dialysis. Elva has been on a plant-based diet for about a year and a half under Dr. Goldberg’s care, and she has not needed dialysis! The numbers continue to indicate she needs dialysis but her symptoms are 90% gone. Anjay Rastogi M.D., Ph.D., the Head of The UCLA Transplant Department, has been her advisor on her plant-based journey and he gave her the green light to forego dialysis even though her nephrologist insisted she do the treatment because of her numbers. Elva remains on the transplant list and she hopes to receive a kidney in the coming year. Miraculously, she has energy of someone not sick at all. She remains in great spirits everyday, and she has lost a significant amount of weight.
People that see her have no idea she’s in stage five kidney failure with both kidneys functioning at ten percent. She helps her friends with a monthly plant-based meetup. Her goal is to help people that are ill realize that even though you may or may not reverse your illness, you don’t have to suffer with the ailments or feeling sick all the time. She is on a mission to tell her story and teach people how to eat a healthy plant based diet. Her biggest reason for transitioning to a plant-based diet was her eight-year-old son. She wants to see him grow up, and she doesn’t him to go through the anguish of losing his mother.
Elva has truly found her path to health from eating a plant-based diet. She is here today to share her whole food plant-based recipe for vegan potato tacos with us today. She starts off with the raw green tomatillo salsa which is easily made in a blender after a minimal chopping. She stirs in a few avocados as a tasty addition. Then, she makes the red oregano salsa with the blender as well. Super easy! Elva smashes cooked potatoes, adds a little pepper and spice, vegan parmesan and seasoning to taste. The potato filling is ready to go! Elva also has a great hack for oil-free crispy tortillas with the potato filling baked in the oven. No frying needed! Add the cabbage and salsa, and you have a beautiful, healthy, taco platter! Patrizia is so excited about the recipe, she says she might make it for Thanksgiving! Try making it at home for your family and friends with the recipe below!
Patrizia Mari Barretto reports for JaneUnChained.com
Raw Green Salsa
- 12-14 green tomatillos (depending on size), peeled, washed well, and cut in half
- 1 bunch of cilantro. Wash well, and cut 1 inch off of the bottom
- ½ white onion
- 1-2 serrano chiles
- 1 avocado. Cut into chunks
- 2 cloves of peeled garlic
- 1 tablespoon of Benson’s Table Tasty. You can order Table Tasty online
Blend tomatillos, cilantro, onion, chiles, garlic, and table tasty. Pulse until semi chunky.
Pour into bowl and add avocado chunks.
Red Raw Salsa
- 4 tomatoes
- ¼ white onion
- Jalapeño juice
- Oregano
- Benson’s Table Tasty
Blend all ingredients, leaving it semi-chunky if you want
Tortilla Chips
- 20 tortillas. Cut into fours
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cut tortillas on cookie sheet, spreading them out. It’s ok if they are slightly touching. Place cookie sheets with tortillas in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes*. Makes 80 chips.
*Cooking time varies with different ovens
Potato Tacos
Potato Filling
- 4 boiled potatoes without skin
- 3-4 tablespoons of grated vegan parmesan cheese
- Shredded cabbage
- Benson’s Table Tasty
- Ground pepper
- Smash potatoes in a bowl. Add vegan cheese, Table Tasty, and ground pepper into bowl.
Tortillas for the Tacos
- 8 tortillas
- Place 8 tortillas in between paper towels and place in microwave for 1 minute. Separate immediately.
- Fill each tortilla with potato filling.
- Place in preheated oven (350°F) for 20 minutes on one side and 15 minutes on the other side.
- Top each taco with shredded cabbage and Red Raw Salsa.
