I am still full from the weekend.

I ate light today, fruit and yogurt and granola, so the fullness has to be residual from the weekend.

Tonight requires light, but not sacrificing on flavors.

I don’t want to eat a salad and call it a night. That seems so … defeatist.

So let’s pack some big flavors and not a lot of fat and calories in.

Let’s lighten up some of our favorite Mexican food.

How about some super flavorful veggies tacos for a Mexican Meatless Monday!

Mexican food is really a great option when you want a light and flavorful meal. All of those bold spices make you feel like you aren’t being deprived of flavor and delisciousness. Because after a Monday back at the office, who would ever want to feel deprived at dinner?

I really love Mexican food. I love burritos and tacos and quesadillas and guacamole. The heat, the freshness, the citrus, the spice. The crunchy chips. The melted cheese.

Mmm.

I love me a good beef taco or some carne asada, but my tummy could use a a serious break after this weekend, so I’m replacing the meat with some portabella mushrooms. Mexican food is naturally veggie packed – the peppers and the onions and the beans – so it’s a great option for Meatless Monday.

You will need

• flour tortillas
• portabella mushrooms
• peppers (I used green, yellow and red because that’s what looked good at the store)
• 1/2 white onion
• seasonings (you can use your favorite taco seasoning or make your own blend. I’m using some garlic salt, paprika, the Armenian hot pepper and black pepper)

In addition, you will need for toppings (okay, you don’t NEED, but here’s what I used):

• refried beans
• avocado
• Greek yogurt
• taco cheese
• salsa
• shredded cabbage

Chop up the onion and the peppers. I go for small, bite-size pieces so everything doesn’t fall out of your taco when you bite into it. What matters more is cutting things the same size so they cook evenly.

Add the peppers and onion and a drizzle of olive oil to a pan. Check out that pretty pot of food. While the blue and green frosted under the sea birthday cake yesterday was a colorful treat, I think this is what nutritionists have in mind when they tell us to eat the rainbow.

Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened.

Clean and chop up the protabella into bite size chunks and add to the pan.

Cook until the mushrooms are browned.

Add your seasonings and stir.

If you are using them, heat the refried beans in a small pot, or put them in a microwave safe bowl and zap ’em.

While the pepper mixture cooks and the beans warm up, slice up an avocado and mash together with some Greek yogurt, for the avocado sauce we’ve made a few times together now (yup. I’m obsessed with it).

Lay out all of your toppings in bowls and set up a taco making station.

Tortilla, refried beans, pepper-onion-mushroom mix, some cabbage for some crunch, a sprinkling of cheese and a dollop of avocado sauce.

Mexican Meatless Monday.

Your tummy will thank you.