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Sunny Tacos and My Favorite Taco Seasoning

April 17, 2013 By Johnna 13 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure for more information.

For the past couple of years, I’ve made a taco filling with walnuts.  It’s very quick to make and really tasty.  Until you need something with no nuts.  While I can’t eradicate the human nuts from my kitchen, I knew I could find a way to make meatless tacos that were also nut free and maybe even raw vegan.

So I sought out to find an alternative to nuts.  Would you believe this is even better than the walnut one I thought was absolutely fine?  Isn’t that how it often works out?  A new dietary challenge often ends up being the impetus to creating something that tastes even better.  This taco filling is made with sunflower seeds! While not always a cup-for-cup replacement for nuts, it required minimal modification to my walnut taco filling to make a similar filling that is even more flavorful.

jicama tacos with sunflower filling

As I mentioned in my jackfruit taco post, my go-to for taco shells is a very thinly sliced jicama.  I learned this from Diane at The Whole Gang and have never looked back.  It’s crunchy, light and perfect for making a plate full of tacos, not to mention gluten-free.

Here’s how I made these tacos:

One slice of jicama and a bit of sunflower seed filling:

jicama taco with sunflower filling

A generous dollop of lazy guacamole*:

jicama taco sunflower filling and guacamole

Just a bit of shredded cabbage. And that’s it.

jicama taco with sunflower filling guac and cabbage

Super easy and makes a very quick dinner for four!

Print

Johnna's Favorite Taco Seasoning Blend

Author Johnna

Ingredients

  • 2 T . chili powder (I use medium heat from Penzeys)
  • 1 T . cumin
  • 2 t . ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ t . finely ground sea salt
  • 1 t . paprika (I like smoked)
  • ½ t . garlic powder
  • ½ t . oregano
  • ½ t . onion powder
  • ½ t . red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Mix all together and store in an airtight container, such as a glass jar. I mix a large batch and keep it handy. Give the jar a good shake to mix the spices together before using.
Print

Sunny Tacos, gluten-free, raw vegan, nut-free taco filling

Author Johnna

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sunflower seeds , soaked overnight in water, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 T . tahini
  • 1 T . Bragg's Aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
  • 2 t . taco seasoning (see my favorite blend below)
  • Juice of 1 lemon , approximately 2 to 3 T.

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in bowl of food processor, fitted with "s" blade. Pulse until well ground, but not long enough to turn into a paste.
  2. This makes four generous servings. Store any leftovers for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

*My version of lazy guacamole isn’t really a recipe.  I toss in a couple of avocados, one small onion diced, a handful of cherry tomatoes halved, a little garlic, a little cumin, juice of a lime and stir away.

I’m linking up with Gluten Free Cat’s Raw Foods Thursday.  And while you are at her site, check out the tacos she shared this week–the nacho cheese spread she made is delicious!

 

 

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: avocado, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, jicama, raw, vegan, vegetarian

« I Ate Here: Frontera Grill, Chicago
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Comments

  1. Shara Spilker says

    April 18, 2013 at 11:40 AM

    Sounds wonderful except I’m “off” avocados for at least six months. What can I substitute? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      April 18, 2013 at 12:12 PM

      Hi Shara! So nice to hear from you! A few options: first, skip the guacamole. They are great without it. Second, look for an avocado-less guacamole. I have made broccomole (guac with steamed broccoli) and even a guacamole with peas. Chocolate Covered Katie has a recipe to make guacamole with asparagus, which is in such abundance right now. Here’s a link to her recipe: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/03/08/avocado-free-guacamole/ Hope you are doing well! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says

    April 20, 2013 at 1:52 PM

    Yum!! Love your taco seasoning ingredients, too! 🙂

    Shirley

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      April 29, 2013 at 2:43 PM

      Thanks, Shirley! I used to buy a package mix, and while it didn’t show any gluten ingredients, something in it didn’t work. This has a similar flavor but doesn’t antagonize my tummy.

      Reply
  3. Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says

    April 24, 2013 at 5:22 PM

    Can you believe we both posted about jicama tacos the same week? I guess it was love at first bite at the gfe retreat! I love your filling and can’t wait to make it. In fact, excuse me while I go soak those sunflower seeds for my lunch tomorrow!

    Thanks so much for linking up at Raw Foods Thursdays! Your recipes are brilliant!

    Heather

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      April 29, 2013 at 2:41 PM

      Your tacos were so very beautiful, Heather! I’m so glad I was at the gfe retreat last year and connected with you. I learned so much, the jicama taco shells probably being the culinary tidbit I use most often. Thanks for hosting the round-up, I look forward to it every week!

      Reply
  4. robert ballard says

    October 4, 2014 at 1:11 PM

    Ha, ha, ha…”While I can’t eradicate the human nuts from my kitchen”… snicker..

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      October 4, 2014 at 3:41 PM

      I’m glad someone appreciates my attempts at humor. It’s funny when I write it… 🙂

      Reply
  5. robert ballard says

    October 4, 2014 at 1:12 PM

    Not sure what happened to the rest of my comment???? It’s vanished?

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      October 4, 2014 at 3:41 PM

      Oh no! I don’t know why that would happen?

      Reply
  6. robert ballard says

    October 7, 2014 at 1:01 PM

    I added a smiley face from Apple’s character viewer right after the”…” ? when i posted the comment it all was gone after that?

    Anyway… looks pretty tasty. might have to try it. you never mentioned if the cabbage or whatever salad was on top was dressed with, if anything?

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      October 8, 2014 at 8:31 AM

      No dressing on the cabbage, just a but of guacamole. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Recipe Renovation: Enchilada Pie, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan - In Johnna's Kitchen says:
    April 29, 2024 at 2:22 PM

    […] seasoning: This is a spot for sneaky gluten and dairy. I make this recipe and keep a jar of it […]

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sidebarWelcome! I'm Johnna and this is my kitchen... You'll find gluten-free food, fun and travel here, from original recipes to travel and dining recommendations along with tips on simply having fun. Pull up a chair, join me at my kitchen table! Read More

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