Rolled Tacos with Vegan Cheese and Guacamole

Our family has had a love affair with rolled tacos for many years!  It all started when I was a baby.  There was a restaurant named Chretins located in Yuma, AZ that all the locals went to.  It was the best Mexican food in Yuma.  It opened sometime in the 1940s and was an icon in Yuma until just a few years ago.  Occasionally, my dad would bring home several dozen rolled beef tacos with salsa. The tacos rarely lasted until morning.  A few years later, my mom found corn tortillas in the grocery store and it was game on!  Now we make our own, but I don't think they are ever as good as the ones we got from Chretins.  Maybe the tacos were fried in lard???  Maybe sometime we will discover their secret!

Here is a heart healthy way to make some crowd-pleasing appetizers. We also fill them cooked chicken breast seasoned with taco seasoning but since we served these as appetizers with fish tacos, we used vegan cheese as filling.

Ingredients:
1 dozen corn tortillas
1 pkg. jalapeño-flavored sliced soy, rice, or almond cheese or any seasoned meat.
Grape seed oil
Salt

Directions:
Heat oil to medium high. Heat tortillas in microwave oven until soft and pliable. *This is the trickiest part because if the tortillas aren't heated enough, they will crack and not roll. They should hold their shape after you have rolled them even before they are fried. Place 1 slice vegan cheese into center of tortilla and roll into cylinder.  Place in hot oil and fry until taco starts to brown and turn to brown other side.  I do several at a time.  Place on paper towels to cool and add salt.

When I am serving tacos for appetizers, I usually cut them in half after they are done because everyone fills up on them and then aren't hungry for dinner!

We usually serve them with salsa or guacamole.

Basic Guacamole:
2 ripe avocados
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp coarse ground pepper
*Optional, 1 tsp Italian red pepper flakes
Chopped tomatoes for garnish
Salt to taste

Directions:
Scoop out avocados and coarsely mash in a bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  Be careful not to add too much salt as lime juice accelerates the salt taste.