Good Food for a Road Trip (No-Cook, No-Chop Tacos)

Until I experienced them, I never imagined no-cook, no-chop tacos would be good food for a road trip. Yet they have been amazing.

It all started down south in the States, along a tree-lined sliver of a road that curved high above a wide sandy beach where water rumbled below. We realized we were hungry.

We decided to treat ourselves to the most beautiful fine casual restaurant we’d seen in a long while, located directly across from the rumbling surf.

We reveled in the restaurant’s stunning setting, inviting decor, warm character, kind host, thoughtful waitress, and new community buzz.

We each ordered taco plates priced at about $20 per plate. We were sure a $20 taco plate, per person, would fill us up.

Three minuscule tacos arrived on my plate, with what seemed like a few shreds of cabbage inside, and a salsa I could not find.

My partner’s plate arrived with two tiny tacos and a tiny finger bowl of rice and refried beans. I immediately reassured him that we would find more food afterward.

We put on a brave face and hoped the missing food might somehow fill us up.

I also felt bad for the hostess and waitress. They had to witness our shocked expressions. They are young and trying to survive. They cannot control what the chef/restaurant serves up.

Afterward, I still tipped well (noting the service fee already included). With taxes and tip, the bill totaled more than $50. Never again, I thought, will I do this.

I do not like to waste money. I do not like to starve. I do not like to feel regret.

But I also never send food back. I do not want to consume retaliation. I want to experience peace.

After this experience, I continued to feel hungry for truly hearty tacos.

In an auto with no cooking facilities, I wondered what tacos might taste like if I made them on the go. Was this even possible?

I love experiments, so I thought I would experiment. But I never imagined this experiment would taste so good, especially since the ingredients I had on hand that first time were so minimal.

Making those tacos while sitting in the front seat, bowl on my lap, I easily grabbed the ingredients one at a time from where they were stored—in a bag near my seat.

Here’s that easy, no-cook, no-chop taco recipe I’m loving so much…

Tools

• one bowl per person

• spork

• can opener (for non-poptop cans)

Ingredients (Organic, GF, Vegan)

• taco shells

• lettuce (any favorite)

• canned beans (garbanzo, black, etc.)

• canned corn (optional; I didn’t have any)

• salsa in a jar (I love mild mango or pineapple)

• guacamole (optional; I didn’t have any)

Recipe

• place taco shells in bowl

• tear up lettuce and place in shells

• scoop beans from can, into shells (keep liquid in can)

• scoop corn from can, into shells (keep liquid in can)

• scoop salsa onto tacos (I like a lot =)

• scoop guacamole onto tacos (still great without it)

That’s it. Place, tear, scoop, and serve. Literally. And these tacos are so tasty and hearty to my taste buds.

A handy wipe cleans the spork/bowls. The liquid in the cans is consolidated, poured discreetly into the corners of nature to fertilize, or into the nearest sink. One can rinse/recycle the cans.