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 dining we’d seen in a long while, located directly across from, and high above, the rumbling surf.

We reveled in the restaurant’s stunning setting, inviting decor, warm character, kind hostess, 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.

But three minuscule tacos arrived on my plate, with what appeared to be a few shreds of cabbage inside, and a salsa I could not find.

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

We put on our brave faces and hoped the food before us might somehow fill us up.

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

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 want all to experience peace.

Of course, 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 try.

But I never imagined this experiment would taste so delicious, especially since I only had a few ingredients on hand the first time I made these tacos.

While sitting in the front seat of my partner’s auto, bowl on my lap, I grabbed each ingredient from where they were stashed—securely beside my seat.

Here’s the 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 into shells (keep liquid in can)

• scoop corn into shells (keep liquid in can)

• scoop salsa into shells (I like a lot =)

• scoop guacamole into shells (still amazing without it)

That’s it. Place, tear, scoop, and serve. These tacos are so delicious 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. Then rinse/recycle the cans.