Weekly Recipe: Taco Cupcakes

Have I told you lately that I could eat Mexican food every day?  Well, I could.  I love that by adding cumin and/or chili powder to a dish automatically gives it a big boost of flavor.  I like being able to inject flavor with spices, as opposed to those fatty additives that we love so well - hello, Mr. Cheese, I'm talking to you! When I came across this blog, Emily Bites, I was instantly smitten with her "cupake" idea.  She basically uses muffin tins to create individual portions of common dishes - Lasagna, bbq, and French dip just to name a few.  Her cleverness won her a spot on Anderson Cooper's show!  How cool is that?  So I couldn't wait to try out one of cupcake creations.  First up, to veganize her Taco Cupcakes.

These were every bit as delicious as they looked and I loved that they are not only adorable, but also very portable.  My only complaint would be that my mouth is not big enough to consume each cupcake in one bite, thus some of the filling falls out.  Don't let that little detail stop you, these would be great to serve at a party or just for a quick weeknight fix.   Taco Cupcakes (vegan) adapted slight from Emily Bites 1 1/2 tsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil) 1/2 pkg tempeh (crumbled) or Quorn crumbles 1 1 /2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 16 wonton wrappers (or more) 1/2 cup salsa 1 cup Daiya Mexican cheese 1/2 cup guacamole (homemade is best!) Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 12-count muffin tin with non-stick spray.   Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add crumbled meat alternative and spices.  Stir to heat throughout, about 7-8 minutes.  Add black beans and cook just until warmed.   Push 1 or 2 wonton wrappers in the bottom of each muffin hole (I used 2 because I didn't think 1 would hold it).  Sprinkle the bottom of each with about a tablespoon of the Daiya cheese.  Top the cheese with equal amounts of the bean mixture, followed by equal amounts of salsa.  Finally, top each cupcake with another sprinkle of Daiya cheese. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Allow to sit for a few minutes before removing the cupcakes.  Top each with a dollop of guacamole (not pictured below).  

Linking up to Tastetastic Thursday and What's Shakin'.