Smoky Vegetarian Fajitas

By Thepickyeater @pickyeaterblog

There is nothing better than the sound of a sizzling fajita platter coming to your table at a Mexican restaurant. Served with warm corn tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa, and avocado - this dish just screams deliciousness.

I'm a creature of habit - every time the husband and I go to a Mexican restaurant, I'll usually order fajitas. I love them not only because they are tasty, spicy and served right off the grill, but also because it allows me to customize my own tacos/burritos from the platter: I can add more veggies and less cheese, just a tiny smidgen of sour cream and guacamole, and tons of salsa to keep it healthy but still super flavorful.

A lot of times, I'll take some of the veggies/toppings home from the restaurant to use for my lunch the next day. Now that we have Layla and eating out doesn't happen quite as often, I was determined to recreate the restaurant experience of fajitas at home.

I came across this recipe from CookingLight, and I knew I could customize it to make it veggie-friendly and healthier than the original!

And my smoky vegetarian fajita recipe was born. A super fun and fast dish to make that the whole family will love!

The Ingredients Inspired by CookingLight

Step 1: Heat a pan over medium heat. Add 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil. Add onion, peppers, and carrots, saute for 3-5 minutes.

Step 2: Add all of the spices - paprika through cayenne pepper - to the veggie mixture. Saute another 10 minutes until the vegetables caramelize. Add black beans and cook another 5-10 minutes until heated through.

Step 3: Divide black bean/bell pepper mixture evenly among the tortillas. Top with 2 tbsp shredded cheese and 1 tbsp cilantro. (Add salsa or guacamole/avocado, or other toppings as desired).

And there you have it. Healthy, spicy, satisfying fajitas for under 400 calories for your whole dinner!