Plantain Taco Shells {Paleo, AIP}

Tacos are a staple food item in our household.  But when you start eating Paleo (or more specifically AIP like I am currently doing), any grains, including corn, are out of the picture.  And yes, you can have "tacos" with a lettuce wrap instead of a shell, but seriously, sometimes you just need that crunch - you know the crunch of the shell and all the meat and lettuce falls out onto you lap kind of crunch.

So after looking at Pinterest for different types of foods to make while on the AIP way of eating, I stumbled across using plantains as tacos.  Now I had never heard of plantains and were not easy to find in the grocery store.  However, the Super Target (of all places) sells them, but you can also find them at most ethnic grocery stores too. They tend to last a few weeks in the refrigerator so by them in large quantities.


When using plantains, you want to buy them when they are green - the greener the better.  As plantains ripen to a yellow then black, the sugar content also increases.  So when you substitute plantains for things like corn shells, you do not want a sugar taste at all.  Green plantains are also hard to open unlike a banana.  You will need a sharp knife to slice it open.

Now I must mention that this is the first time I have made plantain taco shells, so this was more like an experiment than anything.  Honestly, they were not hard to make, just a little dangerous (as you will see why below).  In fact, they were quite tasty and very filling.

Ingredients

3 green plantains

1/2 cup of oil (olive, avocado, or coconut)

1 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Peel and cut plantains into chunks. 
3. Put cut plantains, oil and salt into blender or food processor.
4. Blend ingredients until you get a smooth, creamy mixture. 
5. Take 1/2 cup of mixture and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
6. Smooth the mixture out until it is about the size of your hand.
7. Continue to do the same with the remaining mixture.  
8. Place in oven and bake for 25-35 minutes until the "shells" are cooked, but not burnt and remove from oven.

             

Now the tricky part.

You will need to be very, very, very careful on this step

    

• Take one of the "shells" and form the shell by folding it over gently.  Place the "shell" upside down on your oven rack (see picture below).  DO NOT TOUCH THE RACK!  IT IS HOT!!!

Please disregard how dirty my oven is.

TIP:  Place baking sheets under the "shells" so that if there is any oil that drips off, it does not drip onto your oven and cause a potential fire.

TIP:  Do not worry if your "shells" do not form to be like tacos at this point.

• Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, being careful not to burn the "shells".

Remove from the oven very carefully and set aside to cool.  The "shells" will cool and harden.

Stuff with your favorite taco stuffing.

Now Its Your Turn

I would love to hear what you think about using plantains to make taco shells.  I personally liked the taste and texture of them - my husband even liked them (which is a shock). 

I plan on trying to make them next time using a taco rack to save myself from burning myself on the oven and getting a more uniform shape and even trying to make them as "nachos" and even taco salad shells.