Sausage Substitute

A few months ago, I posted a taco filling from Lincoln's man-crush, Rick Bayless, that involves potatoes and chorizo sausage. I was happy to share it with you, but the mommy-fat around my hips that I can't seem to kick-box away recently informed me that maybe, just maybe, it was still hanging around me because of ingredients like chorizo... and slow-cooker corned beef ...and the occasional dim sum orgy.

"Well," I asked it, "What would you suggest?" "It's not that I really want to bid you adieu," it said, in its sweetest, fattiest voice, "But if you want me to go, you might try eating a vegetable now and then and some shredded wheat and such." Right. So here's a veggie version of the Bayless taco filling. It's still high in carbs, but lower in fat and gives you a serving of veggies to boot. I think it might make for a nice brunch dish.

Two zucchini, diced
One box of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
One small bag of Yukon Gold potatoes (about a pound)
Half an onion, diced
One shallot, diced
1/4 tsp. each of cayenne pepper, paprika and cumin
2 T olive oil
1 Avacado for garnish

Halve the potatoes and boil until soft. Drain. In the meantime, dice all veggies, onions and shallots and mix the spices in a small bowl. Heat a skillet. Add 1 T olive oil. Sautee onions and shallots. When soft, add spice mix. Add the potatoes and mash them. Cook until they brown and crisp in places. Heat a separate skillet, add 1 T olive oil and sautee zucchini and baby bellas. When soft, add to warm potato mix and stir. Serve with or without warm corn tortillas. Garnish with avacado slices.