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The Taco Cleanse: The Tortilla-Based Diet Proven to Change Your Life
Prevent or reverse taco deficiency. Get that fresh taco-y feeling with over 75 seriously tasty vegan recipes.
Tired of the same old cleanse? Instead of feeling rejuvenated are you feeling depleted, anxious, and cranky? (Not to mention . . . hungry?) A group of vegan taco scientists in Austin, Texas, know just how you feel, and now reveal their one-of-a-kind cleansing journey that anybody can follow and stick to—the Taco Cleanse. While the typical cleanse works by depriving you of your favorite foods, the plant-based Taco Cleanse rewards your body with what it naturally craves: tortillas, refried beans, guacamole!
Begin with a breakfast taco, the most important taco of the day. Even if you do nothing else, your mood will brighten in just 24 hours. Keep eating tacos and within a week your outlook will be noticeably improved. After 30 days, cleansers report lasting benefits—and you will, too!
The Taco Cleanse shows you:
How to make everything from the tortilla—flour, corn, and waffle (!)—to the thirst-quenching “Supplements” (margaritas and other beverages) that best complement your tacos
What to put in the tortilla— beer-battered portobellos, mac and cheese, even tater tots
How to remake popular staples like picadillo, tacos al pastor, carne guisada, and fish tacos using plants instead of, well, animals.
The Taco Cleanse is cheap, easy, and delicious. Its recipes are authentically Austin, and are sometimes even inspired by Mexico, where the taco was first created. Everything tastes better folded (exactly once) into a tortilla. Just eat one or more tacos at every meal, adding margaritas as necessary. It’s that simple.
Tired of the same old cleanse? Instead of feeling rejuvenated are you feeling depleted, anxious, and cranky? (Not to mention . . . hungry?) A group of vegan taco scientists in Austin, Texas, know just how you feel, and now reveal their one-of-a-kind cleansing journey that anybody can follow and stick to—the Taco Cleanse. While the typical cleanse works by depriving you of your favorite foods, the plant-based Taco Cleanse rewards your body with what it naturally craves: tortillas, refried beans, guacamole!
Begin with a breakfast taco, the most important taco of the day. Even if you do nothing else, your mood will brighten in just 24 hours. Keep eating tacos and within a week your outlook will be noticeably improved. After 30 days, cleansers report lasting benefits—and you will, too!
The Taco Cleanse shows you:
How to make everything from the tortilla—flour, corn, and waffle (!)—to the thirst-quenching “Supplements” (margaritas and other beverages) that best complement your tacos
What to put in the tortilla— beer-battered portobellos, mac and cheese, even tater tots
How to remake popular staples like picadillo, tacos al pastor, carne guisada, and fish tacos using plants instead of, well, animals.
The Taco Cleanse is cheap, easy, and delicious. Its recipes are authentically Austin, and are sometimes even inspired by Mexico, where the taco was first created. Everything tastes better folded (exactly once) into a tortilla. Just eat one or more tacos at every meal, adding margaritas as necessary. It’s that simple.
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2015
131 people are currently reading
411 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
November 16, 2016
Deciding what to eat for dinner was becoming a drag, but luckily for me, the library has an enormous foodie section. I dug through the cookbook collection and discovered this gem- The Taco Cleanse. Part satire, part traditional recipes, The Taco Cleanse makes you laugh while you prepare delicious, vegan eats.
From the copyright page: "This book contains the opinions and ideas of its authors, plus large quantities of total BS. Although the recipes are intended to be accurate and tasty, all other content is solely intended to be hilarious." And it is.
This book isn't just about the food: "Now, we want to be clear that supplementing- that is, drinking beverages that traditionally accompany tacos- is acceptable as long as you are getting all of your tacos in. Margaritas should be added on an as-needed basis for the top levels of the cleanse, but at Fuego (the highest cleanse level) you should be adding them at least a couple of times a week, working up to every day." pg 4. To your health. :)
My favorite part was the author's insistence on Taco Journaling: "One of the most powerful things you can do in your taco journey is taco journaling. Writing down your thoughts during your Taco Cleanse now will be like having a time machine for your future. Future You can go back and see how you've changed over time, where you had taco successes and taco failures. ... Every time you open your journal, you will feel peace in your heart." pg 26. They really nailed the self help tone that is prevalent in most "dietary" cookbooks. It is really very clever and worth the read, even if you're not planning on trying the recipes.
Speaking of which, I personally plan on trying Minimalist Nacho Cheese pg 128, Infinite Fish Tacos pg 145, Smoked Brisket and Jalapeno Mac and Cheese Tacos pg 149, and the Frito Pie Tacos pg 152. Decadent.
Recommended for people who are experiencing a dinner idea slump or anybody looking for an excuse to drink a margarita (or two).
From the copyright page: "This book contains the opinions and ideas of its authors, plus large quantities of total BS. Although the recipes are intended to be accurate and tasty, all other content is solely intended to be hilarious." And it is.
This book isn't just about the food: "Now, we want to be clear that supplementing- that is, drinking beverages that traditionally accompany tacos- is acceptable as long as you are getting all of your tacos in. Margaritas should be added on an as-needed basis for the top levels of the cleanse, but at Fuego (the highest cleanse level) you should be adding them at least a couple of times a week, working up to every day." pg 4. To your health. :)
My favorite part was the author's insistence on Taco Journaling: "One of the most powerful things you can do in your taco journey is taco journaling. Writing down your thoughts during your Taco Cleanse now will be like having a time machine for your future. Future You can go back and see how you've changed over time, where you had taco successes and taco failures. ... Every time you open your journal, you will feel peace in your heart." pg 26. They really nailed the self help tone that is prevalent in most "dietary" cookbooks. It is really very clever and worth the read, even if you're not planning on trying the recipes.
Speaking of which, I personally plan on trying Minimalist Nacho Cheese pg 128, Infinite Fish Tacos pg 145, Smoked Brisket and Jalapeno Mac and Cheese Tacos pg 149, and the Frito Pie Tacos pg 152. Decadent.
Recommended for people who are experiencing a dinner idea slump or anybody looking for an excuse to drink a margarita (or two).
May 20, 2016
I am officially the Taco Queen
I know that just about everything tastes better in taco form. It's just the way it is, accept it. I saw this book advertised online and bought it without reading more than the title. How could I not love it ? I was right in buying it, I love it ! Yes, that strong taco kind of love feeling deep down in my taco shaped heart.
The recipes are vegan, hold on now, these recipes will make your mouth water for more. Excellent spices, combos and all around delicious dishes for all hours of the day. It is worries you you can add your bits whatever it is that you need to be happy. That's right it's all about the happy. Be happy eat tacos, learn from the taco scientist in this book.
Fun, laugh out loud snark and witty tales. This is one book covers humor, science, recipes, and good taste. You can't go wrong.
I know that just about everything tastes better in taco form. It's just the way it is, accept it. I saw this book advertised online and bought it without reading more than the title. How could I not love it ? I was right in buying it, I love it ! Yes, that strong taco kind of love feeling deep down in my taco shaped heart.
The recipes are vegan, hold on now, these recipes will make your mouth water for more. Excellent spices, combos and all around delicious dishes for all hours of the day. It is worries you you can add your bits whatever it is that you need to be happy. That's right it's all about the happy. Be happy eat tacos, learn from the taco scientist in this book.
Fun, laugh out loud snark and witty tales. This is one book covers humor, science, recipes, and good taste. You can't go wrong.
December 13, 2021
A satiric take on the trend of cleanses ("socially accepted starvation") and crash diets, along with real recipes for vegan tacos and really pretty photos.
For the purposes of this book, a taco must be on a tortilla or tortilla-like item (round, thin, not too breadlike - except for waffles, but those are the only thick and poofy things allowed) and can only be folded ONE TIME! Anything more than that becomes a burrito and those are definitely not approved for this cleanse! TACOS ONLY!
To participate in the taco cleanse, you have to eat nothing but tacos for up to a month at a time. This means breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. This book has you covered. We have recipes for tortillas, fillings, and condiments; as well as ideas for putting them together into tacos. All vegan, many recipes include meat/dairy substitutes but others are just packed with veggies. Many of these could obviously be altered to include meat and cheese, if that's more your style. There's jackfruit "brisket", tofu "fish" filets, and soy curl "fajitas"; but also things like rajas, barbecued mushrooms, charro and refried beans, and more. Condiments include salsa roja, pico de gallo, guacamole, nacho "cheese" sauce, pickled onions, cashew crema...
Also included are "supplements" - margaritas, martinis, and a michelada.
The rest, the cleanse part, is meant to be humorous. To me, it wore kind of thin by the end of the book. I still recommend this for either vegans or carnivores.
For the purposes of this book, a taco must be on a tortilla or tortilla-like item (round, thin, not too breadlike - except for waffles, but those are the only thick and poofy things allowed) and can only be folded ONE TIME! Anything more than that becomes a burrito and those are definitely not approved for this cleanse! TACOS ONLY!
To participate in the taco cleanse, you have to eat nothing but tacos for up to a month at a time. This means breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. This book has you covered. We have recipes for tortillas, fillings, and condiments; as well as ideas for putting them together into tacos. All vegan, many recipes include meat/dairy substitutes but others are just packed with veggies. Many of these could obviously be altered to include meat and cheese, if that's more your style. There's jackfruit "brisket", tofu "fish" filets, and soy curl "fajitas"; but also things like rajas, barbecued mushrooms, charro and refried beans, and more. Condiments include salsa roja, pico de gallo, guacamole, nacho "cheese" sauce, pickled onions, cashew crema...
Also included are "supplements" - margaritas, martinis, and a michelada.
The rest, the cleanse part, is meant to be humorous. To me, it wore kind of thin by the end of the book. I still recommend this for either vegans or carnivores.
August 23, 2017
I am not a vegetarian, but just had to read The Taco Cleanse due to the clever title. Yes, there is a good bit of tongue-in-cheek humor, which I thoroughly enjoyed. But, there are a lot of really great recipes, too!
I obtained a copy from NetGalley for review purposes, but I loved the book so much that I purchased a copy for my kitchen and recommended it to my library's cookbook selector.
Some of the recipes use meat substitutes, so I can easily sub in actual meat and the recipes will be good for me and my husband. But, there are so many great side dish or meat-free recipes that I know I will be trying. Home made tortillas? check! Wonderful looking guacamole and salsas? You got it! Rice dishes, beans, etc.! I will definitely be trying them all.
My husband and I travel a lot and love the cuisines of Mexico and Central America, as well as Tex-Mex and Southwestern USA. This book will get lots of use. (I will update this review once I have made a few of the recipes...)
Highly recommended.
I obtained a copy from NetGalley for review purposes, but I loved the book so much that I purchased a copy for my kitchen and recommended it to my library's cookbook selector.
Some of the recipes use meat substitutes, so I can easily sub in actual meat and the recipes will be good for me and my husband. But, there are so many great side dish or meat-free recipes that I know I will be trying. Home made tortillas? check! Wonderful looking guacamole and salsas? You got it! Rice dishes, beans, etc.! I will definitely be trying them all.
My husband and I travel a lot and love the cuisines of Mexico and Central America, as well as Tex-Mex and Southwestern USA. This book will get lots of use. (I will update this review once I have made a few of the recipes...)
Highly recommended.
July 20, 2016
I got to see an early proof of the book (disclaimer, I have a crossword being published in it).
I didn't get a chance to make any of the recipes, but the photos look really enticing.
The biggest surprise though, was that it's really funny. REALLY funny.
You know that guy/gal at the office that's always going on about toxins and cleanses and the like. This book just perfectly skewers all that craziness in a way that is both hilarious and body/health/soul positive. It makes fun, but in a way that manages to not be snarky.
Basically, it is to food writing what The Onion is to news, holding up a mirror to society through parody.
Thinking about the book has now left me hungry, and I think there are some tortillas in the kitchen...
I didn't get a chance to make any of the recipes, but the photos look really enticing.
The biggest surprise though, was that it's really funny. REALLY funny.
You know that guy/gal at the office that's always going on about toxins and cleanses and the like. This book just perfectly skewers all that craziness in a way that is both hilarious and body/health/soul positive. It makes fun, but in a way that manages to not be snarky.
Basically, it is to food writing what The Onion is to news, holding up a mirror to society through parody.
Thinking about the book has now left me hungry, and I think there are some tortillas in the kitchen...
February 28, 2016
I absolutely loved this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny. But, it's more than just funny, it is highly satirical. If you've ever read a diet book or cleanse book before, you will recognize all the tropes.
In all seriousness, this book--more than anything else I've ever read--snapped me out of the diet mentality. Realizing how ridiculous all the cleanse and diet books really are was an a-ha moment for me. It's not that I didn't know, but someone making fun of them in this way tweaked the paradigm in just the right way for me to really come to terms with what I've been doing.
And, the recipes are fantastic.
Get this book. Read, laugh, think, heal. And then go eat a taco.
In all seriousness, this book--more than anything else I've ever read--snapped me out of the diet mentality. Realizing how ridiculous all the cleanse and diet books really are was an a-ha moment for me. It's not that I didn't know, but someone making fun of them in this way tweaked the paradigm in just the right way for me to really come to terms with what I've been doing.
And, the recipes are fantastic.
Get this book. Read, laugh, think, heal. And then go eat a taco.
January 18, 2016
Amusing and well done. Also the recipes look delicious--especially want to try: making our own corn tortillas, wake and shake scramble, and cilantro avocado tranquility sauce.
March 25, 2016
Fun cookbook with a bonus helping of satire!
May 1, 2016
Clearly the best cookbook ever written. 100 stars.
June 20, 2017
This book is silly & a fun read. I read all the front matter & the stuff in back it was so enjoyable. The authors have a great sense of humor & an awesome obsession with tacos. I don't know if I'd make a lot of the recipes but I'm not a vegan either. I did like some of the basic recipes for homemade re fried beans & salsa; those ill try.
March 2, 2016
Very fun book with more than just delicious recipes. I bought a copy for my taco loving sister for her birthday and read through it before I gave it to her, definitely should have purchased two as I'll need one for my own bookshelf as well.
March 4, 2016
These are my people! The biting sarcasm of the authors along with their over-the-top love of veggies, tacos, and margaritas makes me feel at one with the world. Perfect book for smart asses who love food.
Want to read
July 5, 2016this book has been listed as "in transit" from faraway library to near library, for like a week now. you ok, book? i desperately need this cleanse. i am full of toxins (all non taco food is essentially garbage). godspeed, book. I'll wait for you.
December 2, 2015
Hilarious take on cleanses .Right a taco cleanse I laughed got hungry reading the recipes which look delicious.A really yummy way to cleanse.
January 12, 2016
Loved it. My first five-star review of 2016. The tone is perfect, it captures bizarre cleanse diets perfectly. Bonus: the recipies are legit and reading the book made me miss Austin so much!
April 25, 2016
3.5 ★★★
I wouldn't consider it a cleanse but more of a taco education. Funny! Some good recipes! Drink recipes are yummy!
I wouldn't consider it a cleanse but more of a taco education. Funny! Some good recipes! Drink recipes are yummy!
September 20, 2016
This is such a playful book.
October 4, 2016
Amazing
August 2, 2017
I found this to be a refreshing new approach to taco dieting. The authors are from Austin, Texas, where tacos are plentiful, so I trust their expertise. Like them, I am also fortunate to live in a taco-centric town, (Chicago--home of Milagro tortilla factory) and I believe in a tortilla-based diet. I pretty much live it everyday.
Their vegan approach takes the taco diet philosophy to the next level. I love vegetarian tacos, but have yet to try vegan cheeses or meats. This book definitely inspires me to be open to trying vegan one day. I will use their recommendations when that day comes. Meanwhile, this book can be used as a vegetarian taco diet plan. I love that they recommend supplementing with Margaritas and tequila drinks at the end of the day. This I already do also, pretty much every night. Goes so well with corn tortilla chips.
I'm glad somebody finally wrote and published something that I've been saying for years: any food can be put in a tortilla.
But this goes beyond that. It has encouraging, helpful wisdom on such topics as "Raising kids on a taco-based diet," and "Taco yoga."
Their taco-eater quiz told me that I am a taco purist. Ok, I probably am. And since I don't like to cook, I probably won't be trying any of the recipes anytime soon, unless someone wants to do it with me (and do most of the work). The food and drink pictures look really good.
Their vegan approach takes the taco diet philosophy to the next level. I love vegetarian tacos, but have yet to try vegan cheeses or meats. This book definitely inspires me to be open to trying vegan one day. I will use their recommendations when that day comes. Meanwhile, this book can be used as a vegetarian taco diet plan. I love that they recommend supplementing with Margaritas and tequila drinks at the end of the day. This I already do also, pretty much every night. Goes so well with corn tortilla chips.
I'm glad somebody finally wrote and published something that I've been saying for years: any food can be put in a tortilla.
But this goes beyond that. It has encouraging, helpful wisdom on such topics as "Raising kids on a taco-based diet," and "Taco yoga."
Their taco-eater quiz told me that I am a taco purist. Ok, I probably am. And since I don't like to cook, I probably won't be trying any of the recipes anytime soon, unless someone wants to do it with me (and do most of the work). The food and drink pictures look really good.
May 15, 2018
The title brought me in because I love tacos (well, pretty much all Mexican food) and even the thought of a traditional cleanse is well, eewww). The pages prior to the recipes are entertaining and made me laugh. As I am not a vegetarian or vegan most of the ingredients will not make it into my kitchen (even if I could find them), but I did copy a few of the ones that were simpler with more basic ingredients that were easily found or that can be substituted. It is important to remember that when the book talks about the taco cleanse it is meant to be humorous. One of my favorite parts, as a person who does yoga is the taco yoga, complete with instructions and stick figure examples.
If you are easily offended, just skip the first few sentences of the foreword and the rest should be all good. If it wasn't all vegan and if some of the ingredients weren't so specialty ( or were able to be substituted easily) , I would probably buy this to add to my collection. Available through MELCAT.
If you are easily offended, just skip the first few sentences of the foreword and the rest should be all good. If it wasn't all vegan and if some of the ingredients weren't so specialty ( or were able to be substituted easily) , I would probably buy this to add to my collection. Available through MELCAT.
December 19, 2018
Vegan Taco cooking.
I like that the recipes and their steps are quite simply explained and detailed (even if I would love more photos, as there is not every dish photographed).
I would like to try these recipes:
Bright Light Baja Slaw
Radiant Rajas
Rewarding Esquites
Grounding Sweet Potato Fries
Affirmation Cumin-onion Rice
Quick Chipotle BeanS for Imperfect People
Ion-charged Refried Beans
Soy Curl Fajitas
Enlightened Soy Curls Al Pastor
Salsa Roja
Fruity Salsa
Cilantro-avocado Tranquility Sauce
Limitless Hummus
Thankful Sweet Potato Pie Taco
Rehydrating Waterita
But, unfortunately, I don´t find the book funny. I understand that the aim was make it out-loud funny, but this is not my kind of humour, too much into-your-face approach to fun for me. But this might be just me.
I like that the recipes and their steps are quite simply explained and detailed (even if I would love more photos, as there is not every dish photographed).
I would like to try these recipes:
Bright Light Baja Slaw
Radiant Rajas
Rewarding Esquites
Grounding Sweet Potato Fries
Affirmation Cumin-onion Rice
Quick Chipotle BeanS for Imperfect People
Ion-charged Refried Beans
Soy Curl Fajitas
Enlightened Soy Curls Al Pastor
Salsa Roja
Fruity Salsa
Cilantro-avocado Tranquility Sauce
Limitless Hummus
Thankful Sweet Potato Pie Taco
Rehydrating Waterita
But, unfortunately, I don´t find the book funny. I understand that the aim was make it out-loud funny, but this is not my kind of humour, too much into-your-face approach to fun for me. But this might be just me.
October 23, 2017
Interesting idea. For vegetarians this has some creative choices. I don't think I could do all tacos all the time but found many of the recipes appealing. Liked that it allowed type of tortilla a person likes, I much prefer flour. My favorite last minute is the breakfast taco consisting of peanut butter, some breakfast cereal, and a warmed up tortilla - fold once and press down!
January 3, 2024
This is a very fun, tongue in cheek book written by lovers of Austin-style tacos and includes lots of vegan taco recipes. It's a really fun read, but definitely not any kind of diet book. But, some of the recipes would be really fun to make for a special dinner or to bring to a potluck. I will definitely be making them for meatless Mondays.
January 23, 2019
Funny and lighthearted cookbook with some great recipes, for vegans and non vegans alike. I borrowed this one from the public library but I’ll probably procure myself a copy in the near future. Oh what a life it would be to eat tacos for every meal.
November 4, 2016
As someone who lives in the southwest, this really appealed to me. Who knew there were so many ways to make vegan tacos? All satire aside, there are some great recipes in here.
February 11, 2018
This has some interesting ideas that I might try to add into a meal
July 27, 2018
Really funny, lots of recipes, just not for me.
November 8, 2018
As humor writing, this is great!
As a cookbook, it ranges from tasty to far-fetched. Plus I'm not vegan, so I'm not the right audience.
As a cookbook, it ranges from tasty to far-fetched. Plus I'm not vegan, so I'm not the right audience.
January 5, 2019
This may very well be the greatest book of our generation.
January 8, 2019
This was the most hilarious cookbook I have ever read. I now taco cleanse and supplement as often as I can. Delicious, super healthy, fun, and easy recipes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews