Vegetarian Tacos -- The Green Chile Tradition That Carried Us Through Twenty-One Camps

August 2037. Twenty-first camp. The question I've been carrying since the succession conversation with Berardi eight months ago finally clarified itself this week, on a Wednesday morning at five-thirty before the first session of camp. I was standing at the equipment shed looking at the field in the dark and I thought: this might be the last time. And I didn't feel devastated by that thought. I felt — ready. Not eager. Ready. Those are different things. Eager would mean I'm running from something. Ready means I've gotten where I wanted to get.

I haven't announced anything. That happens after the season, if I decide this is the one. But I've told Lisa. We sat on the back porch last Sunday evening with sparkling water and the green chile plants I've been growing in pots, and I said: I think this is the last one. She was quiet for a long time. Then she said: what happens next? I said: whatever we want. She said: what do you want? I said: I want to be less scheduled. I want to drive to Las Cruces without timing it around the season. I want to teach Maya to make tamales when she's old enough to do it right. I want to figure out what I do with all the mornings after this one. She said: those are good wants. I said: yeah, they are.

She cried a little. Not from sadness — she said it herself. She said she just felt the length of it, twenty-one camps, and she was glad she'd been at every single one of them. I said: you brought green chile sandwiches to half of them. She said: all of them after the fourth one. Every single one. I said: I know. I was counting on you to.

Lisa has always been the one who showed up with food — green chile sandwiches packed for every camp since the fourth one, without ever being asked twice. When I think about what I want the next chapter to look like — slower mornings, drives to Las Cruces, teaching Maya in the kitchen — it all smells like green chile. These Vegetarian Tacos are the version of that tradition I want to bring home with us: bright, rooted in the flavors we love, and simple enough to make on a Tuesday when there’s nowhere we have to be.

Vegetarian Tacos

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 8 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
• 2 roasted green chiles (Hatch-style), peeled and chopped
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cabbage or romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup salsa or pico de gallo
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and bell pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
2. Season and add beans. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Add the black beans and corn, stirring to coat everything evenly in the spices. Cook for 3–4 minutes until heated through.
3. Add the green chile. Fold in the chopped roasted green chiles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and keep warm while you prepare the tortillas.
4. Warm the tortillas. Heat tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds per side, or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 45 seconds.
5. Assemble the tacos. Spoon the green chile filling onto each tortilla. Top with shredded cabbage, a spoonful of salsa, a slice or two of avocado, and a small dollop of sour cream.
6. Finish and serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately while the filling is warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 57g | Fiber: 12g | Sodium: 480mg