Vegetarian and gluten-free, these butternut squash tacos are also quite delicious.

Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

I have often thought that one thing that could make an already robust Ann Arbor dining scene even better (or "awesomesauce" as my cool friends have taken to saying) is food trucks.

I have pined with envy at the Facebook and Twitter posts from friends in large cities that say things like: "Heading to Tito's Taco Truck for some awesomesauce carnitas for lunch," or "Can't decide between the cheeseburger sushi truck and the Korean schnitzel truck today. My life is so hard." (I made that last one up ... I think.)

I need be jealous no more, thanks to some enterprising local foodistas and Mark Hodesh of Downtown Home & Garden. Work on the Mark's Carts courtyard behind Downtown Home & Garden has been steadily taking shape, and by Monday afternoon we'll have seven food carts offering everything from head cheese hoagies to Asian street food.

I got to daydreaming about what I would serve if I had my own food cart. I love making pasta, but spaghetti bolognese is hardly a portable food cart food. I have recently demonstrated — repeatedly — that I am not the world's greatest grill artist.

No, when it comes down to it, I'd love to hawk tacos. Some kind of flavorful deliciousness served up in its own handy edible wrapping.

As I brainstormed my taco cart ideas, I simultaneously noticed a craving for butternut squash that was slowly building in my subconscious. Light bulb! Butternut squash tacos!

I tried a few different permutations: fajita-style with sauteed peppers and onions had too many vegetables; topping the tacos with guacamole and sour cream was too fatty and messy. I thought back to my favorite recent taco experiences and settled on a simple combination of roasted poblano pepper, minced onion, queso fresco and cilantro. It was delicious.

Of course, if you're eating this in the comfort of your home, armed with a plate and a pile of napkins, you can load your butternut squash taco up with all the toppings you desire. Salsa, sour cream, guacamole... even some seasoned black beans could be tasty.

Drop me a line and let me know what your favorite taco toppings are. Or maybe we will run into each other at Mark's Carts!

Ingredients

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into one-half inch cubes


• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil


• 1/2 teaspoon coriander


• 1/2 teaspoon cumin


• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder


• salt and pepper


• 1 poblano pepper


• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped


• 1/4 cup queso fresco or Monterey Jack cheese, grated or crumbled


• 1/4 cup minced onion


• 8 corn tortillas


• 2 limes, quartered

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Toss the cubed squash with vegetable oil, then sprinkle with cumin, coriander, chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. Toss again and spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast the butternut squash in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges start to brown, giving them a quick stir halfway through.
4. While the squash is cooking, roast, seed, and dice the poblano pepper. I like to use my toaster oven to roast peppers, but you can also use a hot skillet or carefully hold over a gas flame. Roast on each side until the skin bubbles and blackens, then wait until it has sufficiently cooled to remove the peel and seeds. Dice the pepper and set it aside.
5. Heat the tortillas (in the microwave or hot skillet).
6. Divide the butternut squash, diced peppers, onions, cilantro and cheese between the 8 tortillas and serve immediately with a wedge of lime.

Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section at AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com, or find her standing in line on Monday afternoon at Mark's Carts.