I've discovered that recipes often travel around and are adapted in the process.
Nopales are the young flat paddles of the prickly pear cactus.
They have a flavor somewhere between green beans and okra. A few stores in Humboldt County carry fresh ones in the produce section or canned ones in the Mexican food section. If unavailable, substitute with a vegetable such as green beans. Ore. The article praised the cuisine and this dish in particular. Flatten them slightly with the broad side of a knife.