Sweet Potato Nachos with Cauliflower Nacho Cheese & Cashew Sour Cream

Can nachos ever really be healthy? They can!
These nachos not only hold all of the flavor of your traditional nachos but they are great tasting and great for you. Eat these for lunch, dinner or serve them at your next get together for a winning dish that is easy to make for any size group.

Sweet Potato Nachos
serves 3
2 small-medium yukon golds, skin on, sliced into 1/4" discs
1 large sweet potato, skin on, sliced into 1/4" discs
1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Preheat the oven to broil on high.
Toss the potatoes and onions with olive oil and all of the spices. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes, tossing once after 5 minutes until lightly charred and fully cooked.
Top the potatos with nacho cheese, sour cream, black beans, avocado and cilantro.

Cauliflower Nacho Cheese
yields 1 1/2 cups
1 1/2 cups cooked cauliflower florets
1 cup canned, diced tomatoes with roasted green chilies
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1/2 lime

Combine the cooked cauliflower and the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Cashew Sour Cream
yields 1/2 cup
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked at in water for least 1 hour, or more if your blender isn't high powered

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
salt, to taste

Drain the cashews and combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, thick and creamy.

Fried Potato Tacos with Acorn Squash Coconut Crema

One Year Ago Today Creamy Avocado Fettucini
Two Years Ago Today Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding
Three Years Ago Today Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream in Edible Vanilla Raspberry Bowls

Fried Potato Tacos
makes 12 tacos
2 tbl safflower oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, small dice
3 small-medium sized yukon golds, skin on, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
3 small roma tomatoes
1 red jalapeno, seedes removed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roughly chopped yellow onion
1 handful cilantro
1 garlic clove
1 tbl lime juice
12-6" corn tortillas
peanut or canola oil for frying
1/2 cup finely shredded napa cabbage

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tbl safflower oil and saute the onions until soft, 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, garlic, salt, cumin, paprika, oregano and pepper. Cook 7 minutes until the potatoes start to brown. Add 1 cup of water to the pan and cover to allow the potatoes to steam and cook the rest of the way through.
While the potatoes are steaming, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, 1/4 cup onion, cilantro, 1 garlic clove, lime juice and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender or food processor and pulse into fine chunks but not puree.
Remove the lid from the potatoes and pour in the salsa. Cook 5-7 minutes more until the liquid has evaporated and the potatoes are tender.
Fill a small but tall pot with about 5 inches of oil for frying. Heat to 350 degrees.
While the oil is getting hot, warm the tortillas so they are pliable and do not crack or break. Additionally, get out a paper bag or paper towels to drain the tacos on once they are done frying.
Assemble 12 tacos with potato filling and a sprinkling of cabbage.
When the oil is hot, use a pair of tongs to hold the taco together at the top and dip into the oil, holding the taco in place until it is crispy and lightly browned. Set down on the paper bag to drain. Continue one taco at a time until you are all done.
Drizzle with acorn squash crema and serve!

Acorn Squash & Coconut Crema
1 small acorn squash, peeled, halved, seeds removed and cut into 1" wedges
1 tbl melted coconut oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup coconut water and all of the meat from 1 young thai coconut
hot sauce, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425.
Drizzle the squash wedges with coconut oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until fork tender.
Combine the wedges in a blender along with the coconut water and coconut meat. Add hot sauce to taste. I did 4-5 shakes. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Pan Fried Shiitakes & Seitan with Spiced Pinto Beans and Tomatillo Sauce

Mushrooms and tomatillos were calling my name at the Farmer's Market yesterday and I knew I wanted to do Mexican. I always want to eat Mexican. This meal might look complicated but each component has very little ingredients (not something I am particularly known for!) and can easily be put together at the same time if you are good at multi-tasking!

One Year Ago Today Sugar & Spice Walnuts

Two Years Ago Today Grilled Tofu, Asparagus & Apricot Kebobs with Orzo

Three Years Ago Today Seitan & Pinto Bean Sopa, Jicama and Cucumber Slaw


Lightly coated, shiitake mushrooms and seitan fried until crisp and golden brown over a bed of spiced pinto beans and creamy tomatillo sauce.

Pan Fried Shiitakes & Seitan
peanut or safflower oil, for frying
8 oz seitan, medium sized chunks
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1 additional cup of cornmeal if making a gf dish)
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a shallow pan with about 1/4 inch of oil to 350.
While the oil is heating, toss the seitan and mushroom caps with the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper.
The easiest way to do this is in a paper bag.
Once the oil is hot, shake off any excess flour and fry in 2 batches. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt while hot.

Spiced Pinto Beans
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
3 tbl minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1-15oz can pinto beans, undrained
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Sweat the onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes to toast. Add the beans with their juices, chili powder, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Tomatillo Sauce
yields 1 cup
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
5 medium sized tomatillos, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbl cilantro

In a small pot, saute the tomatillos and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes until the tomatillos release their juices and soften. Transfer to a blender along with the cilantro and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

If you love quesadillas but can't find or aren't a fan of vegan cheese then these are for you. I personally can find and do like (some) vegan cheeses but would always rather choose a less processed or homemade product over the latter. These quesadillas won't make you miss cheese and will satisfy that insatiable craving once and for all.

One Year Ago Today Sweet Apricot & Hazelnut Pannini
Two Years Ago Today Stuffed Guero Chile with Broken Spaghetti & Red Sauce
Three Years Ago Today Indian Buffet, at home


These flavor packed quesadillas get their gooey cheesy flavor from a surprising yet perfect ingredient- red pepper hummus! Combined with sauteed vegetables and tender black beans, these quesadillas are sure to please all.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas
serves 2-4
3 tbl extra virgin olive or canola oil
1 poblano, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced scallions
2 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
4-10" flour or corn tortillas
1 cup roasted red pepper hummus
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
vegan sour cream, optional
salsa, optional

In a large saute pan, cook the poblano, garlic, red onion and scallions with a pinch of salt in 1 tbl of oil until just tender, 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss in the cilantro.
Spread 1/2 cup each of hummus on 2 tortillas and top with 1/2 cup black beans and the vegetable mix. Top with another tortilla and press down lightly to pack together.
Heat 1 tbl of oil and add the quesadilla to the pan. Once golden brown on the bottom, flip to toast the other side. Cook the second quesadilla the same way.
Use a sharp knife to cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Corn Chile Rellano with Refried Black Eyed Peas, Garlic Crema and Mango Guacamole

One Year Ago Today Lemongrass Springrolls with Sriracha Aioli

Two Years Ago Today Marionberry Pie

Three Years Ago Today Ratatouille Ravioli in Tomato Basil Marinara

Charred poblano peppers stuffed with fresh corn, green chilies and a whole lot of cheese. Serve with mango guacamole, roasted garlic-cashew crema and refried black eyed peas.

Corn Chile Rellano
serves 4
4 poblano peppers

3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
12 oz fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-3oz can roasted green chiles
1 1/2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup diced vegan jalapeno garlic havarti cheese (Such as Daiya)
1/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
2 cups of your favorite chile or enchilada sauce

Preheat the oven to broil.
Drizzle the poblano peppers with 1 tbl of olive oil and broil until charred, turning the peppers over once to ensure even cooking. This will take about 10 minutes total. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and cut a slit down the top, to open up the pepper. Pull out the seeds and stem on the inside and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Saute the corn and green chiles in 2 tbl of olive oil until tender, 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of cheddar and the havarti and stir to cook until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat.
Stuff the peppers with the corn filling and top with your remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Place the peppers back on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has melted on the top.
Heat up your chile sauce and serve with your poblanos along with garlic crema and beans.

Garlic Crema
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, whole
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in room temperature water for 1 hour
1/4 cup coconut water, or plain water
 salt, to taste

Combine the oil and garlic in a small sauce pot and turn on the heat to medium-low. Cook the garlic until it is golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
Drain the cashews and combine in a blender with the oil and garlic as well as the coconut water. Blend for 5 minutes until white, creamy and smooth. Taste and season with salt.

Mango Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, small dice
1 plum tomato, seeded, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh mango
2 tbl minced shallots
juice of 1/2 lime
salt, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients and mash with a fork to your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt.

Refried Black Eyed Peas
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
1 red chile pepper, seeded, minced
1/2 sweet onion, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1-15oz can black eyed peas, undrained
1-15oz can pinto beans, undrained
2 cups water

Saute the jalapeno, red chile and onion in olive oil until tender and fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Add the black eyed peas and pinto beans along with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Use a potato masher to break up the beans and mash to your desired consistency. I like to keep a little texture. Taste and season with salt.

Stuffed Avocados with Sunflower Pumpkin Seed "chorizo", Cilantro Mint Chimichurri & Hominy Salsa

Roasted sunflower and raw pumpkin seeds combined with onions, jalapeno, garlic and all the spices used for traditional chorizo preparation come together to make this fantastic, spicy filling perfect for avocados, tacos, burritos, tostadas or anything that Mexican-style chorizo might taste great on.

One Year Ago Today Tostadas with Walnut Meat and Chile Verde Sauce

Two Years Ago Today Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie

Three Years Ago Today Pineapple Ravioli with Marionberry Filling, Coconut Ganache and Macadamias

Sunflower seed chorizo stuffed inside ripe avocados with sour cream and my own take on chimichurri using mint and cilantro instead of parsley and oregano. Serve with this easy, thrown together hominy salsa and you have a full meal.

Stuffed Avocados with Sunflower Pumpkin Seed Chorizo
serves 4 or yields 2 cups
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
1 tbl cumin
1 tbl ancho chile powder
1 tbl paprika
1 tbl garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, seeded

2 ripe avocados, halved
vegan sour cream, for garnish

In a saute pan, cook the onion, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables start to become tender, 5 minutes. Add all of the spices and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer to a food processor.
Add the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and chipotle. Pulse many times until the mixture has broken down and clumps together but still has texture. Serve in avocado halves and top with sour cream and chimichurri.

Cilantro Mint Chimichurri
1/4 cup cilantro leaves plus stems
10 mint leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp salt, to taste
pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for a few seconds until combined but still chunky, adding 1-3 tablespoons of water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

Hominy Salsa
1 cup white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 red chile, seeded, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
3 tbl cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl lime juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and enjoy.

Bean & Cheese Tamales with Tomatillo Poblano Sauce

A lot of my food ideas come from each a version of that food earlier in the day or week and being completely dissatisfied with it. Earlier today I purchased a poblano tamale and it was boring and plain tasting. Immediately I wanted to give back the credit tamales deserve and make a batch for dinner to enjoy. These did not disappoint!

One Year Ago Today Coconut Tempeh Skewers with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Two Years Ago Today Fennel Apple Salad

Simple masa dough encased around pinto beans, vegan cheddar and steamed to perfection. Serve with thick avocado slices and smother in roasted tomatillo and poblano sauce.


 Bean & Cheese Tamales
4 large tamales
 basic masa dough:
2 cups masa
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup solid coconut oil 
Combine the masa, salt and water. Stir to combine. The dough will be somewhat dry. Crumble the oil in the dough in small pea sized chunks and mix into a smooth, soft dough. Divide into 8 even sized balls.

filling:
8 dried corn husks, soaked in water until tender and pliable (at least an hour)
1 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar
1/4 tsp salt
Lay out four large corn husks, wide end closest to you. 2 balls of masa go in each tamale. Flatten one ball into a long rectangle and sit in the center of the corn husk.
Combine the beans, cheddar and salt in a bowl, mash lightly.
Spoon some of the bean filling in the center of the masa. Flatten the second ball in your hands to the same size as the masa on the husk. Cover over the beans and seal the edges.
Wrap the husk as far around the masa as you can. Take a second corn husk and cover the top and bottom. Peel a string of husk off and use that as a tie. Assemble 4 tamales.
Prepare a steamer and cook for 30 minutes until the dough has cooked through.

Tomatillo Poblano Sauce
5 tomatillos (mine were TINY, about the size of large gumballs)
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 poblano pepper, whole
4 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
sea salt, to taste
3 tbl cilantro leaves and stems
2 tbl water
1 tbl lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 450.
Toss the peeled tomatillos, garlic and whole poblano pepper in 2 tbl of olive oil and season with salt.
Roast for 30 minuts until tender and lightly charred.
Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano.
Combine all of the roasted vegetables along with the remaining 2 tbl of olive oil, cilantro, water and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Tex Mex Migas!

Migas differ from country to country drastically from a garlic soup dish in Mexico with pork and day old bread to a Spanish version served with chorizo and grapes. My version takes a Tex Mex direction and imitates a popular scrambled egg dish with crushed, fried corn tortillas.
 
One Year Ago Today Vietnamese Pho

Two Years Ago Today Stuffed Eggplant

Traditional tex mex migas made vegan starting with tofu scramble and adding poblano peppers, serrano chilies, green sauce and crispy tortilla chips.

Tex Mex Migas
serves 2-3
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
1 poblano or hatch chile, medium dice
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed at least 1 hour
1/2 tsp turmeric, optional for color
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup green chile sauce
2 handfuls tortilla chips, crushed
salsa, for garnish

Saute the shallots, green bell pepper, poblano and serrano chilies in olive oil until tender and fragrant, 7 minutes. Crumble in the tofu and season with turmeric (if using), salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables are caramelized and the tofu has lightly browned. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro, chile sauce and tortilla chips.
Stir to combine and serve with salsa.

Raw Tacos with Spicy Sunflower Walnut Meat, Jicama Rice & Cashew Sour Cream

Raw food isn't all 12 hour dehydration episodes and 2 day nut soaks. It can be just as quick and easy as any cooked meal, if not faster because well..you're not cooking it! These raw tacos will satisfy even the biggest cooked food snob you know. They are packed with flavorful ingredients that add crunch, substance and spice to each bite.

One Year Ago Today Curried Grits, Oyster Mushrooms and Thai Basil Puree with Spring Peas & Lemon Cream

Two Years Ago Today Mixed Vegetable Coconut Tempura with Sweet Maui Sauce

Sunflower seeds and walnuts ground together with jalapeno and spices make the 'meat' for these tacos and are accompanied by jicama 'rice', fresh pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro, corn and raw sour cream.


Raw Tacos
serves 3
1 head romaine, spears separated
jicama rice
spicy sunflower walnut meat
1 avocado, small dice
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 radishes, thinly sliced
3 tbl cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
fresh pico de gallo

Layer each romaine spear with some jicama rice, walnut meat, avocado, corn, radish slices, cilantro, pico and drizzle with sour cream.

Spicy Sunflower Walnut Meat
yields 2 cups
1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse into fine pieces. Make sure not to overmix or you will end up with nut butter.

Cashew Sour Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour
1/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt

Drain the cashews and combine in a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until thick and creamy, adding more water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

Jicama Rice
1 small jicama, roughly chopped

Pulse in a food processor into fine rice-sized bits.

Black Bean Stuffed Portobello with Avocado Poblano Mousse & Zucchini Salsa

Portobello mushrooms are practically the poster child for vegan and vegetarian cooking. But I have something to admit, I think they're rubbery. They squeak when you eat them. While I don't mind the taste, I just can't get past the texture. Normally when I prepare them, I dice them up small and cook them nice and crispy, this way I have avoided the squeak. Every now and then I prepare them whole and stuffed to see if I have come around to the texture and this time was no exception. The flavors were there, the marinade worked wonders and the stuffing was great but I chopped up my mushroom small and cooked it differently while my husband ate and enjoyed his mushrooms whole and chewy.

Two Years Ago
Seitan Salad Sandwiches
Maple Whoopie Pies with Coconut Cream, Pecans & Walnuts

Meaty, marinated portobello mushrooms stuffed with black beans, green chilies & garlic. Serve these with zucchini salsa and avocado cream with roasted poblanos.

Black Bean Stuffed Portobellos
serves 3
3 tbl fresh lime juice
2 tbl plus 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl tamari
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch of black pepper
3 portobellos, stems removed, gills scraped
1/4 yellow onion, minced
3 oz canned diced fire roasted green chilies
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbl fresh minced cilantro
salt and pepper

Combine the lime juice, 2 tbl olive oil, tamari, cumin, garlic powder and black pepper. Pour over both sides of the mushrooms and let marinate for at least 3 hours to overnight.
Preheat a grill pan to medium high and sear both sides of the mushrooms until tender, about 12 minutes total.
While the mushrooms are grilling, prepare the filling.
Saute the onion and green chilies in 2 tsp olive oil until tender and translucent, 7 minutes. Add the garlic and black beans and saute 5 minutes more to heat through. Toss the cilantro in and season with salt and pepper.
Pack each mushroom cap with filling and serve.

Avocado Poblano Mousse
1 poblano pepper
2 avocados
3-4 tbl vegetable broth
1 tbl fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat the broiler to high. Broil the whole poblano pepper right on the oven rack until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, remove most of the skin as well as the stem and seeds. Roughly chop.
Combine the poblano, avocado, broth, lime juice and salt in a blender and blend until thick and smooth. Adding more broth if necessary to get the mousse smooth. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Zucchini Salsa
1 tbl coconut or vegetable oil
1 small zucchini, small dice
1 small summer squash, small dice
3 oz canned diced fire roasted green chilies
1/4 yellow onion, minced
2 tbl fresh minced cilantro
1 tbl fresh lime juice
sea salt, to taste

Saute the zucchini, summer squash, green chilies and onion in coconut oil for 7 minutes until the vegetables start to become tender.
Remove from the heat and toss in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and season with salt. Serve warm or room temperature.

Seitan Enchilada Soup

Enchilada soup is a lot like tortilla soup but with a spicy, tomato base sauce instead of a broth. Most recipes online involve using canned enchilada sauce as the base but I wanted to make it myself. Red sauce is extremely easy to make and tastes miles apart from the canned stuff. Void of any preservatives, sugars or weird items you can't pronounce, this sauce is full of flavor.

One Year Ago Today Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

Two Years Ago Today Mexican Stew with Cilantro Dumplings


Orange and yellow bell peppers, caramelized seitan and onions, fresh corn and zucchini simmered in a homemade red sauce and served with avocado and crunchy tortilla chips. A great alternative to tortilla soup.

Seitan Enchilada Soup
serves 3-4
Red Sauce
3 dried ancho chiles
1-28 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl masa harina
2 tbl chili powder
1 tbl apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 cups water

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the chiles. Boil for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and let soak for 20 minutes until soft and pliable. Remove the stems and seeds.
Combine all of the ingredients except the water in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Let the sauce simmer while you cook the soup portion ( or at least 20 minutes.)

Seitan Soup
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, small dice
8 oz seitan, medium chunks
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
1 yellow bell pepper, small dice
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
3 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
1 avocado, thinly sliced
vegan sour cream and tortilla chips, for garnish

Saute the onion and seitan in olive oil until the seitan starts to caramelize, 7 minutes. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, corn and garlic. Season with salt and cook 10 minutes more until the vegetables start to become tender.
Pour all of the seitan mix into the red sauce and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with cilantro and garnish with avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Cauliflower Queso Quesadilla with Black Bean Salsa

This cauliflower queso sauce is even better than it sounds. It's quick, painless and comes together incredibly thick and creamy. Use it for these quesadillas or serve it as a dip, over nachos or anything else your heart desires.

One Year Ago Today Baklava and Chana Masala

Two Years Ago Today Butternut Squash- Eggplant Parmesan


Creamy, spicy, roasted cauliflower sauce serves as an amazing alternative to pre-bought vegan cheese. Sandwich between tortillas, grill and serve hot with black bean & corn salsa, avocado and hot sauce.

Cauliflower Queso Quesadillas
makes 2 cups
Cauliflower Queso sauce-
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup medium dice yellow onion
1 garlic clove
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tbl canned, roasted mild green chiles
2 tsp white miso paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
flour or corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 425.
Toss the cauliflower, onion and garlic with olive oil. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes until tender.
Transfer the cauliflower to a blender along with the remaining ingredients (except tortillas of course!) and blend for 3-4 minutes until thick and creamy.
Once the sauce is done, sandwich between tortillas and grill, saute or broil to toast the tortillas.
 
Black Bean Salsa
yields 2 cups
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 small tomatillos (about 1 cup), small dice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbl roughly chopped fresh cilantro
salt, to taste

Saute the onion and tomatillo in olive oil until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin toast 1 minute more. Add the corn and cook the salsa for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the beans and cilantro. Taste and season with salt.. Eat at room temperature or chill.

Baked Avocado Tacos with with Charred Tomato, Cashew Jalapeno Cream & Lime

Avocados are one of my favorites fruits and top five favorite foods. If I could, I would eat avocado in some form or another in every meal. Over scramble for breakfast, with black beans and salad for lunch and in these tacos for dinner. Don't forget dessert, avocado and chocolate make a great couple. Chocolate Avocado smoothies and Chocolate Avocado Cake with Avocado Buttercream are just some of the ways your can incorporate this healthy fat into your dessert repertoire. Baked avocado wedges are a real star in these little tacos with all the flavor of fried avocado wedges without the heaviness and grease.

One Year Ago Today Herb Spaetzle with Shallot Marmalade & Roasted Carrots
Two Years Ago Today Salted Caramel Apple Caramels

Baked, creamy avocados piled high with shredded red cabbage, pinto beans, charred tomato and spicy jalapeno crema on corn tortillas.

Baked Avocado Tacos
serves 3
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 avocados, cut each half into 4 slices
canola oil spray
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, cooked through
7-6" corn tortillas, warmed
1 lime, cut into wedges
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
Prepare a dredging station by setting out three bowls. Put the flour in one bowl and season with salt and pepper. Put the almond milk in another bowl and lastly, combine the breadcrumbs, cumin, chili powder in another bowl. Season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.
One at a time, coat the avocado in the flour, then dunk in the milk and lastly, coat with breadcrumbs. Set on the baking sheet. Lightly coat the avocados with oil spray.
Once all of the avocado is breaded, bake for 20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes. If the avocado could use some more browning, place under the broiler for just a few minutes to finish crisping.
Assemble the tacos with beans, cabbage, avocado, charred tomato, jalapeno cream and lime wedges.

Charred Tomato
2 tomatoes, halved & seeded
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked sea salt

Preheat the oven to 450.
Place the tomato halves, cut side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and smoked salt.
Roast for 15 minutes.

Cashew Jalapeno Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup cilantro (leaves and stems)
1 jalapeno, seeded or not, depending on your heat preference, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy.

Jackfruit Breakfast Tacos with Tofu Scramble & Winter Salsa

The jackfruit carnitas trend has been around for a bit now and I don't see it going away anytime soon. And why should it? Any fruit that can be cooked and shredded and taste perfectly meaty and substantial is a vegan's dream. The key to perfect shredded jackfruit is time. You need several hours to allow the fruit to break down so it can be easily shredded with forks.

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Tender, shredded jackfruit simmered for 6 hours in a rich tomato sauce spiked with cumin, garlic, chili and cayenne. Served with tofu scramble and a quick salsa made with ingredients perfect when you can't find ripe tomatoes. Virtually fat free, gluten free and filled with vitamins A and potassium, jackfruit is a perfect ingredient for breakfast tacos and an even better way to start the day.

Jackfruit Tacos
serves 3
1-20 oz can young, green jackfruit in water or brine (not syrup), drained and rinsed**
1/2 yellow onion, halved, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, smashed
4 cups vegetable broth
1-15 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbl chili powder
1 tbl cumin powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
6" corn tortillas
vegan sour cream

Combine all of the ingredients(except tortillas and sour cream) in a crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours or until the jackfruit can be shredded with forks and the mixture is thick. Check every couple hours to make sure it has not dried out, add water if necessary.
**Jackfruit can be found at most any Asian grocery store. Make sure to buy specifically 'Young, Green Jackfruit' in water or brine, not the yellow kind in syrup. Unripe jackfruit provides the starchy, firm qualities you need to simmer for hours and then easily shred. It is prepared as a vegetable would be. Save ripe jackfruit for sweets and desserts.

Tofu Scramble
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, medium dice
1 jalapeno, seeded, small dice
2 garlic clove, minced
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained & pressed
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric, optional for color
salt & pepper, to taste

Saute the onion and jalapeno in olive oil until tender and lightly caramelized, 7 minutes. Add the garlic and crumble in the tofu. Season with cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper. Saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu has lightly browned.

Winter Salsa
yields 3 cups
1-28oz can whole, peeled tomatoes
4oz roasted green chiles
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 red onion, large dice
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Mushroom Bacon

Recently I have caught on to this 'mushroom bacon' trend and I don't hate it! It's cheap, easy and tastes smokey, peppery and crisp just like real bacon without using a meat substitute with questionable ingredients. It does take a bit of time, 40 minutes or approximately so be sure to make it ahead of whatever you are putting them in, but the preparation is hands off and adds a great depth of flavor to each dish.

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Tender green bell peppers stuffed with potatoes, corn, carrots, salsa and homemade mushroom bacon baked until just gooey enough to give you that warm fuzzy feeling all over.

Stuffed Bell Peppers
yields 4 bell pepper halves
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, small dice
3 tbl minced carrot (from about 1/2 carrot)
1/2 celery stalk, minced
1 small russet potato, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 batch mushroom bacon
1/2 cup vegan cheddar, small dice (such as Daiya cheddar style wedge), divided
2 green bell peppers, halved vertically
2 tbl roughly chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350.
Saute the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil until the vegetables start to become tender, 5 minutes. Add the potato, garlic, cumin, salt, cayenne and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes until the potatoes are almost tender but not completely cooked.
Remove from the heat and add the salsa, corn, mushroom bacon and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Toss to combine and pack tightly in 4 pepper halves.
Place in a baking dish with 1/4 cup of water in the bottom and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil, top with the remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes more.
Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Mushroom Bacon
10 white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp liquid smoke

Preheat the oven to 350.
Toss the mushroom slices with the remaining ingredients and baking in a single layer for 40 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes until crispy.

Walnut & Black Bean Chili with Avocado Salsa

This vegan chili is not only soy but also gluten free. Humble walnuts serve as a hearty ground beef substitute and really give this dish its distinct flavor. Corn tortillas dissolve in the hot broth and act as a thickener, allowing this soup to bubble away and taste more flavorful with every passing minute. If you have never tried walnuts as a meat substitute, I recommend this as your first test recipe, you won't be disappointed!

Black beans and walnuts serve as a base for this chipotle and ancho spiced chili, spritzed with lime and garnished with a quick and easy avocado salsa.

Walnut & Black Bean Chili
serves 4
1/2 cup walnuts
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
3-6" corn tortilla, torn into chunks
1 cup refried beans
2 garlic cloves
1 chipotle pepper plus 1 tbl adobo sauce
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, small dice (reserve 2 tbl for avocado salsa)
1 tbl chili powder
1 tbl cumin
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-15oz black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 limes, divided
2 radishes, thinly sliced

Grind up the walnuts in a food processor into coarse crumbs. Set aside. Add the tomatoes, tortillas, refried beans, garlic, chipotle and adobo into the processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Sweat the onions in olive oil in a medium pot until soft and translucent. Add the walnuts and saute until toasted, 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, ancho and salt. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add tomato mix along with the beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until thick, stirring often.
Add the juice of one lemon and taste to season with salt if necessary.
Divide into portions and garnish with lime wedges, radish slices and avocado salsa.

Avocado Salsa
2 avocados
3 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
2 tbl minced red onion
salt

Combine the avocado, cilantro and red onion and mash into a coarse salsa. Taste and season with salt.

Grilled Huaraches with Poblanos, Chipotle Cashew Cream, Cilantro Pesto & Jicama-Radish Ceviche

Huaraches are similar to sopes but shaped into long ovals. Traditionally deep-fried, these masa patties are grilled until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Top with whatever you please but I chose grilled vegetables and soy curls soaked in adobo sauce.


Grilled huarache patties topped with refried beans, marinated soy curls, grilled poblanos and onions and avocado. Drizzle with chipotle cashew cream, cilantro sunflower pesto and crisp jicama & radish ceviche.


 Grilled Huaraches
2 large huaraches
1 1/2 cup masa
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
extra virgin olive oil

Combine the masa, salt and water and mix to the consistency of a soft cookie dough. Let sit 10 minutes.
Preheat a grill top to medium high. Brush with olive oil.
Divide into two and form into long oval patties around 1/4 inch thick.
Grill for 5-7 minutes on each side until firm with a crunchy exterior and dark char marks.

Huarache Toppings
1 cup dried soy curls
1 cup water
3 tbl adobo sauce from a can of chipotles
extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 poblano, thinly sliced
1 tsp cumin
salt
1 cup refried beans, thinned out with water
1 avocado, thinly sliced

Combine the soy curls, water, adobo sauce and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl and let the soy curls soften, 10 minutes.
Preheat a grill top to medium high. Brush with olive oil. Drain the soy curls and grill along with the onions and poblanos. Season with cumin and salt. Grill until the soy curls are crisp and the vegetables are tender and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat up the beans and spread on top of the huaraches. Top with soy curls & vegetables, sauces, avocado and ceviche.

Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup cilantro (leaves plus stems)
1/4 cup baby arugula leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbl toasted sunflower seeds
salt and pepper

Combine the cilantro, arugula, oil and sunflower seeds in a blender and blend until smooth. Add water to thin out if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Chipotle Cashew Cream
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbl nutritional yeast
1 chipotle in adobo sauce
salt, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt.

Jicama-Radish Ceviche
1/4 cup shredded jicama
1/4 cup shredded radishes
2 tbl lime juice
1 tbl lemon juice
salt, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients and chill. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Caramelized Onion & Asparagus Taquitos

Yesterday my husband and I ate at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants and I noticed on the menu that they now have potato taquitos. "I love potato taquitos!" is exactly what I exclaimed but then decided to order something else. The idea was still on my mind today but I wanted to fill mine with something different. Thin asparagus stalks were a perfect ingredient to roll up and pan fry and tasted even better with the use of vegan pepper jack (which is actually Daiya Jalapeno Garlic Havarti). I am not a huge fan of any of the vegan cheeses on the market but this cheese is AWESOME. It comes in a wedge and tastes good enough to even eat raw, that's something you can't say about most vegan cheese in my opinion. It melts perfectly and filled these little bundles with great spicy, creamy cheese flavor.

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Tender stalks of asparagus and caramelized red onion wrapped around crunchy corn tortillas with green chiles and cilantro.

Caramelized Onion & Asparagus Taquitos
makes 10
2 tbl vegetable oil, plus more for pan frying
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 oz (canned) fire roasted green chiles
1 bunch asparagus, thin stalks are best, ends trimmed
salt and pepper
10 slices of vegan pepper jack ( I used Daiya Jalapeno Garlic Havarti)
2 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
10 corn tortillas

Warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave while you cook the filling, this will allow you to roll up the taquitos without having them break.
Saute the red onion and chiles in oil until soft and caramelized, 20 minutes. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the asparagus is just tender. Remove from the heat.
Divide the filling among the tortillas along with the cheese and cilantro. Roll up and pan fry in a shallow amount of oil, seam side down, until golden brown on all sides.

Grilled Tofu Fiesta Salad with Black Beans

Three of my favorite things: salad, tofu scramble and mexican flavors! Why not combine it into one flavorful meal good for any time of the day?

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Grilled tofu, red bell pepper, jalapeno and slow simmered black beans on top a fresh salad of romaine, cilantro and basil with creamy avocado and your favorite salsa.

Black Beans
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1/2 jalapeno, seeded & diced
1-15oz can black beans, undrained
1 tsp green hot sauce
salt and pepper

Saute the onion and jalapeno in olive oil until soft and tender, 7 minutes. Add the black beans along with the juices and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the hot sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Fiesta Scramble Salad
serves 3-4
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 1/2" slices
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 red bell pepper, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded & diced
1 zucchini, halved & thinly sliced
1 tbl cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
1/2 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 avocado, thinly sliced
vegan sour cream
salsa

Preheat a grill over medium high. Drizzle the tofu with 1 tbl of olive oil and grill on both sides for nice char marks, 10 minutes total.
While the tofu is grilling, saute the onion and red bell pepper in 2 tbl of olive oil until soft, 7 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook 3 minutes more. Add the zucchini, cumin, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Crumble in the grilled tofu and continue to cook the scramble 10 more minutes. Taste and season.

Combine the romaine, cilantro and basil and divide among plates. Top with scramble and black beans and garnish with sunflower seeds, avocado, sour cream and salsa.

Butternut Squash Birria

Birria is a mexican stew made with a base of dried, spicy peppers. Every house has a different recipe, using different dried chiles from ancho to pasilla to chile de arbol. Birria is almost always made with goat or beef which clearly will not fly on this blog! Here I take hearty butternut squash and chewy soy curls to create an even more flavorful and substantial stew. Serve your birria with warm corn tortillas for soping up all that broth you worked so hard on.

Fire roasted ancho and guajillo chiles, fresh anaheim chiles, butternut squash and soy curls in a dark, rich broth simmered low and slow until perfect and tender.

Butternut Squash Birria
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium sized red onion, minced
2 anaheim peppers, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups medium dice butternut squash
2 cups dried soy curls
1 tbl salt
1 tbl dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbl red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained
1-15oz can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
1 lime, cut into wedges
3 tbl roughly chopped cilantro
vegan sour cream

Under a broiler or over an open flame, toast the chiles. Soak them in boiling hot water for 20 minutes until tender. Reserve 1 cup of soaking water and drain the rest. Discard the stems and seeds. Blend the chiles and cup of soaking water until smooth. Set aside.
Saute the onion and anaheim peppers in olive oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and butternut squash and cook to toast the garlic. Add the soy curls, salt, oregano and thyme. Saute for 10 minutes to brown the soy curls and soften the butternut squash.
Deglaze the bottom of the pan with vinegar. Add the bay leaf, pinto beans, tomatoes, broth and chile puree. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook 20 minutes more until the squash is completely tender. Taste and season with salt.
Garnish with lime, cilantro and sour cream.