Taco Salad--Vegan Style

My air conditioning broke--right in the middle of a horrid heat wave that rolled across the Southwest and decided to stay, albeit very much unwelcome. I don't know what the humidity is, but let's just say that the air is so moisture-laden I find it hard to breathe. I'm supposing a lot of AC's have gone out by now, having run 24/7 for almost two weeks because when I called my service contractor, I was informed that he was super busy and would get to me as quick as he could. I'm still waiting.

Now all of that to say that I could no longer even think about standing at the stove, let alone turning on the oven. Even if I had put something in the crock pot first thing this morning, there was no way I wanted to eat anything hot and steamy. That's why I racked my brain to come up with a cold supper. Thus it was that I thought of taco salad. It has always been a family favorite. But could I turn it into vegan and still have the taste I wanted?

You know me. I just had to give it a try. Doggone good if I do say so myself. I had company coming to dinner, so I made enough for four and there was even a little leftover. Does it taste like it has beef in it? Not really. But it's so tasty, my carnivore company ate with relish and even went back for more.  I'd call that a successful swap.

VEGAN TACO SALAD

1 lb. veggie crumbles or seitan, food-processed to look like crumbles

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. Montreal steak seasoning

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. onion powder

1 sweet onion, chopped

10 cups lettuce, any kind, cut into bite size

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the veggie crumbles or chopped seitan in 2 Tbs. olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the garlic, onion powder, and steak seasoning. Allow the mixture to sit off the heat while you prepare the rest of the dish. This will give it time to absorb the seasonings.

In a very large bowl, put the onion, tomato, lettuce, vegan cheese and salt and pepper. Mix together as you would a salad so all the ingredients are dispersed. Add the crumbles. Add the crushed tortilla chips. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with an array of sauces on the table. My favorite is taco sauce, but salsa or any hot sauce would be good, depending on personal preferences.

Serves 4

The recipe above is my standard taco salad. You can add anything else
you wish: avocado, beans, black olives or whatever floats you boat.

Yummy Raw Food Tacos

I've been reading about the raw food diet lately and while I don't want everything I eat to be in the raw form, I did come across a recipe that intrigued me. So what the heck? I tweaked it to fit my own palette and gave it a try. Now I do confess that I made the bean and corn part of the recipe the day before and I was really glad I'd done that. The added time with everything sitting together in the refrigerator did a great job at marrying all the ingredients into a happy union.

The day I decided to eat my raw food, all I had to do was fry up my corn tortillas and chop some lettuce and set the taco sauce on the table--along with a few other toppings I thought might fit in with the raw food plan. How easy was that? I had my guests serve themselves and we all agreed, after much lip smacking, that the tacos were a big hit. They were earthy and crunchy and spicy and tangy all at the same time and were the perfect food for a hot summer day.

RAW FOOD TACOS

Into a bowl put:

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed up just a bit
1/4 cup salsa of your choice

1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted but not heated
4 green onions, white and green, diced
1 large ripe tomato, small dice
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

The longer it sets, the better it will be but you can serve it immediately if you wish. Allow to come to room temperature if you make it the day before.

Fry or warm 8 corn tortillas. I like mine fried crispy, so that's how I fixed them.

Set bowls on the table so guests can help themselves to:

Lettuce, shredded
Vegan Cheddar cheese, shredded
Vegan sour cream
Mashed avocado drizzled with fresh lime juice
Hot sauce for those who like lip burn

Serves 3-4, allowing 2 tacos per person

Eggplant Burgers

So my fellow lovers of the non-meat, when I last left you I wrote about grilling my favorite super-food, the wonderful avocado! I know that was such a long time ago and my only excuse is that summer session ended and I became horribly overwhelmed with packing and moving and finding a job. It seems I have hardly had time to sit and breathe, let along give proper attention to my blogging corners of the internet! And for that, I humbly ask your apologies.

Now, I have been living at home with my parents for a few weeks and even though I have yet to settle into a good routine, I have been maintaining a good diet. (I've lost five pounds since the move north, yo!)

The other night my mom barbecued a salmon fillet and I sliced and seasoned an eggplant, all-American burger style.

Our barbecue is not a propane run grill, so before we started preparing the meal we set the coals in the chimney to heat up. This is an important step, lest you contract a case of the hangries staring at your ready-to-go-food and your not-so-ready-to-go backyard barbecue.

I started by slicing the eggplant into half inch to three quarter inch thick rounds. I got a little lopsided and my father teased me mercilessly, but they still cooked just fine. Then I brushed on a little coconut oil. Because it's so hot here, especially in the kitchen because it's upstairs in our un-airconditioned house my coconut oil has changed states from a solid to a liquid. This made brushing it on the eggplant a lot easier, so you know.

Then I sprinkled on crushed black pepper, a smidgen of table salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Flip and repeat on both sides.

The eggplant was then sent to do its time on the grill. I'm not sure the exact length of time, but you want to keep an eye on them so they don't overcook. The eggplant should still be a little firm and not mushy.

After the eggplant had done some hard time on the fire, it was good and cooked all the way the through. I put a little balsamic vinegar on it before I wrapped it in lettuce and went to town. For future reference, I'd skip the balsamic. Something a little milder would definitely add to the flavor. My only advice is to compliment the smokey flavor the barbecue instills, which is all sorts of lovely in your mouth.

I ate my eggplant wraps with fresh carrots and snow peas, perfect and light for a hot summer night!

How About A BLT--Vegan Style

One of my most favorite sandwiches has always been the BLT--bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Truth be told, I am a sandwich lover all the way around. My hubby was too and never once in our 53 years of marriage, did he ever complain about getting a sandwich for supper. In the winter I'd pair it with a hefty bowl of home made soup; summer with a huge fruit bowl. If I felt ambitious, I'd make oven french fries to add a starch to the meal. Most of the time I took the easy way out and just tossed some frozen fries in the oven and called it good.

Now I have to say that I've tried many of the vegan bacon's that are on the grocery shelves. I found all of them wanting in one way or another. Too much smoke, not enough smoke, no hint of bacon taste. The list goes on. Then I came upon a way to make tofu bacon in my own oven. I'm being honest here when I tell you it doesn't taste like bacon. It doesn't smell like bacon. But when paired with sourdough bread, big slices of red tomato and crisp lettuce, it teases the brain into thinking I might really be chowing down on the real thing. Or not. But I will tell you this. It is easy to make, easy on the pocketbook, and I got a whole baggie full of the stuff for the cost of a block of tofu.

BACON, LETTUCE, AND TOMATO SANDWICH

Prepare the tofu bacon.

1 12 oz. package of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed of its water

2-4 Tbs. vegetable oil

Smoked salt (I used a smokey bbq salt from Penzeys)

Slice the tofu into thin slices, about 1/8" thick. You should get 20-25 slices of "bacon." 

Use the largest skillet you have so there is a lot of "floor" space for the tofu to fry on.

Season one side of the tofu heavily with any smoked salt or smoky spice you like. 

Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in the skillet set on medium heat. Carefully slip the tofu slices into the pan, making sure not to crowd them or they will steam and not fry.

Cook them for 4-5 minutes, then flip the slices over and cook them on the other side. The slices will become chewy. That is what you want. Total cooking time should be 8-10 minutes.

Drain the slices on paper towels, just as you would real bacon. Cook in batches if necessary. Unless you're feeding a crowd, you'll have "bacon" leftover for the next time you want a BLT.

Happy Eating.

Tofu bacon spits when fried, just like real bacon does. Now you know.

Ahh Bella, How I Love Thee....

For me, mushrooms of any kind have always been right up there with tofu as my least desirable edibles.  I've had a real change of heart since I learned how to turn them into burgers. Who knew?

I have been having an affair with portobello mushrooms. I've configured them every way I could imagine and while the food was tasty, it wasn't a winning recipe. Not until I stole Marie Callendar's version of the giant fungus. Now it's worth blogging about. Let me tell you how it came to be.

There was a day when I had a doctor appointment close to Marie Callendar's Restaurant. Considering I hadn't eaten lunch, I stopped by, thinking I'd have some pie and coffee. Before I could mention my desire, a menu was plopped next to me. Thinking I'd just give it a once-over strictly for fun, I opened it up and began looking at the pictures. And there it was. A portobello mushroom burger. The photo set me to drooling. (I hate it when that happens, it's so un-ladylike) and the next thing I knew, I heard myself ordering it.

I was somewhat taken aback when the burger was set in front of me. No kidding, the whole thing had to be more than two inches tall. One bite convinced me it was meaty, juicy, and while it didn't taste anything like a hamburger, it was so good I considered taking another to-go so I could have it for supper. Then along comes the waiter, asking how everything was. I did my ooh and ahh thing and then asked him to see if the chef would give out the recipe. He hesitated a moment, then agreed and off he went. A few minutes later he informed me the mushrooms were oven roasted with a covering of fresh thyme and rosemary. I knew that wasn't the real recipe because I could detect hints of basalmic vinegar and olive oil and chipotle. Chefs are so tricky.

First chance I got, I cooked up the biggest portobello I could find, using my Marie Callendar knock-off recipe. Can I say it was delicious? Or even outstanding? Or simply the best mushroom burger I'd eaten since the restaurant one? The other portobello burgers I'd tried paled in light of this new find. I hope you'll give it a try and then write and tell me what you think. After all, you know what Shakesphere wrote  in Romeo and Juliet. "A portobella by any other name would taste as good." At least I think that's how it went.

The roasted portobello looks enough like meat to fool the eye. It won't fool the palette, but the whole package is so juicy good, you won't care. I served my burger with corn on the cob, oven roasted in its husk. Can I say delicioso?



PORTOBELLO BURGER---My Restaurant Knockoff 

Portobello mushrooms, 1 per serving. Remove the tough, woody stems. Place the mushroom caps in a zip lock bag for marinating.
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Allow the mushrooms to marinate at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.

Set the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the mushrooms on a cookie sheet lined with foil (easy cleanup), with the top facing up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 20 minutes. Fewer mushrooms will take less time. Gigantic ones will take more time. You will know they are done when they look like a hamburger, all brown and toasty. Save the marinade for another use. Most recipes I've tried say to cook the mushrooms only a few minutes on each side. For me, it wasn't enough, as they still looked and tasted like mushrooms. I wanted a beefy taste and that's what I got via roasting for a length of time.

Make the mayo for the buns. I used 1/4 cup vegan mayo and 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder. Stir together. If you like things spicier, add more. This ratio was fine for me.

Warm the buns. I purchased extra large buns because the bella's were so big. Smaller bella's, use smaller buns.

I put my mushroom burger together the old fashioned way with generous portions of tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. I left off the ketchup, mustard and pickles because the bella was zingy enough having been marinated in the vinegar. You do as tastes best to you.

If you can't find chipotle powder at your grocery store, you can purchase it from www.penzeys.com--which is what I did.


Copyright 2011 by Sandra L. Keith, All rights reserved
Top photo is courtesy of MS Word Clip Art
Middle photo is the property of the author and may not be reproduced without permission.

Viva la Mexico!!



Lightly fried corn tortillas, red rice, black beans, roasted pasilla peppers, and store bought taco sauce. Cinco de Mayo in my mouth. 



Perhaps I should have saved these recipes until Cinco de Mayo, the 5th of May, a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated all over the Southwest. But I just couldn't keep them to myself that long. I figured if I gave out the recipes now, you could have your own Cinco de Mayo next month--and a vegan one at that. No need to sneak anything non-vegan into this fiesta. It's all legal; it's all easy to find; it's all full of flavor. Just try it and see for yourself.

My housekeeper has been with me for 7 years now--ever since my first spine surgery. She came with good recommendations and I trust her to the point where she has long had a key to my house. I have to admit that she is such a good cook I take advantage of her being here and we've extended cleaning day into longer hours so she can do any cooking that I would otherwise have to stand a long time to do myself. Four spinal surgeries and I still cannot stand for longer than a few minutes without pain setting in. My surgeon says he should operate again, but I'm not going there. What with the osteoporosis continuing to dissolve my spinal discs, I figure it's a never-ending situation. One I don't care to be part of.

I'm going to give you Irma's recipes--with her blessings. They are actually her mom's recipes, taught to her daughter over years of living in Mexico City. Her mom is still there. Irma is a long-time legal U.S. resident, a good worker, and a credit to everything California stands for. I love her dearly. As she does me. Her daughter is practically another grandchild. When she was seven I taught her to play Chinese Checkers and in less than three months she got good enough to beat me every single time. I should have thought better about pointing out her mistakes. I taught her to bake and now she outbakes me. I showed her how to make biscuits and now hers are fluffier than mine. I figure I'm a good teacher but a spoil sport when my students show me up. The Bible says humility is a good thing. I often have to snicker at how many different ways God uses to remind me of that.

I'm going to give you every recipe for this week's menu. It would be easy to just buy packaged or canned stuff, but then you wouldn't have the best of Mexico. The recipes aren't difficult,  but they do take  time. When you get to the eating part, I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you won't be spending your precious funds at the local Mexican restaurant anytime soon. Trust me on this.

Crisp Pasilla Pepper Sticks

Set the oven to 400 degrees

2 Pasilla peppers, cut in half, seeds and ribs removed

Slice the peppers into matchsticks, lay on a cookie sheet, cover with 1 Tbs. olive oil and a bit of salt.

Roast for 10-15 minutes, until the peppers are slightly browned and crunchy

Remove from oven and let cool.

Red Rice

While we often refer to this dish as Spanish Rice, the Hispanics call it red rice. Irma's is the best I've ever eaten. Bar none.

3 Tbs. vegetable oil into a 2 quart pot

1 cup of long grain rice

1 onion, chopped

Place the rice into the hot oil and continue stirring until the rice has a nutty smell and turns slightly brown. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and somewhat translucent.

Do not burn the rice or you will have to start over.

1/2 can of whole or diced tomatoes. We used Hunt's Redi Cut--my favorite

Put a half can of tomatoes into a food processor and pulse until it is almost fully a liquid.

Place the puree into a 2 cup measure and fill with enough vegetable stock to equal the full 2 cups . Stir it into the rice/onion mixture.

At this point you may add diced jalapeno or pasilla or any kind of hot sauce if you wish. We use Tapito, but not enough to make our mouth burn and our eyes tear up. That's only for the diehards.

Bring the whole mixture back to a rolling boil, add salt and pepper to your taste, cover the pot and turn the burner as low as it will go and still cook the food. Set the timer for 15 minutes. DO NOT PEEK UNDER THE LID. If the steam escapes, the rice will be tough and undercooked. When the timer beeps, fluff the rice with a fork and serve with minced cilantro or crisp pasilla strips atop. We used the pepper strips because of the crunch factor.

Refried Beans

Irma usually makes her own refried beans, but today was busy so we cheated and used canned.

1 can of pinto beans with juice

1 can of black beans with juice

Place all the beans into a food processor and pulse until the beans are somewhat chopped and the whole thing has become liquid. And no, this is not how we would usually do it, but Irma's way is tastier than the store bought refried beans.

Place the bean mixture into a saucepot, add salt and pepper and a dash or two of hot sauce. Leaving the lid off the pot, cook on a back burner until the beans are thick and smooth. Adjust the seasoning if need be. Should the bean mixture become too thick, add vegetable broth to smooth it out. Irma's refriend beans never contain lard or shortning.

Corn Tortilla Taco

I use white taco shells; the yellow ones fall apart too easily when fried.

1 inch of vegetable oil in the bottom of a large frying pan.

Cook the shells to your desired crispiness and allow to cool a second or so.

Fill the shells with the bean mixture, top with lettuce, onion, tomatoes and taco sauce to taste.

Serve the red rice as a side.

Although Irma is a wonderful housekeeper for this surgery-weary writer, she is an even better cook. That's something I discovered after my first spine surgery, years ago when I just couldn't get out of bed to cook and Jim didn't know how so Irma volunteered. A serendipitous discovery.