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

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.