Breakfast Burrito Bonanza

Many people say breakfast is their favorite meal of the day. While I've never been a big breakfast eater, I do love what's come to be known as "Brunch." Mid-morning is when I get hungry. And breakfast is what I want.

Imagine my joy when I found a scrambled egg  recipe in the Happy Herbivore cookbook that turned out to be so delicious I adapted it to my version of a breakfast burrito. My mid-morning tastebuds jumped up and did the Mexican Hat Dance. Honest. Can't you just picture it?

The interesting part is that this completely  eggless recipe ends up looking just like scrambled eggs. Not only that, it has the mouth feel of scrambled eggs and a flavor reminiscent of the same. But it's all crumbled tofu with some added spices and a few vegetables tossed in for good luck. I loved it and so did my guests. Happy dancing.

MEXICAN BREAKFAST BURRITO

1 lb. firm silken tofu, drained and crumbled with fingers to look like feta cheese. See the above photo.
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. adobo seasoning (I got mine at www.penzeys.com)
1 red jalapeno, diced, seeds and ribs removed
1 small zucchini, diced
8  crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a shallow pan. I used one of my cast iron skillets for better heat conduction.

Crumble the tofu into a large bowl. Stir in the nutritional yeast along with all of the seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well so everything combines. Let it sit while you pre-cook the vegetables.

Cook the vegetables in a small skillet, about 5 minutes or just long enough to take the hard bite out of them. I cooked all of mine together, but if you prefer, you can cook each one separately. Add the vegetables to the tofu/spice bowl. Stir together till everything is mixed.

Put the tofu mixture into the greased or sprayed skillet and pat down firmly so there is good contact with the bottom of the pan. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes or until the top is firm and slightly brown. Let it sit a few minutes while you prepare the tortillas.

Warm 6 flour tortillas in the oven, microwave, or stove top. Spoon a generous portion of the scramble mixture down the center of each tortilla. Pour 1 Tbs. of red salsa over the top and sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro. Roll the tortilla into a burrito shape and serve immediately.

Makes 6

I served red rice as a side and baked apples for dessert. We were all too full to move, but our tummies were doing a happy dance.

These burritos will set your feet 'a-dancin'.....

Posole--Mexico In A Bowl

Try this authentic
Mexican recipe and I
bet you'll feel like
dancing too.

I've told you before that I have a housekeeper who comes to help me every week, largely because osteoporosis and arthritis in my spine have made it incredibly difficult to walk. Every so often I take advantage of her cooking skills and ask if she'll create something wonderful for my supper. She always agrees.

Because she's seen me grow so slim and healthy by eating vegan, she has done the same thing and while she's lost weight, it is her teenage daughter who has really slimmed down. All by eating vegan with only a few exceptions, such as family parties or church picnics.

To be honest, I've never eaten Posole. Yet I knew if Irma cooked it, it would be great. She grew up in Mexico City, taught to cook by her mom, and knows how to make original Mexican food that teases the tongue with spice and tickles the back of the throat with heat. Because I'm a sissy, she doesn't make the food she cooks for me as spicy as she would for her own family. If you're a diehard heat fan, add more chili powder and some jalapenos when you make this dish. I like it as is. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

POSOLE--MEXICO IN A BOWL

In a large soup pot, combine:

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large poblano chile, chopped (sometimes called pasilla)

Cook until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes.

Add:

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. ancho chile powder (regular chile powder can be substituted)

1  24 oz. can of diced tomatoes with juice

1  15 oz. can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1  15 oz. can of white hominy, drained and rinsed

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 Tbs. browning sauce--I used Kitchen Bouquet

black pepper to taste

Simmer the soup on a back burner, uncovered, for at least an hour so  the flavors have time to marry. 

Serve piping hot with avacodo slices and fresh cilantro as garnishes.

Irma warmed flour tortillas over an open flame so they had a slightly charred taste, which went great with the posole. 

The whole masterpiece was good to the last drop.

If you don't have ancho chile powder, do yourself a favor and buy some. The depth of flavor this spice brings to the party is so much more than that of regular chile powder.