Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are today's six recipes to help you through the day, including Italian Grilled Stufed Peppers and Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake. Enjoy!
RED VELVET DOUGHNUTS
This is from Diana Rattry, Southern food expert for The Spruce. Diana wrote, “These red velvet doughnuts are as delicious as they are attractive. They make a wonderful treat for any time of the year, and the vibrant red color makes them an excellent choice for a Valentine's Day or Christmas morning.
“Glaze the doughnuts with a cream cheese frosting or plain vanilla icing and decorate them with red sugars or candies. These doughnuts will be an instant hit!”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 10 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Doughnuts
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (5 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 tablespoon red food coloring
4 tablespoons butter ( melted, cooled slightly)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
Vanilla Icing
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
1 tablespoons water (or more, as needed)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)
2 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk (or more, as needed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Spray doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk or spoon to blend thoroughly.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg with the buttermilk (or sour milk), red food coloring, melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and vinegar.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until blended.
Spoon the batter into a small plastic food storage bag.
Cut a small corner from the bag and pipe the batter into the cavities of the doughnut pan, filling them about half full.
Bake standard size doughnuts for about 10 to 12 minutes. Bake mini doughnuts for about 6 minutes.
Dip the tops of the doughnuts into the cream cheese or vanilla icing to glaze or spread with the icing (see below).
The recipe makes about 10 standard baked doughnuts or about 16 to 18 mini baked doughnuts.
Vanilla Icing
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, combine the sifted powdered sugar with the light corn syrup, melted butter, 1 tablespoon of water and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Beat the icing, adding more water in small amounts until the desired consistency is reached.
Cream Cheese Icing
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, combine the powdered sugar with the softened cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk.
Beat the icing, adding more milk in small amounts until the desired consistency is reached.
*Sour milk is a good buttermilk substitute. To make sour milk, put 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add milk to the 1/2-cup line. Stir and let stand for about 5 minutes. It might look curdled, but that's okay.
VEGAN HUMMUS AVOCADO WRAP
This is from Jolinda Hackett, vegetarian food expert for The Spruce. Jolinda wrote, “Looking for the perfect way to make an avocado wrap, or use up some leftover guacamole with a wrap sandwich? Try this healthy vegan California-style avocado hummus wrap sandwich recipe with hummus, avocado and sprouts. Avocado toast may be the latest food trend (though I'm not sure why - it's literally just avocado on toast, people, come on!), but vegans and Californians like me who love avocado have been adding avocado to sandwiches, toasts, and wraps for decades.
“Here's one of my personal favorite ways to make a simple, healthy avocado wrap for lunch. I'll admit that sometimes, I like to use vegan cream cheese in my wraps, but the hummus is honestly much more healthy and less processed, and just as tasty. And, as noted below, I sometimes add some pickles or pickle relish as well because after avocados, pickles are one of my favorite foods. But maybe that's just me! Either way, enjoy your quick, healthy and vegan avocado and hummus sandwich wrap!
“Here's a few more of my favorite vegetarian sandwiches to try.”
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Yield: 1 wrap (1 serving).
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 flour tortilla
3 tablespoons hummus
1/4 avocado (sliced thin)
1/3 cup alfalfa sprouts (or a few leaves of green lettuce or both)
2 to 4 tomato slices
Optional: cucumber slices
Directions
First, if your flour tortillas have been in the fridge, I find it best to bring them up to room temperature by either letting them sit out for an hour or two, or by popping them in the microwave for just a few seconds (ten seconds, tops).
Spread the hummus down the center of a flour tortilla. Arrange other ingredients on top of hummus and wrap it up for a quick vegetarian and vegan hummus sandwich wrap.
I also like to add pickles or some pickle relish to my hummus wraps, but not everyone likes pickles as much as I do!
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
This is from Marian Burros in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Marian wrote, “This version of the classic Thanksgiving side dish forgoes the traditional marshmallow topping for a generous sprinkle of brown sugar, butter and pecans. You get crunchy, soft and sweet all in one glorious bite.”
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in “On Thanksgiving, What's a Chef to Do?” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
4 medium-large sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened slightly
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Preparation
To make the casserole, heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until very tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove and let cool. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, scoop out flesh and mash until smooth. You should have about 4 cups. Using a hand mixer, mix in brown sugar, orange juice, heavy cream, butter, vanilla and salt. Place in a casserole dish.
To make the topping, combine the butter, brown sugar and pecans. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
EASY PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE
This is from Ashley, a high school teacher turned blogger, on her wonderful site, The Recipe Rebel. This recipe begins, “This Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake takes just 10 minutes prep and makes it’s own caramel pudding sauce as it bakes! Perfect hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat!)
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 1/4 cup hot or boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9" pie plate or baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves with a spoon.
Add in pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla and stir until a thick batter forms. Spread into prepared pie plate.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until there are no clumps. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Add butter to hot water and stir until melted. Pour over brown sugar mixture in pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is completely set (keep in mind that there is a thick layer of caramel sauce in the bottom, so it may jiggle). Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheat perfectly!
PUMPKIN SOUP
I'm not sure where this is from; maybe that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list? Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cooking Time: 20 minutes; Serves 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups veggie broth
one 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
one 8-ounce jar applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground pepper, to taste
croutons, optional
Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until mixed. Add the veggie broth and pumpkin and stir until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients except the cream, pepper, and croutons. Stir well, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until hot and the flavors have blended.
Stir in the cream and heat until hot. Garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with crisp croutons, if desired.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Taco Tuesday
It's Taco Tuesday, time to try out new taco recipes. Here are six to get you started, including Vegan Tacos and Chipotle Quinoa Sweet Potato Tacos with Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa. Enjoy!
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Jeanine & Jack at Love & Lemons. The recipe starts off, “I know – another taco recipe already? Well, I like tacos. I’m sure you do too because you are here after all.”
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: serves 2-3
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
CHIPOTLE QUINOA SWEET POTATO TACOS WITH ROASTED CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE SALSA
I recently discovered Tieghan Gerard’s website, Half Baked Harvest. Some very yummy-looking recipes, including this one.
Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 a small sweet onion
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 large sweet potato chopped (peel if desired)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 leaves can diced tomatoes (Optional; I normally these out, but sometimes add them) (Note: I'm guessing this should be “1 little can diced tomatoes”)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 canned chipotle chilies minced
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo from the chipotle chili can
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne or to your taste
1 cup cooked black beans if using canned drain and rinse them
1 lime juiced
1 small bunch cilantro
6-8 four tortillas corn tortillas (warmed) or hard shell tacos (personally my family prefers hards shell, but all of them are good!), warmed
1 avocado sliced or diced, for topping
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
cotija cheese crumbled, for topping
Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 canned chipotle chili, chopped
1 lime zested + juiced
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 jalapeno chopped and seed removed if desired
the arils from 1 pomegranate (learn how to deseed a pomegranate here)
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the salsa: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Place the cranberries, brown sugar, chipotle chili, lime zest + juice, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together until the cranberries are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until the cranberries burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and and let cool 10 minutes. Then add the pomegranate arils and toss well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and keep at room temperature.
While the cranberries are roasting start the tacos. Heat the olive oil over a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Cover the skillet and let cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy, stirring once or twice for about 15 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then crank up the heat to medium-high (adding more oil if needed) and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa get crispy and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, tomatoes (if using), the chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne, stir to thoroughly combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
To assemble the tacos place some of the quinoa in a tortilla or shell. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, a large dollop the the roasted cranberry salsa, crumbled catija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Take in their beauty and then EAT!
10-MINUTE BLACK BEAN TACOS
This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)
Anyway, Sheela Prakash, Assistant Food Editor at TheKitchn, wrote, “When you come home extra late after a crazy day at the office, it may seem like your only options for dinner are takeout, those questionable leftovers in the fridge, or scrambled eggs and toast. You're starving and cranky and you need dinner fast, after all. Luckily there's a fourth option: these 10-minute tacos.
“Yes, making tacos in 10 minutes is absolutely possible. In less time than it will take you to wait for delivery (it feels like it takes forever when you're hungry), these hearty vegetarian tacos can be on your plate.”
To view these yummy tacos online, click here. Serves 4.
For the tacos:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
8 corn tortillas
For serving:
1 bag cabbage slaw or shredded cabbage
1 medium avocado, sliced
Salsa
Lime wedges
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans and water.
Cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and use the back of a fork to partially mash the beans, leaving about half whole. If there's any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Meanwhile, heat the tortillas. Stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until warm.
Fill the tortillas with the black bean mixture and top with slaw or cabbage, avocado, and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover taco filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
VEGAN TACOS
This recipe is by Taqueria Los Gorditos and was in the September 2009 issue of Bon Appetite. Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped seeded jalapeño chile
1 12-ounce package soy chorizo (sometimes labeled Soyrizo), casing removed
1 15.4-ounce to 16-ounce can vegetarian refried black beans
12 corn tortillas, warm
Diced onion
Chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and jalapeño; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add soy chorizo and cook until beginning to brown in spots, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook beans in heavy small saucepan over low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Stack 2 warm tortillas for each of 6 tacos. Spread scant 2 tablespoons beans over each stack. Top with soy chorizo mixture, dividing equally. Sprinkle with diced onion and cilantro.
JACKFRUIT TINGA TOSTADAS
This is from Alissa Saenz of the wonderful blog, Connoisseurus Veg. Alissa wrote, “Tender jackfruit is simmered with tomatoes and Mexican spices, then served over refried bean slathered tortillas to make these spicy jackfruit tinga tostadas.”
I’d only recently heard of jackfruit, so I had very little clue about it. Taste?
Well, according to Alissa, “Just about every time I post a jackfruit recipe or share one on social media, someone asks me “What does jackfruit taste like?” I almost hate to answer, because it’s not very exciting. The answer is that jackfruit tastes pretty much like nothing.” She likens it to tofu, seitan and wheat gluten in its ability to take on the flavors of the foods and spices around it.
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings: 4; Calories; 475 kcal
To view this online on Alissa’s blog, click here.
Ingredients
For the Refried Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
For the Jackfruit Tinga
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (20 ounce) cans young green jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (use less for a milder version)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Tostada Shells
8 corn tortillas
Oil or cooking spray
For Serving
Shredded lettuce
Avocado slices or guacamole
Fresh cilantro
Instructions
To Make the Refried Beans
Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with olive oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cumin, and continue to sauté for about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
Stir in the beans and about 1/2 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to cook, uncovered for about an hour, until the beans fall apart completely, adding more water to the skillet as it dries up during cooking. You can shorten the cook time and mash the beans with a fork if you prefer, but I find the texture is much nicer if you just let them simmer. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To Make the Jackfruit Tinga
While the beans cook, coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jackfruit and continue cooking until the jackfruit softens up a bit, about 5 minutes more.
Stir in the cumin, oregano, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, then stir in the tomatoes, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, liquid smoke, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, until the jackfruit is tender, adding a splash or two of water to the pot whenever it becomes too dry. As the jackfruit cooks, begin pulling the pieces apart with a fork. Remove the skillet from the heat. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To Finish and Serve
When the beans and jackfruit are almost finished cooking, preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil or spray the tortillas with cooking spray, then arrange them directly on the rack of the preheated oven. Bake until crispy and lightly browned around the edges, about 8 minutes.
Slather each tortilla with a thin layer of refried beans, then top with jackfruit tinga and toppings of choice. Serve.
PORTOBELLO BULGOGI KOREAN TACOS
This is from Rachael Hartley in her blog Avocado A Day Nutrition. (Nice blog, Rachael! I just signed up for it!) Rachael wrote, "Beef bulgogi Korean tacos are one of my favorites. Try this vegan twist using meaty portobello mushrooms, which soak up all the delicious marinade." Serves 6.
You can view this yummy recipe online here.
Ingredients
Mushrooms:
6 medium-large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (see note, below)
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon gochugaru (see second note)
Slaw:
1 bag of shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, shredded on the large grates of a cheese grater
2 scallions, thinly sliced
8 corn tortillas
First Note: Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine and is made from rice. It's supposed to be sweeter than sake. Since I don't keep alcohol around, I use water in place of miring.
Second note: Gochugaru is Korean chile flakes. If you can get it locally, and plan to use it in several dishes, great. Since I probably wouldn't use it elsewhere - unless I fell madly in love with it - I might consider something a little cheaper and more generic.
Instructions
Two to four hours before cooking, whisk together all the marinade ingredients for the mushrooms. Add portobellos and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade 2-4 hours.
When ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the mushrooms evenly on the grill or toss into a grill pan if you have one. Reserve the marinade. Cook about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway.
While the mushrooms cook, pour the reserved marinade into a small pot. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil about 10 minutes total until reduced to a thick syrup. Set aside.
Warm the tortillas. Spoon slaw on the bottom of each tortillas. Top with mushrooms and reserved sauce.
VEGGIE TACOS WITH AVOCADO TOMATILLO SALSA
This is from Jeanine & Jack at Love & Lemons. The recipe starts off, “I know – another taco recipe already? Well, I like tacos. I’m sure you do too because you are here after all.”
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 mins; Total time: 40 mins; Serves: serves 2-3
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 small Japanese eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped summer squash (yellow, pattypan, or zucchini)
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
6 corn or flour tortillas
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1/3 cup store-bought or homemade tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup pepitas
1/2 avocado
handful of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
squeezes of lime, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chopped eggplant, squash, red pepper and tomatoes onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and roast until golden brown around the edges 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a food processor, blend together the tomatillo salsa, pepitas, avocado, spinach, olive oil, lime juice and pinches of salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the tacos with the black beans, roasted vegetables, diced avocado, cilantro, serrano, cotija (if using), and a generous scoop of the avocado tomatillo sauce. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Store extra sauce in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Vegan: skip the cotija cheese
Gluten free: use corn tortillas
CHIPOTLE QUINOA SWEET POTATO TACOS WITH ROASTED CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE SALSA
I recently discovered Tieghan Gerard’s website, Half Baked Harvest. Some very yummy-looking recipes, including this one.
Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 a small sweet onion
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 large sweet potato chopped (peel if desired)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 leaves can diced tomatoes (Optional; I normally these out, but sometimes add them) (Note: I'm guessing this should be “1 little can diced tomatoes”)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 canned chipotle chilies minced
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo from the chipotle chili can
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne or to your taste
1 cup cooked black beans if using canned drain and rinse them
1 lime juiced
1 small bunch cilantro
6-8 four tortillas corn tortillas (warmed) or hard shell tacos (personally my family prefers hards shell, but all of them are good!), warmed
1 avocado sliced or diced, for topping
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
cotija cheese crumbled, for topping
Roasted Cranberry Pomegranate Salsa
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 canned chipotle chili, chopped
1 lime zested + juiced
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1 jalapeno chopped and seed removed if desired
the arils from 1 pomegranate (learn how to deseed a pomegranate here)
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the salsa: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Place the cranberries, brown sugar, chipotle chili, lime zest + juice, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together until the cranberries are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until the cranberries burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and and let cool 10 minutes. Then add the pomegranate arils and toss well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside and keep at room temperature.
While the cranberries are roasting start the tacos. Heat the olive oil over a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Cover the skillet and let cook until the sweet potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy, stirring once or twice for about 15 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Then crank up the heat to medium-high (adding more oil if needed) and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa get crispy and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup water, tomatoes (if using), the chili powder, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne, stir to thoroughly combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
To assemble the tacos place some of the quinoa in a tortilla or shell. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, a large dollop the the roasted cranberry salsa, crumbled catija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Take in their beauty and then EAT!
10-MINUTE BLACK BEAN TACOS
This was in an email from TheKitchn. I absolutely love TheKitchn, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven’t checked out either site, I highly recommend them. (Go ahead, I’ll wait…tap, tap, tap.)
Anyway, Sheela Prakash, Assistant Food Editor at TheKitchn, wrote, “When you come home extra late after a crazy day at the office, it may seem like your only options for dinner are takeout, those questionable leftovers in the fridge, or scrambled eggs and toast. You're starving and cranky and you need dinner fast, after all. Luckily there's a fourth option: these 10-minute tacos.
“Yes, making tacos in 10 minutes is absolutely possible. In less time than it will take you to wait for delivery (it feels like it takes forever when you're hungry), these hearty vegetarian tacos can be on your plate.”
To view these yummy tacos online, click here. Serves 4.
For the tacos:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
8 corn tortillas
For serving:
1 bag cabbage slaw or shredded cabbage
1 medium avocado, sliced
Salsa
Lime wedges
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans and water.
Cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and use the back of a fork to partially mash the beans, leaving about half whole. If there's any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Meanwhile, heat the tortillas. Stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until warm.
Fill the tortillas with the black bean mixture and top with slaw or cabbage, avocado, and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover taco filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
VEGAN TACOS
This recipe is by Taqueria Los Gorditos and was in the September 2009 issue of Bon Appetite. Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped seeded jalapeño chile
1 12-ounce package soy chorizo (sometimes labeled Soyrizo), casing removed
1 15.4-ounce to 16-ounce can vegetarian refried black beans
12 corn tortillas, warm
Diced onion
Chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and jalapeño; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add soy chorizo and cook until beginning to brown in spots, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook beans in heavy small saucepan over low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Stack 2 warm tortillas for each of 6 tacos. Spread scant 2 tablespoons beans over each stack. Top with soy chorizo mixture, dividing equally. Sprinkle with diced onion and cilantro.
JACKFRUIT TINGA TOSTADAS
This is from Alissa Saenz of the wonderful blog, Connoisseurus Veg. Alissa wrote, “Tender jackfruit is simmered with tomatoes and Mexican spices, then served over refried bean slathered tortillas to make these spicy jackfruit tinga tostadas.”
I’d only recently heard of jackfruit, so I had very little clue about it. Taste?
Well, according to Alissa, “Just about every time I post a jackfruit recipe or share one on social media, someone asks me “What does jackfruit taste like?” I almost hate to answer, because it’s not very exciting. The answer is that jackfruit tastes pretty much like nothing.” She likens it to tofu, seitan and wheat gluten in its ability to take on the flavors of the foods and spices around it.
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings: 4; Calories; 475 kcal
To view this online on Alissa’s blog, click here.
Ingredients
For the Refried Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
For the Jackfruit Tinga
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (20 ounce) cans young green jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (use less for a milder version)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Tostada Shells
8 corn tortillas
Oil or cooking spray
For Serving
Shredded lettuce
Avocado slices or guacamole
Fresh cilantro
Instructions
To Make the Refried Beans
Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with olive oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cumin, and continue to sauté for about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
Stir in the beans and about 1/2 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to cook, uncovered for about an hour, until the beans fall apart completely, adding more water to the skillet as it dries up during cooking. You can shorten the cook time and mash the beans with a fork if you prefer, but I find the texture is much nicer if you just let them simmer. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To Make the Jackfruit Tinga
While the beans cook, coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jackfruit and continue cooking until the jackfruit softens up a bit, about 5 minutes more.
Stir in the cumin, oregano, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, then stir in the tomatoes, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, liquid smoke, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, until the jackfruit is tender, adding a splash or two of water to the pot whenever it becomes too dry. As the jackfruit cooks, begin pulling the pieces apart with a fork. Remove the skillet from the heat. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To Finish and Serve
When the beans and jackfruit are almost finished cooking, preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil or spray the tortillas with cooking spray, then arrange them directly on the rack of the preheated oven. Bake until crispy and lightly browned around the edges, about 8 minutes.
Slather each tortilla with a thin layer of refried beans, then top with jackfruit tinga and toppings of choice. Serve.
PORTOBELLO BULGOGI KOREAN TACOS
This is from Rachael Hartley in her blog Avocado A Day Nutrition. (Nice blog, Rachael! I just signed up for it!) Rachael wrote, "Beef bulgogi Korean tacos are one of my favorites. Try this vegan twist using meaty portobello mushrooms, which soak up all the delicious marinade." Serves 6.
You can view this yummy recipe online here.
Ingredients
Mushrooms:
6 medium-large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (see note, below)
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon gochugaru (see second note)
Slaw:
1 bag of shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, shredded on the large grates of a cheese grater
2 scallions, thinly sliced
8 corn tortillas
First Note: Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine and is made from rice. It's supposed to be sweeter than sake. Since I don't keep alcohol around, I use water in place of miring.
Second note: Gochugaru is Korean chile flakes. If you can get it locally, and plan to use it in several dishes, great. Since I probably wouldn't use it elsewhere - unless I fell madly in love with it - I might consider something a little cheaper and more generic.
Instructions
Two to four hours before cooking, whisk together all the marinade ingredients for the mushrooms. Add portobellos and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade 2-4 hours.
When ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the mushrooms evenly on the grill or toss into a grill pan if you have one. Reserve the marinade. Cook about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway.
While the mushrooms cook, pour the reserved marinade into a small pot. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil about 10 minutes total until reduced to a thick syrup. Set aside.
Warm the tortillas. Spoon slaw on the bottom of each tortillas. Top with mushrooms and reserved sauce.
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