Grilled Mexican Tofu

It may surprise you to know that northern Ontario is not an epicentre of Mexican cuisine. There is nary a chile to be found anywhere, and if you ask for tomatillos at the grocery store you get blank stares. So, I was happy when I saw that the local bulk food store was now carrying chipotle powder. Not as good as the real thing, and not even as good as the canned stuff in adobo sauce, but better than nothing. Even so, this dish is really, really good. It's rather like a tostada but with tofu instead of a corn tortilla.

INGREDIENTS
Dry Rub
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1 pkg tofu, cut into 8 slices

Mexican BBQ Sauce
- 4 tbsp margarine
- 1 medium onion, small dice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup tequila
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tsp chipotle powder (or more)
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- salt, if desired

Refried Beans
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups cooked pinto beans
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 1/2 (approx.) veggie broth
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste

- sliced avocado
- chiffonaded romaine lettuce
- salsa (preferably freshly made)

METHOD
1. Mix together the dry rub ingredients and rub onto all sides of the tofu slices. Set aside.
2. Make the BBQ sauce: heat margarine over medium heat in a saucepan, then saute onions and garlic of 8-10 mins, until nice and soft. Add sugar, tequila, and lime juice and mix well. Add ketchup and spices and bring to bubbling. Remove from heat.
3. Make the refried beans: Heat oil over medium heat, then saute onions and garlic for 10-12 mins, until soft and starting to brown. Add beans and salsa and mix well. Cook for a few mins then begin mashing beans with a fork. As beans cook (about 15 mins), thin out with veggie broth to keep them moist, but not too goopy. When desired consistency is reached, add spices and season to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
4. BBQ tofu according to the method here.
5. Assemble the dish: place a piece of tofu on a plate and top with a layer of refried beans. Top that with 2 avocado slices, and then some of the romaine. Top that with a generous spoonful of salsa.

Mexican Fast Food

Son #1 wanted to play soccer this summer, so I am now officially Vegan Soccer Dad. Of course, I totally forgot about his first practice and stayed later than usual at the office figuring I had all the time in the world to make dinner when I got home. Upon arriving home I was reminded of the error of my ways and suddenly had to get everyone fed and Son #1 to practice in one hour. I kicked into high chopping gear and made this. The kids adore all Mexican food, but having tortilla chips makes it all the more special (bags of chips are a rare commodity in this house). They think they are having a treat and are getting nutrition at the same time.

There is no real recipe tonight since topping are really up to you. This plate has:

1. Tortilla chips

2. Tofu (fried in a bit of oil, then seasoned with one of those Old El Paso taco seasonings packs (the shame! I told you I was in a hurry!) and mixed some water to coat the tofu.

3. Chickpeas cooked in some chipotle salsa.

4. Chopped veggies: onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado.

5. Salsa

6. Chili Lime Yogurt: about 1 cup of plain soy yogurt mixed with juice of 1 lime, large pinch of sugar, salt to taste, and 1/4 tsp chili powder.

Sweet Potatao and Kale Quesedillas

The other night we went to a pasta dinner at the boys' school--a way to meet with other parents and build school spirit. We had a great time, but between chatting and trying to shove pasta into the mouths of kids, Vegan Mom and I really didn't eat a lot. We were both feeling pretty peckish later that evening so I whipped up these fantastic quesedillas (he said, tooting his own horn).

INGREDIENTS

Makes 6-8

- 1 large sweet potato, diced

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced

- 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

- 1 clove of garlic, chopped

- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

- few dashes hot sauce

- 1/4 cup salsa

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- salt and pepper to tatse

- 2 kale leaves, stalks removed, chopped

- 6-8 small wheat tortillas

- margarine

METHOD

1. Place chopped sweet potato in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to bubbling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 mins, until potatoes are tender.

2. While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute onions for 5-7 mins, until starting to nicely brown. Add corn and cook for another 5 mins, until corn begins to brown.

3. Add garlic and jalapeno and saute for 2 mins. Add beans and hot sauce and mix well. Add salsa and spices, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Drain potatoes and roughly mash. Add to pan along with the chopped kale. Cook for a few mins, until kale is softened and a a nice brilliant green. Add more salsa if mixture is too dry. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from heat. Heat a different fryin pan over medium heat.

5. Spread a thin layer of margarine on one side of a tortilla (not necessary if you are using a cast iron pan). Spread a layer on half of the un-margarined side of the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half, then fry for a few mins per side, until golden brown. Remove from heat and slice in 3 triangles.

Mexican Jackfruit Filling

So I finally went on a jackfruit adventure. I was intrigued by said fruit when I saw the pulled jackfruit BBQ sandwich on Chow Vegan because it looked so much like actual meat. If you've hung around this blog for any length of time you know I have no problem with fake meat or trying to recreate meat dishes. I loved meat but gave it up for a variety of reasons I won't get into here. OK, back to the jackfruit. First off, when it comes out of the can it smells pretty bad--about as bad as one might expect from something called "young green jackfruit in brine." When cooked, it reminds me of artichokes. I wonder if they are related. Like Chow Vegan, I wasn't really crazy about the taste until the next day after it had been sitting in the fridge. So, my advice is to make this a day or two in advance and let the flavours soak in. So, in the final analysis, it was pretty good but did not blow me away. The look is spot on, and the taste and texture is pretty good. Of course, jackfruit has no protein, so serve it with refried beans or something.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4-6

- 1 can young green jackfruit

- 1 onion, quartered

- 3 cloves garlic

- 2 bay leaves

- 1 tsp marjoram

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp cumin

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 cup orange juice

- water

- 1 cup salsa (or more)

- spices to taste

METHOD

1. Rinse jackfruit, squeeze dry, and place in a pot. Add in onion, garlic, spices, and orange juice, and enough water to almost cover the jackfruit. Bring to boiling, cover, then simmer until jackfruit is tender enough to shred with a fork--about 1.5 to 2 hours.

2. Remove jackfruit from pan and shred with two forks. Put in a frying pan and add in one cup of salsa. Bring to bubbling and simmer, stirring frequently, until salsa has reduced a bit. Add more salsa if you find the taste too weak, or of jackfruit is too dry. Cook until salsa has reduced and jackfruit is drier.

3. Season to taste and serve in burritos, tacos, etc.

Here is the jackfruit after being shredded. Freaky.

Green Enchiladas

I have lamented before about the poor selection of ethnic food available in my city. There are no ethnic markets, just an ethnic section in the grocery store. On top of that, I shop at a store called No Frills which, as the name suggests, has no frills (selection is often a frill). So I was very happy to see green salsa for sale on the shelves the other day (back in Ohio I used to buy fresh tomatillos and make my own green enchilada sauce, but those days are over). Then, the bulk food store was selling off Vegan Gourmet cheese for 99 cents--I had to buy some. The logical dish to make was enchiladas. The taste was very good, considering pretty much everything came from a can, but it reminded me that I can live without Vegan Gourmet.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 can Old El Paso green chiles, with juices
- 1/2 cup tomato salsa
- 2 cups finely chopped veggie lunch meat
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional) plus more for top
- 10 wheat tortillas (or corn)
- 1 1/2 jars green salsa

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 11 baking dish.
1. Heat oil in a saucepan over med-hi heat. Saute onion and garlic for 5-7 mins, until translucent. Add chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon and mix well.
2. Add chiles, salsa, and veggie meat to the pan and bring to bubbling. Stir in cheese if using, and adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from heat.
3. Place 1/10th of the filling in a tortilla and roll up. Place in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas. Cover everything with salsa and as much cheese as you want.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 mins, or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted (or whatever it is that vegan cheese does).

Vegan Buñuelos

Tomorrow is grocery day so tonight's meal was all about throwing things into a tortilla: sauteed sweet onions, orange and yellow peppers; roasted jalapenos; and chickpeas. Tasty, but really just a variation of stuff I have blogged before. I thought we needed something special for afters so I made vegan buñuelos, a Mexican fried dough dessert (that usually has egg and butter). From what I can see, there are a variety of ways to make these so I am not sure there is a "correct" way. I made these like wee little doughnuts since there is no vegan doughnut shop anywhere near here. The dough is not very sweet (they aren't like a Tim Horton's doughnut) but are absolutely addictive. They taste best when freshly cooked so I have posted a recipe for 6. Double or triple according to how many you are feeding. Word of warning: I have never had a "real" buñuelo to compare these to, but to my mind these are awesome and taste and look like I think they should.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp ground anise

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 2 tsp ground flax seed

- 3-4 tsp water

- 1/4 cup soy milk

- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

- 2 tbsp Earth Balance margarine, melted

- oil for frying

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, anise, and sugar in a medium bowl.

2. In a small bowl add ground flax with 3 tsp of the water and let sit for a minute. Whisk with a fork until mixture thickens. Whisk in soy milk and vinegar.

3. Add flax mixture to the flour and mix with a fork. As the dough begins to come together mix in melted margarine with the fork. Use you hands to bring the dough together, adding the final tsp of water if needed. Knead dough on a counter top (floured, if needed) for 7 to 10 mins, or until dough is smooth. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.

4. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces and shape into balls. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 mins.

5. Heat a few inches of oil in a pan to about 375 degrees (med-hi on my stove). Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. While oil is heating, poke through the centre of each dough ball with the end of a wooden spoon and insert your pointer finger to shape each ball into a ring.

6. Fry in oil for about 60 seconds, turning once, until it floats and is a nice golden colour. If you use a small saucepan, like I do, you may want to flip it a few times. They like to sit at the bottom of the pan for a bit before they float, so they can brown quite quickly when in contact with the bottom of the pan.

7. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or paper bags. While still hit, toss each doughnut in the cinnamon and sugar. Enjoy right away.

Green Chile Chickpea Tortilla Cups

These are really, really good, and would be perfect as a party appetizer. I was not sure how the green chiles would work with the chickpeas, but it all turned out swimmingly. I was a little baffled that the boys were not crazy about them, but they were in a bit of a cranky mood today. Their loss. Vegan Mom and I chugged back everything they left behind.

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 recipe wheat tortillas, made into twelve 4+" tortillas

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 cup chickpeas

- 1 can Old El Paso green chiles, drained

- 1 tomato, finely diced

- salsa

- shredded vegan cheese (I grate Tofutti slices)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Oil a muffin tin.

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry chickpeas for 5 mins, until golden. Add chiles and heat through. Remove from heat and coarsely mash with a fork.

2. Line each muffin tin with one of the tortillas. Equally divide chickpea mixture into each of the tortillas. Top with tomato, a spoonful of salsa, and a healthy dose of grated cheese.

3. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until cheese is melted and tops of tortilla shells are lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Tortas

This is a fun meal for kids and a different way to serve up Mexican goodness without a tortilla. In order to cram all the ingredients in you need to hollow out the bottom part of the roll--this is the part the kids find so fun. After they have picked out the soft insides of the crusty roll they can fill in the cavity with their choice of toppings (I have suggested some here, but you can choose your own). Have fun!

INGREDIENTS

- French crusty rolls, or Mexican bolillo rolls

- refried beans

- finely sliced seitan

- salsa

- diced tomatoes

- thinly sliced red onion

- guacamole, or diced avocado

- shredded vegan cheese

- vegan sour cream

- shredded lettuce

METHOD

1. Cut roll 2/3rds of the way up (which I really didn't do, so don't look at the picture) and hollow out the bottom. Put down a thick layer of refried beans, then top with seitan and toppings. Put on top of roll and enjoy!

Albondigas

Tempeh meatballs in a spicy and sweet tomato sauce, served with homemade tortillas to mop up the extra sauce. Need I say more? All three boys bolted these down like it was their last meal. Son #2 ate six meatballs and two tortillas, so the recipe definitely gets the thumbs up!

INGREDIENTS

- 1 recipe of perfect tempeh burger, shaped into meatballs (with 1/2 tsp each cumin and cinnamon added to the spice mix)

- 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks

- 2 tbsp oil

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

- 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 4 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1 - 2 tbsp chili powder

- 1 tbsp paprika

- 1 tsp coriander

- 1 tsp parsley

- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

- juice of 1/2 lime

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large deep sided frying pan over medium heat. Cook meatballs for 10 mins, turning regularly, until all sides are nicely browned. Remove from pan.

2. Add potatoes to pan and fry for 5-7 mins, until softened and slightly browned. Remove from pan.

3. While potatoes are cooking, put the remaining ingredients (sugar to salt and pepper) into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add to pan and bring to bubbling. Cook for a few mins, then add meatballs and potatoes into the sauce. Cover and simmer while you make tortillas (15-20 mins). If sauce is too thin for your liking, simmer with the lid off for 5-10 mins. Serve with tortillas.

Refried Bean Quesadillas

I have discovered that my kids will wolf down just about anything in tortilla. This is a great way to get them to eat beans, and especially refried beans. So tonight was Seis de Mayo at our house (sort of a continued celebration of the Mexican victory over the French) with some Tequila Chili Lime Tofu and these addictive quesadillas.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 can low fat vegetarian refried beans

- minced sweet onion

- shredded vegan cheese

- small wheat tortillas

METHOD

Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat

1. Spread a thick layer of refried beans on half of a torilla. Top with some diced onion and cheese. Fold tortillas in half. Cook in pan for 2-3 mins per side, until golden and cheese is melted.

I also made this utterly amazing nacho dip. It is a tester recipe from Happy Herbivore's upcoming cookbook. It is really, really great.

Spicy Tempeh Tacos

I think it is safe to say that spring has finally come to stay. After a few days of snow flurries and temperatures near freezing, today was bright and sunny, and the forecast looks like more of the same. The ice is finally all melted on the lake, and plenty of people and their pets were out and about today.

Warm weather always makes me hungry for Mexican food, and tonight I wanted something spicy. I made tempeh strips a la my tempeh gyro (but with no marjoram and rosemary, and more sage) and topped them with these spicy onions.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 vidalia onion, halved and sliced

- 2 jalapeno peppers

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- few dashes Tabasco sauce

METHOD

1. Make tempeh as per the instructions in this recipe (spice as you see fit). When tempeh slices are cooked, slice into smaller strips.

2. Heat a frying pan over med-hi heat. Roast whole jalapeno peppers on the pan, turning regularly to lightly char the skin. Remove from heat and let cool. When cool, slice in half, deseed, and thickly slice.

3. Add oil to frying pan and increase heat to med-hi. Add onions and saute for 5 mins, until onions are just beginning to brown. Add garlic and pepper and fry for 2 mins. Add Tabasco to taste and remove from heat.

4. Place a few strips of tempeh on a small wheat tortilla and top with onion mixture. Top that with tomato and salsa.

Bean and Rice Burritos

I love this dish because it highlights cloves, which are usually hiding in the background in Mexican cooking. This is a simple dish but tasty which is made even better if you make your own tortillas (which makes it a less simple, of course). I used some store-bought tortillas that where more like pressed sawdust that wheat tortillas. Lesson learned.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 10 large burritos

- 1 cup long grain rice

- 4 cups water

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

- 2 tsp ground cloves

- 2 tsp oregano

- 2 cup diced canned tomatoes, with juices

- 2 cups mixed beans (pinto, black, chickpeas) or finely chopped seitan

- 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)

- 1/2 cup sour cream

- salt to taste

- 10 large wheat tortillas

METHOD

1. Bring water to boil in a medium pot and add rice. Cook for 8 minutes then drain, rinse thoroughly in cold water, and rinse again. Set aside.

2. While rice is cooking, heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onion, garlic, pepper, cloves, and oregano for 4-5 mins until onion softens. Add rice and mix well. Then, add in tomatoes and beans and cook over low heat until all the juice has absorbed and rice is cooked. Add a little water if it gets too dry, or rice is not cooking.

3. Get a cast iron pan heating over medium heat.

4. Add in cheese and sour cream and mix well. Season with salt, if needed.

5. Put 1/10 of the mixture in the middle of a tortilla. Fold over both sides, then bottom and top into a squarish package. Repeat. Place a few burritos, folded side down, in cast iron pan. Cook for a minute or two, until golden brown. Flip over and cook other side. Serve.

Simple Roasted Red Pepper Salsa

If you have never made your own salsa then you are missing out on one of life's simple pleasures.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 small onion, finely diced

- juice of one lime

- 1 roasted red pepper, cooled, seeded and skinned, and diced

- 3 tomatoes, seeded, and finely diced

- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

- salt and pepper (optional)

METHOD

1. Put onion in a bowl and add lime juice. Let sit for a few mins. Add in red pepper, tomatoes (you can skin them if you want, but I never bother), jalapeno pepper, and cilantro. Mix well.

2. You can add a bit of salt, if you want, but it will draw the water out of the tomatoes and make the salsa more watery.

Potato Cheese Quesadillas

These are a tasty little appetizer for your next fiesta that both kids and adults will love. The potato and cheese provide a salty, starchy and gooey base that is accented by the scallions and hot sauce.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 4 quesadillas, or 16 wedges

- 4 large wheat tortillas

- 3 medium yukon gold potatoes

- 3 scallions, finely chopped

- few dashes hot sauce

- 1/4 tsp salt

- dash of pepper

- 1 cup shredded vegan cheese

METHOD

1. Boil potatoes, skins on, in a small pot for about 15 mins, until tender but still firm. Drain water and set aside to cool.

2. Grate cooled potatoes, skins and all, into a bowl. Add in scallions, hot sauce, and salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Assemble the quesadillas: put 1/4 of the potato mixture on half of a tortilla. Top with 1/4 of the cheese. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cook quesadillas in a dry skillet over medium heat, flipping once, until tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted. Cut in 4 wedges and serve immediately.

Red Rice Tacos with Citrus Tofu

The past few days have been warm and sunny, and we have even eaten dinner out on the back porch twice! This beautiful weather, combined with reading about Urban Vegan's trip to Mexico, made tacos the logical choice for tonight (well, if sun+warm=tacos makes logical sense to you). I did not have any salsa or any sour cream, so I wanted to make a flavourful taco that did not rely on these ingredients. I'm not sure that rice is a traditional taco ingredient, but it works here. The tofu portion of the dish is a no (added) fat version of the tequila chili lime tofu I made a while back. The rest of the toppings are up to you, but the ones I used here worked really well. The avocado brings creaminess, the mesclun brings earthiness, and the hot sauce gives some bite.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup long grain white rice

- 2 cups water

- 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp paprika

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 tsp salt

- pinch of cayenne

- 1 pkg firm tofu, cubed

- 1/4 cup tequila

- juice of 1 orange

- juice of 1 lemon

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1 tsp salt

- small wheat tortillas

- diced tomato

- minced sweet onion

- diced avocado

- finely sliced mesclun (or some other dark leafy green)

- shredded vegan cheese

- Louisiana hot sauce (not Mexican, I know, but tasty!)

METHOD

1. Rinse rice and place in a pot with water, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, stirring to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 mins, until rice is cooked.

2. While rice is cooking, make the tofu. This method only works if you have a good non-stick pan. Heat pan over medium heat and add in tofu cubes. Cook for about 15 mins, flipping the tofu often, until all sides are golden and tofu has released its water. This makes for a nice chewy texture.

3. Add tequila to the pan and cook until all tequila is cooked off/absorbed into tofu. Add juices and do the same thing. Remove from pan and serve.

4. Assemble tacos: start with rice in a tortilla, top with tofu, then all the other stuff. Finish off with a few dashes of hot sauce and enjoy!

Tofu Omelette Strips with Roasted Salsa

This one takes a little bit of time but it is totally worth it. Plus, it is a very nice looking dish that is perfect for impressing your friends at your next fiesta.

Omelette Strips

- 1 double recipe of Susan's vegan omelette

Note: I changed the recipe slightly. I am not sure this made any difference. The strips were pretty durable, but it could be because I cooked them for a while. I added 2 tbsp instant tapioca, and began the recipe by first soaking the tapioca for 10 mins in 4 tbsp soy milk (up from the 2 tbsp the recipe calls for). Once soft, I added the rest of the ingredients and blended.

METHOD

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over med-lo heat. When hot, spray with cooking oil and spread one fourth of the omelette mixture as thinly as possible on the pan. Cook until sides begin to dry up a bit and you are able to flip the omelette (about 3-4 mins). Flip and cook other side for another 3-4 mins. You want to make sure the omelette is completely cooked through, so lower the heat if it is getting too brown. Remove from heat and cool. Repeat with remaining mixture.

2. Once cool, cut into strips.

Roasted Salsa

While you are cooking the omelette you can make the salsa

- 4 ripe plum tomatoes

- 6 cloves of garlic, skins on

- 2 onions, sliced in half, skins left on

- 1-2 whole fresh jalapeno peppers

- 1/2 tsp oregano

- 1/4 tsp cumin

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1-2 tbsp tomato paste

METHOD

1. Heat a heavy (cast iron) skillet over medium heat. When hot, add whole tomatoes, turning to let the skins roast/lightly char. When uniformly roasted, remove from pan and let cool.

2. Add garlic, onions, and peppers to the pan and roast. Be careful to keep the garlic moving/rotating so it does not burn. Flip the onions and peppers occasionally as well. When roasted, remove from pan.

3. Remove skins from onions and garlic, slice and de-seed the pepper, and roughly chop the lot. Chop tomatoes as well and place it all into a food processor. Pulse to a chunky puree.

4. Pour mixture into a saucepan and add spices. Bring to bubbling, then add enough tomato paste to get the consistency you want. Let simmer for as long as you can, and adjust seasonings before serving.

To assemble to dish: make a "nest" of strips on a plate and top with a generous amount of warm salsa. Garnish with cilantro and serve. If you want, reheat the strips a bit first in the microwave, or on a warm skillet.

Black Bean Burritos

The kids absolutely loved these wee little burritos. Son#1 ate eight. Hmmm . . . I hope there aren't any repercussions from such excessive bean intake.

INGREDIENTS

- 8 small wheat tortillas

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp salt

- vegan cheese

- salsa

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute onions for 10 mins,until deep golden brown. Add beans and cook for 2 mins, until heated through. Roughly mash beans.

2. Add water and spices and mix well. Remove from heat.

3. Heat a clean pan over medium heat. Heat up a tortilla on pan for a few seconds. Spread 1/8 of the bean mixture over 3/4 of the tortilla. Top with some cheese and a heaping tsp of salsa. Roll up tortilla, starting at end with beans/salsa/cheese. Place burrito back on pan and brown top and bottom. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

4. Cut each burrito into three. Serve.

Tequila Chili Lime Tofu

I went a little crazy in the kitchen today. The boys were outside playing since it was finally above zero (only 2 degrees above, but we will take what we can get), so I spent about 2 hours making a Mexican feast. I like to make a special meal on Sundays when I have some extra time, and cooking helps me decompress and relax and get ready for the work week. I will post two recipes tonight and the final one tomorrow.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg firm tofu, pressed, and cut into slices

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 large vidalia onion (or some other sweet onion), cut in half and sliced

- 1/4 cup tequila

- juice of 1 orange

- juice of two limes

- 1/4 tsp ground allspice

- 1/4 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp chili powder

- pinch of cumin

- 1 tsp salt

- cilantro for garnish

METHOD

1. Toss tofu slices in cornstarch and fry in oil over med-hi heat until golden. Remove from oil and drain.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onions, stirring constantly, for about 5 mins, until onions are just starting to brown.

3. Add tequila to pan and cook until mostly evaporated, stirring constantly. Add juices and spices (except cilantro, of course) and mix well. Add tofu into pan and turn to coat. Add more orange juice if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Chickpea Tostados

Happy Herbivore left a note the other day saying I should check out her chickpea tacos, that the boys would love them. Well, she was right. Of course, I made a few changes to suit the ingredients I had, and decided that tostados (fried tortillas) would be the perfect fit since you can pile the toppings up as high as you like. Happy Herbivore baked her chickpeas, so be sure to check out her recipe.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp salt

- juice of 1 lime

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onions and garlic for 10 mins, until onions are a deep golden brown.

2. Add chickpeas and spices and mix well. Fry for at least 5 mins. I suggest reducing heat and letting the chickpea cook for a while to let the flavours develop. When chickpeas are done cooking, add lime juice and stir well. Serve.

3. Toppings are up to you. Here's what I did: chickpeas, roasted peppers, tomatoes, green onions, baby spinach, salsa, vegan sour cream, and shredded vegan cheese.

Vegan Mom's Clean-out-the-fridge Chili

No real recipes tonight, I am sorry to say. Vegan Mom made this chili since I was stuck in a committee meeting. I have posted the photo here to prove that chili need not be just beans and TVP. This chili has roasted red pepper, green pepper, eggplant, carrots, mushrooms, kidney beans, onion, celery, and fresh tomatoes. So, next time you need to clean out the crisper, think chili!

I also tried a very simple custard tonight. And by simple I mean it basically came from a tin. Bird's custard powder was created by a man whose wife was allergic to eggs (according to Wikipedia). I made the custard as per the directions, then poured it over sliced bananas in custard cups. Tasty, and it hit the spot since pudding and custard really aren't on the menu much these days. The custard was a tad bland, and needed the bananas, so I am going to work on a better blend of flavours in the future.