Category: Vegan Mexican-Southwestern

by betsy

Quick Vegan Chilaquiles–A Mexican Restaurant Leftovers Redux

Quick ChilaquilesYield: 2 servings

Joe and I go out for Mexican food at least once a week–alternating between two neighborhood restaurants– and, last night, we both ordered something different than we normally do.  He, an omnivore, ordered chilaquiles and I ordered what I didn’t realize was vegan fajitas, as it was called something like “Vegetarian E,” with a side of refried beans.  Had I realized, I would have known it would be way too much food, though I never mind tasty leftovers.

I topped my beans with a few of the griddled veggies–onions, red and green peppers, and mushrooms–including some of those nice deeply caramelized bits, and enjoyed them with a side of tortilla chips (too many!) and fresh, zesty pico de gallo.  I felt completely sated, yet there was a heaping mound of the vegetables still left and three tortillas rolled up in foil.  So, we packed it all up and brought it home.

Having considered lots of options for those vegetables–some I hope to try in the future–I ultimately decided on my own version of chilaquiles for lunch today.  I sliced the tortillas, pan sauteed them in a little oil, crumbled in some tofu and spices which I sauteed until the tofu began to turn the barest hint of golden brown, added the veggies with a little salsa and nutritional yeast, and sauteed the whole mixture until heated through.

I hope you find this quick Mexican melange as addicting as I did topped with a dollop of vegan sour cream and a slice of marinated cucumber.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3-8 inch flour tortillas, stacked, rolled, and cut into 1/2-inch clices

Sea salt

7 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed gently with paper towel (half of a 14 ounce box)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cups sauteed and slightly caramelized fajita veggies (sliced onion, red and green bell peppers, and mushrooms)

2 tablespoons prepared salsa (I used a pineapple variety)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Garnish(es): vegan sour cream, sprigs of fresh cilantro, slices of cucumber or lime, and lightly salted and roasted papitas (pumpkin seeds)

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add tortillas and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring constantly, until beginning to turn crisp. Crumble in tofu, sprinkle with cumin and smoked paprika, and saute, stirring, for a couple of minutes or until tofu becomes a little drier and begins to turn a light golden brown.  Scrape up any bits of tortilla or tofu that begins to stick on the bottom of the skillet and turn brown, as they add great flavor.  Add the vegetables, salsa, and nutritional yeast, and continue sauteing, stirring, and scraping, until heated through, only a couple more minutes.  Serve immediately garnished as desired.

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by betsy

Vegan Mexican Refried Bean Burgers–A Restaurant Leftover Redux

Refried Bean Burger--A Mexican Restaurant Redo

Yield: 2 burgers

My husband and I typically dine out three times a week: Date Night on Wednesday, and then Friday and Saturday.  Except for special occasions and opportunities, we stick to what we refer to as “The Rotation,” which is a handful of ethnic restaurants very near our home that we cycle through about every couple of weeks: Chinese (unbelievably good Chinese), Mexican, Italian, Thai, and Vietnamese.  There are actually three Mexican/Fresh-Mex restaurants on The Rotation, so I end up with more Mexican leftovers than any other.

Our area has absolutely no vegetarian or vegan restaurants.  The two I can think of that tried to make it over the years were vegan, one raw–really excellent ones–didn’t succeed.  So, especially in the Mexican restaurants which offer no dishes with tofu like the other restaurants–oh, how we wish we had a restaurant like San Francisco’s Gracias Madre here!–I try to get the tiniest bit creative with my order so that my only option isn’t a plate of rice and beans.  Because, as you know, even those dishes under the “vegetarian” section of the menu typically contain queso and crema.  Yes, they can be omitted, but then you’re back to rice and beans.

One of the Mexican restaurants on The Rotation at least offers spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms–it is practically unheard of in these parts for a Mexican restaurant to serve a green vegetable that isn’t a chili–so I order various combinations griddle grilled and served on top of my beans (the truth is that I’m not much of a rice eater: too many calories with too little nutrition).  Wednesday night, my order included onions, green bell pepper, spinach and tomatoes.  And I had about half of it leftover.

Restaurant portions are so huge that who doesn’t come home with leftover, right?  And they tend to be good eats simply heated, but, yet again, I wanted something different, something more interesting, for my lunch on Friday (we were home again for three Snow Days last week!).  Since the base of all of my burgers is mashed beans, I decided to make a burger.  To them, I add chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, some kind of chopped nut, vital wheat gluten, old fashioned oats, nutritional yeast, and spice–the magic formula for a burger that tastes sensational and that holds together beautifully with a crave-worthy mouth-feel.

In this case, since my beans included some grilled veggies, I omitted my typical trio and then proceeded as usual.  For 4 burgers, I start with a 15.5 ounce can of rinsed and drained beans, or about 1 1/2 cups before being processed with the vegetables, which reduces all of their volume.   So, since my leftovers measured about 3/4 cup including the grilled veggies, that sounded like about half the amount of bean-vegetable mixture I typically start with, so I used half the amount of everything else which was perfect.  I used some roasted pecans I had on hand as the nut–delish–and minimal spice, just some ground cumin, salt and pepper.   Half a toasted pretzel roll (not very Mexican, but what I had and fantastic), a little mayo, baby kale leaves, and the pico de gallo that I had also brought home from the restaurant was all this burger needed to become a fiesta on my plate!

It may be my best burger yet…but I think that about all of my burgers.  Go out to eat, bring home some leftovers, and enjoy even more the second time!

3/4 cup refried beans (very smooth), with grilled onions, peppers and spinach (mostly refried beans)

1/4 cup finely chopped roasted pecans

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

vegetable oil

1 toasted pretzel roll, top and bottom (or bread/roll/bun of your choice)

2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

approximately 10 baby kale leaves (or the fresh green/lettuce of your choice)

approximately 1/4 cup pico de gallo

In a medium bowl, combine first 8 ingredients with a fork and then your fingers to make a fairly stiff, moist mixture with almost a cookie dough-like consistency.  If sticky, add a bit more vital wheat gluten.  Shape into two 3/4- to 1-inch thick patties.  In a cast iron skillet over medium high, heat a thin layer of vegetable oil and cook burgers for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, slightly crusty on the exterior, and heated through. Spread half a tablespoon of mayo on each roll or bun, and then top with half the kale leaves, the burger patty, another half tablespoon of mayo, and half the pico de gallo. Serve immediately.   Note: all Restaurant refried bean mixtures will, of course, vary somewhat in moisture, consistency, and spice, so vary remaining ingredients accordingly.

 

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by betsy

Vegan Southwest Mac-n-Cheese (with Go Veggie! cheeses)

Southwestern Mac-n-Cheese--horizontalYield: 6 to 8 servings

(If you want to skip the backstory and product review, just scroll down a little bit to the creamy-cheesy recipe!)

Recently, I received a big box of Go Veggie! vegan products to test.  If your preferred grocery store, like mine, only stocks Go Veggie! vegetarian products (made with casein and such) and you thought it wasn’t the brand for you, I have good news: they make quite a range of vegan cheeses and, so far, I have found them very tasty with beautiful melt-ability.  Look for the purple packaging and click here for a store locator.

Just prior to receiving the bountiful box, I had seen two unrelated shows on the Food Network in which the hosts made mac-n-cheese, so that seemed the perfect dish in which to test several of the products all at once.  Both recipes were made with a veloute sauce instead of a bechamel.   Of this pair of French “mother” sauces, bechamel is a classic white sauce and veloute exactly the same, only made with stock instead of milk or cream.  I liked the idea of a veloute since so much “dairy” is used for mac-n-cheese anyway.  But if you are a non-dairy “Dairy Queen,” then, by all means, substitute your favorite non-dairy milk for the vegetable base/bouillion and water.

So, this morning, having literally not cooked all week–we dined out for dinner a lot with a guest in town, meaning there was also plenty of leftovers for my school lunches–I eagerly woke up  and dove into what turned out to be my very simple and satisfying project.  Since the cheddar-like package of “shreds” I was sent was called “Mexican Flavor,” I decided to nudge my recipe slightly west of  the Missisippi River without making it overpoweringly Mexican.

The award-winning Go Veggie! Dairy Free Cream Cheese Alternative added just the right amount of body to my veloute, which is definitely a bit thinner than a bechamel, due ot the lack of butterfat.   Their cream cheese has a pleasantly mild flavor and creamy texture, though a little liquid had separated, which may have been due to shipping and really didn’t present a problem, regardless; I simply poured it off before using.

The Go Veggie! Dairy Free Mexican Flavor Shreds melted beautifully, though I could barely detect any Mexican spices in the mix of both Cheddar- and Jack-style shreds, which is probably just as well because that allows the cook to better control the spices and resulting flavor.  I chose a mere half teaspoon of ground cumin and a quarter teaspoon each of chili powder, dried oregano, and smoked paprika, along with onion, garlic and roasted poblano peppers.

For the topping, the Go Veggie! Dairy Free Grated Parmesan Style Cheese was tasty–nutty, pungent and appealingly dry–and browned just perfectly mixed with vegan butter and Panko bread crumbs.  I could have used crushed corn chips, but I was trying to merely suggest the Southwest, not hit anyone over the head with a sombrero!

Speaking of heads, I am head-over-heels for this one, and hope you are too!  My finished dish is just perfect to me: not a thick, “gloppy” cut-it-with-a-knife mac-n-cheese, but pasta noodles bathed in a rich, silky, deeply flavorful and golden sauce with plenty of cheesiness, though far less cheese than many recipes call for.

6 tablespoons vegan butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)

2 rounded teaspoons powdered vegetable base (or 2-3 bouillion cubes; not the extra large ones for 2 cups of liquid)

Pinch sea salt

2 cups water (or your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk)

1/4 cup Go Veggie! Dairy Free Cream Cheese Alternative

1-8 ounce package Go Veggie! Dairy Free Mexican Flavor Shreds

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon chili powder (mile or hot, your choice)

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon freshly gound black pepper

2 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, halved, roasted under the broiler until skin blackens (about 5 minutes), skin removed, and finely diced

8 ounces rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained, rinsed, and drained again

Crunchy Topping (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.   In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onoins are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic, and cook and stir for another minute.  Whisk in flour to make a roux, cooking and whisking for a couple of minutes to remove raw flour taste.  Slowly whisk in vegtable base and water.  (Note: you may substitute vegetable stock for vegetable base and water.)  And cook for about 7 or so minutes or until sauce is quite thick.  Add cream cheese alternative and whisk until melted, followed by shreds and all spices.  Check for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.  Stir in poblano peppers and then fold sauce into pasta and spoon lightly into prepared dish.  Sprinkle topping evenly over the surface, covering completely, and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to reabsorb back into the pasta.

Crunchy Topping:

1 tablespoon vegan butter

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup Go Veggie! Dairy Free Parmesan Style Grated Cheese

In a small saucepan, melt butter overmedium high.  Remove from heat and stir in crumbs and cheese until all ingredients are well combined.

Southwestern Mac-n-Cheese--vertical

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by betsy

Vegan Mexican Migas Casserole with Tortilla Crumb Topping

Mexican Migas CasseroleNo, this isn’t part of my Thanksgiving Countdown–the last dish of my 3-course feast is coming up tomorrow!–rather, this is just an outrageously tasty and satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs-without-weighing-you-down dish for any night of the week.  And heated leftovers are crave-worthy for lunch.

 

Yield : 6 servings

 

I call this delightful mash-up of everything Mexican “migas” because of the tortilla chips.  Real migas, of course, calls for eggs, which are absent from this dish, as well as torn up tortillas–my favorite part!  A partial bag of leftover chips and company coming for dinner inspired this dish, as I knew the chips would absorb moisture from the other ingredients and plump up like tortillas.

 

1 tablespoon  olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 ounces chopped kale

1-15.5 ounce can beans,  e.g black or pinto, rinsed and drained (I use a tri-bean variety)

1-15.5 ounce can diced roasted tomatoes, drained

1-12 ounce package frozen yellow corn, thawed

1 1/2 cups sliced sautéed mushrooms

2.5 ounce can (dry weight) sliced black olives, drained

4 ounces canned diced green chilies

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

4 cups white corn tortilla chips + 1 cup finely crushed

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup vegan sour cream

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

Freshly ground black pepper

Garnishes: dollops of vegan sour cream, a little salsa or chimichurri, and some roasted pumpkin seeds.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil.  Add onion and salt, and sauté, stirring frequently for 3 minutes or until softened.  Add kale and sauté for another 3 minutes or until softened and slightly wilted.  Transfer mixture to a very large bowl and add all remaining ingredients, except finely crushed tortilla chips, in order given, lightly crushing the 4 cups of tortilla chips with your fingers as you add.  Fold all together until will combined.  Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish, lightly smoothing top.  Sprinkle with finely crushed tortilla chips, spray top lightly with nonstick cooking spray (a canola or olive oil variety) to promote browning, and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.  Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving topped with a dollop of vegan sour cream, a little salsa or chimichurri, and some roasted pumpkin seeds.

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by betsy

Vegan Spinach-Three Bean Dip and Enchilada/Bell Pepper Filling–A Hit with Non-Vegan Teens!

Tofutti Enchiladas

This dip has always been a hit with my National Art Honor Society students since I introduced it a few years ago, wanting to serve them something tasty, but nutritious at our after school meetings.  We had our first meeting of the year about 10 days agao, and the officers specially requested it.

There was some left over, as we had a LOT of food for the induction ceremony and kick-off.  So, I rolled scoops up inside tortillas and some inside a halved red bell pepper; spooned homemade, slightly chunky enchilada sauce over the top of each; and baked them about 20 minutes (30 for the peppers) for some of the best enchiladas around!

They are perfect for a family dinner, but they reheat beautifully for satisfying lunches.  All you need is a microwave.

 

Vegan Spinach-Three Bean Dip or Enchilada/Bell Pepper Filling:

 

1 1/2 cups Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream

1 1/2 cups vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 envelopes (1 box) dry vegetable soup mix

2-9 or 10 ounce boxes frozen spinach, thawed, and moisture squeezed out

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can white beans or dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Pinch coarse sea salt to taste

In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients, separating strands of spinach with your fingers as you add it. Check for salt and add a pinch to bring out flavors if desired. Serve cold with your favorite dippers.  Or, roll up inside tortillas, place in an oiled pan, top with your favorite homemade or prepared salsa verde or enchilada sauce, bake about 20 minutes and serve topped with more Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream and the garnish if your choice.  I like a slice of lime and a few toasted pepitas.  Note:  you can use any beans you prefer, even all of one kind.  To make stuffed peppers, stem, seed, and half a red bell pepper, mound slightly with the filling, top with the enchilada sauce, and bake for about 30 minutes or until peppers are tender.  Cover with foil if sauce in the bottom of the pan starts to scorch.

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by betsy

Vegan Green Chilies Casserole

Green Chilies Casserole

Yield: 6-8 servings

A childhood favorite from my mother’s kitchen remade my way!

Not only is it more healthful with my addition of bell pepper, kale, yellow squash, and black beans, plus tempe substituting for you-know-what, but it is also much quicker, yet still creamy-good.

Ole!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1/8th teaspoon sea salt

1/8th teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large orange or red bell pepper

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespooons nutritional yeast (optional, but yields a beautiful “cheesy” taste)

8 ounces crumbled tempeh

1 8-inch yellow squash, diced

8 cups loosely packed chopped kale

1-15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

8 cups corn chips (I used Xochitl Organic White Corn Chips)

16 ounce jar salsa verde

7 ounce can chopped green chilies

1 cup vegan sour cream (I use Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream, but use your favorite prepared or homemade version)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a large casserole dish.  In a large wok, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high.  Add onion, sea salt, and pepper, and saute, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes or until softened.  Then add in order the following ingredients, sautéing and stirring about 3 minutes between each:  bell pepper and garlic, spices and tempeh, yellow squash, and kale. Kale may require a couple more minutes of cooking time. Then stir in remaining ingredients and heat through.  Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, covered.  Serve garnished as desired.

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by betsy

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Chip-Pumpkin Seed Cake (a veganized version of a Rick Bayless recipe)

Pumpkin Seed-Chocolate Chip CakeA recipe from Rick Bayless–the iconic American chef steeped in traditional Mexican cuisine which he serves up, with a modern twist, at his Frontera Grill restaurants in Chicago and cooks up on his PBS series–inspired my vegan version (which I submitted to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck!).

I spotted the recipe in “Chefs’ Weeknight Dinners” in the July 2014 issue of Food and Wine while on an airplane and knew it would be one of the first new recipes I created once I got back home.

I followed his recipe and method except for the eggs and the chocolate.  For the 3 eggs, I substituted 1/2 cup mashed banana, 1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk, and an additional 3/4 teaspoon baking powder.  I chose banana as I’m not a powdered egg replacement fan and the banana seemed both Mexican and compatible with chocoalte.  (I think pureed pumpkin would also be a nice substitute.)  And for the Mexcian chocolate, finely chopped, I simply subbed vegan mini chocolate chips.  I also added a teaspoon of vanilla and a smidge more confectioners’ sugar for dusting.

The recipe is a cinch to make and very earthy due to the large amount of pumpkin seeds.  It calls for just over a cup of sugar, but the pumpkin seeds are roasted and salted, so this unfrosted cak is not too sweet.

The result is deliciously different without being odd.  The cake has a consistency somewhat similar to a blondie with chocoalte chips.  But its flavor–with the banana virtually undetectable–is all its own, so I think you’ll love adding it to your repertoire.

 

1 3/4 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (any granulated sugar will work)

1/2 cup mashed banana

1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk

Optional: 1 tablespoon tequila

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup softened butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/3 cup white whole wheat flour (unbleached all-purpose flour would also be fine)

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 ounces vegan mini-chocolate chip (or chocolate/chocolate chips finely chopped)

2 tablespoons confecitoners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.  Trace around the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut out just inside the line.  Place paper in greased pan and spray again.  Sprinkle bottom with 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds and 2 tablespooons of turbinado sugar.  In a food processor, pulse the remaining 1 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds with the remaining 1 cup of turbinado sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand.  Add the banana, soymilk, optional tequila, vanilla, and butter, and process until smooth.  Add the flour and baking powder and pulse just until incoproated.  Add the chocolate and pulse until well distributed.  Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, gently smoothing to make an even layer over the pumpkin seeds.  Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges are golden brown.  Rotate the pan halfway though baking.  Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a plate and carefully peel off the parchment paper.  Dust the cake with the confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

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by betsy

Vegan Tacos with Chipotle Orange-Marinated Tofu (with black beans, kale, tomatoes, Chipotle Orange Sour Cream, cilantro, and toasted pepitas)

Tacos with Chipote-Orange Marinated TofuYield: 8 overstuffed tacos (2 per serving)

Believe it or not, this recipe was inspired by a “bean bowl” I enjoyed from a southwestern concession at the Atlanta airport.  (And it is such a hit that Tofutti published it here!)

I ordered their orange tofu version with grilled veggies, black beans, cilantro, and salsa,  and the combination was outstanding…and not just because I was starving for something fresh on a day of travel!

I don’t remember the terminal but the name of the establishment is Willy’s Mexicana Grill and the tofu is unforgettable!  Hopefully I can find it again on my next layover at ATL.  In the meantime, I created my own (that is even more fabulous) to share with you!

I saute the tofu–but you could also bake or even grill it–to enjoy in my stuffed soft tacos,  the aforementioned bean bowl, a buritto, an enchilada, or however your heart desires.

 

Vegan Tacos with Chipotle Orange-Marinated Tofu

Chipotle Orange-Marinated Tofu (recipe follows–prepare the day before you plan to use)

1 can rinsed and drained black beans (I like to have these ready to go in advance, and I like to saute a small onion in a tablespoon of oil, add beans, heat through, and lightly mash leaving some beans whole)

8-6 inch corn tortillas

Approximately 2 cups tightly packed fresh, raw, stemmed kale leaves, finely chopped

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Chipotle Orange Sour Cream (recipe follows)

1/2 cup loosely packed  fresh cilantro leaves

Approximately 5 tablespoons lightly salted and roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Lightly warm each tortilla shell in a dry skillet over medium-high for a few seconds on both sides.  Fold and place two on each serving plate, folds touching.  Fill each with 1/8 of the beans, kale, tofu, and tomatoes.  Drizzle with Chipotle Orange Sour Cream, and tuck in 1/8 of the tofu leaves.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

 

Chipotle Orange-Marinated Tofu

Juice and zest of one large navel orange

Juice and zest of one medium, lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chilies in adobo), or to taste (it’s got some heat!)

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt to taste (don’t skimp!)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

14 ounces extra firm tofu, pressed and drained between paper towels, and cut into 12 cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients together, except tofu and oil,  in a non-reactive bowl or carton, taste and adjust seasoning, add tofu, turn over a couple of times, and marinate over night, covered, turning occasionally if you think about it.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, add tofu cubes and half of marinade (reserve remaining marinade), and saute without disturbing two to three minutes on one side or until lightly golden brown.  Flip, and cook two to three minutes more on the opposite side.  (It is not necessary to brown all 6 sides.)  Check, occasionally to make sure that tofu isn’t browning too quickly but, if it is, adjust the heat.  When cool enough to handle, cut each cube into quarters.

 

Chipotle Orange Sour Cream

Reserved Chipotle-Orange Marinade

1/3 to 1/2 cup vegan sour cream (I like Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream)

Whisk together an refrigerate, covered, until serving time.

 

Here’s a photo of my build-your-own-bowl from Willy’s Mexcican Grill.  I chose black beans, the orange-marinated tofu, corn salsa, cucumbers, and fresh cilantro:

Photo: Good vegan airport food? Yes! A black bean and orange-marinated tofu bowl with corn salsa, fresh cucumbers, and fresh cilantro at Willy's Mexicana Grill in the B Terminal at ATL. Yum!

 

 

 

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by betsy

Creamy Vegan Green Chili Rice Casserole (my first “commissioned” recipe–thanks Tofutti!)

Green Chili Rice CasseroleI have some exciting news that I haven’t been able to share until now because I’ve had to be so neglectful of The Blooming Platter since just before Valentine’s Day.

Though it and you are never far from my mind, our school district decided we would make up snow days on three Saturdays, with the first one being February 15.  I made sure my students and I had a great day–they are the best!–but that full day of school on the weekend created a domino effect of scrambling to re-prioritize.  Not only did I host a Valentine’s dinner party that night–with a different (but delicious) menu than I’d originally planned since I had only a few hours to get it all together–but three major freelance writing projects to juggle this past week.  I am NOT complaining–I feel very grateful–but I am explaining why even my Blooming Platter Facebook page sent a message saying basically, “Hey, where are you?”

Here’s the news:  recently, the good folks atTofutti hired me to develop a recipe made with one of their products!  They explained that, unlike with my other guest posts/recipes on their sites, my name wouldn’t appear with it, as they would own it, but that was fine with me.  I am just happy for them to share this tasty and easy recipe with their customers/readers.  

After scanning their recipe files, they determined that they were a little low on rice dishes.  I actually don’t make, order out, or even eat many rice “dishes,” though I serve and order Basmati rice with, say, Indian food or Jasmine rice with Thai.  But when I do prepare rice dishes, it has to be either a salad (like my Thai-inspired black rice salad) or something warm and creamy.  Since it is February, I chose the latter.  

Of the company’s products that are widely available in our area–namely Better Than Cream Cheese and Better Than Sour Cream–I chose the former which, along with the rice, seemed the perfect match-up for something Mexican/Southwestern inspired.  These days, with time at a premium (see aforementioned Saturday School among other things), I also wanted something virtually hands-free.  After a lot of brainstorming. some research, and a little experimentation with cooking method and time, voila!, this Creamy Vegan Green Chili Rice Casserole was born.

Though this spicy side dish spends an hour in the oven–it is made with slower cooking brown rice–all of that time, except for uncovering it and a quick stir, is completely hands-free.

I would love it if you would visit the Tofutti site and “like” the recipe HERE though I’ve included it below.  Olé!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup long grain brown rice

1-4 ounce can diced mild green chilies, drained (about 1/3 cup if you prefer to roast and dice your own chilies)

1/3 cup pitted, sliced black olives

1 cup diced tomatoes (or 1-10 ounce can diced tomatoes, plain or spicy, such as a lime and cilantro variety)

1/2 cup (4 ounces) Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a 7 to 8-inch souffle dish or the equivalent and set aside.  Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add onion and salt and saute, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and saute, stirring, for another minute.  Add rice and cook, stirring very frequently, for 3 minutes or until rice begins to turn golden brown.  Lower heat if cooking too quickly.  Add green chilies, olives, and tomatoes, stir to combine and heat through.  Add Better Than Cream Cheese, nutritional yeast, cumin, and crumbled bouillon cube.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and completely incorporated; then stir in water until completely incorporated.  Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and bake, covered, for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and cook an additional 30 minutes, stirring well halfway through.  Serve immediately as a side dish.  It is also delicious as a filling for stuffed bell peppers.

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