Adrienne Wallace

My third taco recipe of May is a blend of two of my fave recipes: Poblano & Portobello Tacos and TLT Sandwiches.  Sundays are typically a very hectic day at my house cramming all the stuff we should have done on Saturday AND Sunday into just Sunday, so I wanted leftovers for Sunday that I could reheat and not have to spend time on din-din.

Enter, the Tempeh, Poblano & Portobello Taco for dinner guests on Saturday.  Most of this can be done in advance and kept warm in a 200 degree oven until company arrives.  This recipe looks long and drawn out, but it’s mostly done in stages so you don’t even notice it.

Components:

• 3 packages portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced then roasted
• 4 poblano peppers, roasted, skinned and sliced into strips
• 3 red bell peppers, roasted, skinned and sliced into strips
• 2 boxes grape tomatoes, roasted
• dairy or nondairy cheese
• tortillas of your choice
• dairy or nondairy sour cream
• cubed avocado
• lime wedges
• store-bought salsa (I used Newman’s black bean and corn)

Tempeh “Meat”

• 2 bricks tempeh (any flavor), steamed and sliced into strips

Marinade

• 6 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 C tamari or soy sauce
• 4 T balsamic vinegar
• 4 T maple syrup or agave
• 6 T chipotle en adobo

Honey Cumin Slaw

• 1/2 large green cabbage, shredded (could also use a bag of cole slaw mix)
• 5-8 radishes, grated and patted dry

Dressing

• 1/3 C fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 T vegetable, grapeseed or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T honey or agave
• 1 tsp cumin

Easiest.  Dressing.  Ever.  Combine items in a Ball jar, give it a good shake and let it sit for 30 minutes before topping slaw above.  Serve immediately.

Finally, assemble tacos with your choice of tortilla (I prefer corn), roasted peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, tempeh, dairy or nondairy cheese, avocado, dairy or nondairy sour cream, salsa, slaw, squirt of lime and prepare for leftovers.

From this recipe, I was able to get dinner on Saturday night for four, TLT’s from the leftovers with the help of some bread from the freezer toasted for two for Sunday night dinner, two lunches of black bean/mango bowls on Monday, and finally…dinner on Monday night for two, roasted veggie quesadillas.  Not bad for a bunch of simple ingredients, a little prep work, and some help from the freezer.

If you are so inclined.  I’d appreciate your vote:  West Michigan Woman Covergirl

My friend Julie and I are addicted to granola.  Too bad all the store brands are made with crap.  I set off to create a better-for-us-granola.  I concocted this from the combo of several other granola recipes before me, the result was delish.  Now that I have the hang of it…I have lots of flavor combos in mind.  Stay tuned.

Ingredients:

• 2 C Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats (or any non-instant oat)
• 1/4 C reduced-fat, flaked, unsweetened coconut (yes, it exists, buy it at Harvest Health or online at Amazon)
• 1/4 C chopped hazel nuts
• 1/4 C chopped walnuts
• 1/8 C chia seeds
• 1/8 C flax seeds, whole
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 C REAL maple syrup

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Now prepare yourself…this next part is very complicated…combine all items in a bowl and stir.

Pour out granola onto a baking sheet with sides and bake for about an hour, stirring every 10 minutes, checking that the granola is crisping, not burning.  Remove, let cool totally and enjoy.

This recipe makes 3 1/2 C of granola with each 1/2 C serving costing you 337 well-worth-it calories.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only (A Tale of Two Cities-Dickens-opening paragraph).

If I haven’t lost ya yet, now you have some trivia knowledge and two taco recipes coming right up!  See this is why we are friends!  Speaking of friends that tolerate me, my friend Angela asked me about these lentil tacos I keep talking about.  I went to direct her to my blog and realized, crap, I have never shared them on my blog.  Here you go Angela!  I have no pictures for you, but the recipe needs to get out into the universe.  We all know that pink slime, er beef is bad; love on a lentil instead.

Recipe One:  Lentil Tacos

Adapted from Isa Chandra.

2 teaspoons olive oil (you can do this oil free if you add a smidge of water to the onion when it starts getting sticky from sauteing it)

• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils (from about 1 cup dried)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (preferably Cholula)

Spice mix:

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

First combine all of the ingredients for the spice mix and set aside. Also, keep a cup of water within reach, you’ll need to add splashes as you cook.  You can totally put in taco sauce or salsa for the hot sauce and chili powder for the ancho pepper in the spice mix to make it less of a shock.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add spices and toss them for 30 seconds or so to toast.

Lower heat to medium, add lentils, a few splashes of water, tomato paste and hot sauce; use a spatula to mash them a bit as they cook, until they hold together. If your spatula isn’t strong enough to accomplish this, just use a fork. Do this for about 5 minutes, adding splashes of water as necessary if it appears dry. Depending on the type of lentil you land, it will take more or less time to cook.  Taste for salt and seasoning; you may want to add more spices or hot sauce. And that’s it, time to serve!

Lentil Tacos Take Two

Adapted from the recipe above based on what I had in my kitchen

• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2-1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup salsa
• 12 taco shells
• shredded lettuce, chopped fresh tomato, vegan cheese, avocado, limes

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Uncover; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly. Stir in salsa.  Stuff in your shell of choice and serve with toppings as you have them available.

• 3 small bananas (9.5 ounces), mashed
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1 small lemon, juiced)
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 2 eggs**
• 1 cup oat flour (1 cup oats processed in your food processor for about a minute-be sure these are GF oats. I suggest Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1/2 cup whole oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

I have a love/hate relationship with the Skinny Bitch vegan book series.  I think it starts with the word skinny, something which I will never ever feel that I am, nor that I necessarily desire to be frankly…Thinner Bitch I will strive for I guess then.  At any rate, I present to you, a reason I’ll never be skinny….Curried Chickpea Cakes via Skinny Bitch Kim Barnouin’s Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.

Curried Chickpea Cakes
Makes 10 Servings

• 1 (15-ounce/430 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup (20 g) sliced green onions, both white and light green parts
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) light coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons evaporated cane sugar
• 2/3 cup (75 g) breadcrumbs, plus 1/4 cup (30 g) for coating
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2/3 cup (130 g) brown rice, cooked
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) grapeseed oil or toasted sesame oil, for pan searing

1. In a large food processor, combine the chickpeas and green onions. Pulse until combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the coconut milk, sugar, 2/3 cup (75 g) of the breadcrumbs, curry powder, nutmeg, and cumin. Stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined.
2. Stir in the brown rice and the salt.
3. Mold into 10 mini patties.
4. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat (make sure it is preheated well in advance, so you get a nice crust). Add the chickpea cakes to the pan and sauté until there’s a nice golden sear on the bottom. Flip and sear the other side as well. Continue with the remaining cakes.
5. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Serving Size: 123 g; Calories 170; Fat 7 g; Saturated Fat 1 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Carbohydrates 23 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 4 g

So I’m calorie counting.  And frankly, it’s horrifying.

Not what I’m eating now so much as how much I was probably eating when I wasn’t keeping track of things so well.  I mean it’s pretty easy for me to put away a bottle of wine without even flinching, you know while I’m inhaling an entire cheese plate at Greenwell during happy hour BEFORE I even order dinner, which I would likely eat in its entirety.   This behavior, plus LOVE, security and stability, has caused me to gain 35 pounds in about a year.  For those of you keeping track is like 2-3 chicky jean sizes, officially outing me from the bikini category which I was barely one cheek in to begin with.

No wonder America is fat.  Food in America is DELICIOUS!  Food in America is LARGE.  I’ve read all the books, done all the research, but all that I will leave for another blog post.  My point is this….if you are a chronic dieter (i.e. probably if you are female and breathing), you are probably trying to figure out how to get your sweet fix without breaking the calorie bank.  To you I say, let me introduce you to my friend Katie.  As in “Chocolate-Covered Katie“.  I know, I know….you just looked at the first page of her blog, from the link and you hate her already.  I don’t blame you.  She is, in fact, so effing sweet and cherub-like that she didn’t even realize that basically she has given herself a stripper name for a “brand.”  To add to the hatred, she has also, managed to create treats that don’t taste like shit even though they are sometimes made from things like dates which youare all now Googling, because they are so healthy you have never eaten one…and lastly, she’s thin.  BITCH!

For a long time I too hated Katie, in fact avoided her cutesy stories, so-so food photography, her sinfully dreamy recipes, and general cheerleader rah-rah…that is until I ate her Peanut Butter Secrets.  The rest is history.  Go ahead, eat a handful of these and bookmark her website.  Do it.  You must like her.  You really have no choice now.

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 T whole-wheat pastry flour (or white or a gf mix)
• 1/4 cup sugar (for sugar-free cookies, see below link)
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 T applesauce
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients very well. Then add wet stuff and form cookie balls. If you want soft cookies, refridge the dough for at least an hour. Then bake in a preheated oven (350F) for 7-8 minutes. They’ll look underdone when you take them out, but that’s ok. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from tray.  If you don’t refridge the dough, check the cookies in 5 minutes and probably take them out at about 6 minutes.

If you are keeping track…rolling out 22 cookies hits you at 50 calories a piece (according to Katie).  I rolled out 44 little cuties and baked them for 5 minutes each.  Perfect.  Vegan.  YUM!

Lovingly adapted from Chocolate-Covered Katie.

I wasn’t sure if I should share this recipe or just keep it to myself so I alone look amazing when I waltz into a potluck brunch with these babies in tow.  Alas, I want to eat them more often, so I thought if I can get this out there to my vegan friends, they also would develop a mild addiction and want to make them frequently as well thereby getting them into my face more often.

I’ve had this cookbook Vegan Brunch on my bookshelf FOREVER, and never even cracked the binding.  Honestly, when is the last time you attended a brunch?  Yeah, me either.  A few months ago however, my friends Kolene and Jon hosted, you guessed it, a VEGAN BRUNCH!  I made curried tofu scramble, but Jon….he made these rolls and probably other delicious things-but THESE I was frankly obsessed with and had to get more of.  When I asked for the recipe he directed me to Vegan Brunch, you know the book collecting dust on my shelf.  I went home and made them that night, pigged out on them at midnight with Mr. Wonderful, then brought a batch to work the next day (the recipe made a TON of rolls) to test on my coworkers.  In case you were wondering how to score serious favors at work for a while, bake cinnamon rolls in your office kitchen, then serve them to your friends.  They become even more helpful in their sugary comas.

Caution, these take a while to make.  You are MAKING cinnamon rolls-like “from scratch”, not just baking them off from the frozen food section at Meijer, so there are steps involved.  Do not skip them, do not rush them.  And by all means….MEASURE, this is baking, you know…like chemistry and crap, so you need to be precise.  If you haven’t worked with yeast before, check out this link to keep you from throwing in the towel prematurely.

Dough

• 2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/3 c sugar + 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 c lukewarm water
• 3/4 c non-dairy milk, room temperature (I used coconut milk)
• 1/3 c canola oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 1/4 – 4 c flour

Filling

• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• 2 T flour

To roll

• 1/4 c Earth Balance (soy margarine, non-hydrogenated)
• also, a great deal of patience and an uncluttered work space

Icing

• 1 C powdered sugar (10x)
• 1-1/2 – 2 T non-dairy milk (I used coconut milk here too)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Proof yeast by putting yeast into half the lukewarm water with the 1 tsp of sugar. Let sit, make sure it bubbles so you know your little organisms are hungry, alive and well.  Mix the rest of the dough ingredients together, add proofed yeast mix. Knead for 5 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise 1 hour. Punch the dough down and let rest 10 more minutes.

Make the filling (mix together ingredients above for filling).

Roll out dough to 12″ x18″ (or whatever you get frankly-mine was a little larger) on a floured clean, flat surface. Sprinkle filling over the dough evenly, dot with small chunks of the Earth Balance.

Roll from the long side. Go slowly and get it as tight as possible.  This for me is the most difficult part. I can’t even roll up my yoga mat without having it all cock-eyed, so this dough rolling part is torture for me.  Do the best you can.  When they bake, no one will know you had edges that were not perfect as they will be too busy cramming the final product into their pie-holes.

Oil or spray any kind of pan you like really. I used two pie plates so I could bake one now, and take one to work in an unbaked state later. Cut the roll into half to one inch pieces pieces and place close together in the prepared pan. I used dental floss to cut through the dough so that I didn’t smash the dough.

Cover with towel, let rise for 30-45 minutes in a warm location. I usually put it on the stove, above the pilot lights.  These can also be stored in the fridge overnight without losing any of the yumminess to be baked off the next morning, just cover in plastic wrap. The next morning when you are preheating the oven (below) leave on the counter until they hit just about room temp.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 18-2o minutes-the smaller your rolls when they go in, the less time you need, check them regularly to make sure they aren’t burning, they should be lightly browned. Make icing while it bakes.

Drizzle with the icing as soon as you remove from the oven.

Adapted from Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

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