Tacos

Tacos are one of the foods I missed when Rach and I became veggies. We found a way to duplicate the ground beef texture...well, actually it's more like Taco Bell meat texture.

You will need:

• Old El Paso taco meal kit (includes taco shells, spice mix and taco sauce)
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin 
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup TVP
• vegetable oil
• shredded cheddar  
• 1 tin of black beans

Marinate the beans:
Rinse the black beans and put in a bowl.  Mash a few of the beans.  Add cumin, chili powder, garlic and olive oil.  Stir until all the beans are coated.  Let stand for at least half an hour.

Make the veggie/TVP mix:
In vegetable oil add onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and chili flakes.  When softened add the re-hydrated TVP.  Stir in bean mixture.  Add the spice seasoning mix from the taco kit.  Add some water (about 1/2 cup) and let it simmer down. Add the taco sauce from the taco kit. 

Assembly:
Heat the taco shells in the microwave for 30 seconds.  This makes them nice and crunchy.  Spoon in some veggie/TVP mixture and top with cheese.  You can add any other toppings you might like such as lettuce, chopped tomato and sour cream.  For a vegan version use soy cheese.

It was amazing to bite into a taco and have that meat-like consistency without the guilt.  You won't be disappointed with these!

A Word on Cheese

Rach and were going through our old "meat" recipes and have been brainstorming on ways to make them vegetarian.  Many of these include cheese.

Supermarket cheese isn't the best cheese you can buy.  I recommend you go to a market and get real thing.  My favourite place to go is Olympic Cheese at the St. Lawrence Market.   This family owned shop has everything you could ever want and it's all pure and full of flavour.

When I first went there a very charming older Portuguese man was trying to sell me 25-year old cheddar at $100 per pound.  He had me so smitten with his old-world accent and sweet smile, I almost did it - then common sense prevailed!  I was shopping for cheese for my dad for his birthday (yes, that's what he likes) - my dad ended up with a very nice cheddar, but not that nice. 

When I buy my Parmesan, I get them to cut it fresh from the wheel for me.  I put the whole wedge in the freezer and just cut a piece as I need.   Rach is the cheese grater in our house, and she finds it easier to grate it when it's still frozen.

Price wise it is only pennies more than the supermarkets and way, way more flavourful.  It's worth the trip to the St. Lawrence Market - trust me on this one.   

Lemon Garlic Pasta

This dish is made from rice pasta, but you can use any gluten-free pasta you like.  I buy mine at No Frills.  It's a cinch to make.  Serve it with a garden salad and you have a nice light dinner.

You will need:

• 1 package of gluten-free pasta
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• a few tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• salt & pepper

Cook the pasta and drain.  Melt the margarine or butter and add the olive oil.  You need the oil to prevent the margarine from burning.  Add the garlic and chili flakes.  Once the flavor is released, add the lemon juice and oregano.  Stir in the cooked pasta.  Add the Parmesan and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Sweet Potato Rice

This is a recipe I tried from my friend Paola.  She has been teaching Rach and I how amazing walnuts can be in cooking.  Paola gave us a sample of this rice and we loved it.  Tonight Rach and I tweaked it and came up with a slightly different version. 

Paola and I met at work when she realized she had Celiac Disease and no idea on what she could eat and what she couldn't anymore.  She told me on top of that, she didn't eat meat.  I told her that was no problem!  I mentored her on gluten-free, vegetarian eating.  We have since become good friends and share meals back and forth.  This entry is dedicated to you, P!

Here we go.  You will need:

• 2 cups water
• 1 Knorr vegetable cube
• 1 cup rice
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 baking potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 3/4 cup old cheddar
• 1/2 cup of walnut halves or pieces
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp. Pampered Chef Jamaican Jerk Rub (or equivalent)
• 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Rub (or equivalent)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper, divided
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. oregano
• olive oil
• vegetable oil

Season the baking potato:

Put the chopped baking potato in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil until all the pieces are coated.  Add Jamaican Jerk Rub, Chipotle Rub, salt, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano and 1/2 tsp. of pepper.  Mix well and set aside.

The Pampered Chef seasonings used are gluten-free.  You can purchase them by clicking the link below the picture.  

Jamaican Jerk Rub 

Chipotle Rub

Make the rice:

I use a microwave rice cooker to make this rice.  It is so easy and turns out perfect every time.  Dissolve the Knorr vegetable cube in boiling water.  Add the rice and 1/2 tsp. of pepper.  I microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir, then microwave on power 5 for 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Make the potato mixture:

Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a large pan and add chili flakes.  Add chopped sweet potato and stir fry for about 5 minutes.  Add the seasoned white potato.  At this point you may need to add more oil.  Stir fry for another 5 minutes. Then add chopped onion and the crushed garlic.  If things get sticky (and they will), add some water.  Put the lid on and let things steam for a bit.  Keep at eye on things, as they will stick very easily - add more water if necessary.  When potatoes are tender stir in rice and mix.  Add the grated cheese on top, turn off the heat, and cover.

Toast the walnuts:

In a non-stick pan toast the walnuts on medium heat for about 3 minutes.  You must stir them constantly as once they burn, they are useless.  Toasting the nuts brings out the flavour in them.  Add to the rice/potato mixture and stir.

I served with the Garlic Green Beans.  This is incredible and worth all the steps to make it come together.

Spicy Green Bean Saute (vegan)

 

The was a new recipe Rach and I found on the Internet.  We tweaked and came up with our own version.  It needs salt to bring it all together at the end, so keep that in mind.

You will need:

• 1 to 2 tbsp. corn starch
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup teryaki sauce
• chili sauce to taste
• 1 lb. green beans, washed trimmed and snapped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• red pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp. fresh minced ginger root
• vegetable oil
• salt & pepper

Before we start, a note on trimming beans:  I keep a pair of scissors in the kitchen just for cooking.  I wash them in the dishwasher just like anything else.  I find these work great for trimming the beans.

Rach and I gave the beans a head start in the microwave steamer for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, combine cornstarch, broth, teryaki sauce, chili sauce together in a bowl.

Saute the onion, garlic and pepper and ginger in the oil until about half way to being softened. You can add some chili flakes for extra heat at this stage if you like. Add in the beans and continue cooking until tender crisp.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened.  This won't take long. Add salts (lots) and pepper to bring it all together.

Stir Fried Tofu in Teryaki Sauce (vegan)

This is a new recipe that Rach and I came up with.  We were actually trying to duplicate a black bean dish we tried from Lemon Grass Restaurant.  Lemon Grass is a Thai restaurant that offers gluten-free options.  I was unable to find a black bean sauce without wheat, so we tweaked this and came up with our own quasi version.  It wasn't what we started out to make, but was really good just the same.  So here we go:

You will need:

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 package of firm tofu, cubed
• onion, chopped
• jalapeno, chopped
• 2 tbsp. teryaki sauce
• chili sauce to taste
• salt & pepper

A note on soy sauce before we begin.   Most soy sauce has wheat in it.  Although some sources say the fermentation process in manufacturing it gets rid of the gluten, I have never taken that chance.  VH and No Name both carry a gluten-free soy sauce.  Some would say then it's not soy sauce, but I find it just as good as any other.

Be careful when buying teryaki sauce. Again, many contain wheat.  I found the No Name brand is gluten-free.

Rach and I are just getting into using chili sauce.  This stuff is potent!  It could take tar off the driveway, so use with caution.  You can buy it in the Oriental section of the supermarket.  

Back to cooking...In a large skillet heat oil and garlic.  Add onion and jalapeno until starting to soften.  Add soy sauce, teryaki sauce, chili sauce and tofu.  Cook until incorporated and well heated.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can serve with rice or just on it's own. 

Garlic Peppercorn Baked Cauliflower (vegan)

 

This is one of Rach's favourites.  It's another really easy one to make.

You will need:

• A head of cauliflower
• Garlic peppercorn spice
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Cut up the cauliflower into smallish pieces and wash.  In a large bowl, drizzle oil oil over cauliflower and mix in until all pieces are coated. Season with salt, pepper and garlic peppercorn spice to taste.  Mix until all pieces of cauliflower are coated with the spices.

I buy my garlic pepper corn through Pampered Chef.

Arrange cauliflower pieces in a glass baking dish in a single layer and bake in a pre-heated oven at 450F for 20 to 30 minutes.

I wasn't a huge cauliflower fan before, but this recipe is amazing.  You have to try it.