Hot vegan tamale!

 

Hot Tamale!!

Here's my first attempt at tamales.  I'd never even had a tamale before, so I have nothing to compare it to, but they turned out super good!  I hated paying six bucks for the corn husks given the amount of corn husks I composted last summer.  Definitely going to save some corn husks from the garden this year and dry them.  

 

Ingredients:

4 cups Masa flour

1 pkg dried corn husks 

2 bell peppers, one each red and green, diced

1 chili pepper, diced 

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg ground fake beef, or TVP reconstituted and mixed with taco seasoning

hot sauce 

Tofutti sour cream

Instructions:

Mix the Masa flour with enough water till it is doughy (approx 3 cups) - alternatively you can use veggie broth if you choose.  Soak the corn husks in water for 10 minutes or so to soften them up a little.  Saute the garlic and peppers in 2 tbsp oil for 5 minutes, till softened.  Add the fake meat and cook for another 5 minutes, or according to package instructions.  Take 1-2 corn husks, and place a mound of masa dough in the center and flatten it out. Place 1 tbsp of the meat mixture in the center and roll it up in the corn husk.  Tie with some twine or with a strip of corn husk.  Place them all in a steamer and steam for an hour.  If you don't have a steamer, you can use a colander set into a larger pot with some water in the bottom.  Check periodically to make sure the water doesn't all boil off.  Serve with some hot sauce and Tofutti sour cream! 

 

Vegan taco salad with cilantro-lime vinaigrette

This salad is loosely based on my favorite dish from the Purple Cactus in Jamaica Plain Massachusetts.  Its a flavorful, yet more healthy, alternative to traditional tacos.  The cilantro-lime vinaigrette is way more versatile than just belonging to this salad, and was originally thought up by my friend Liz to serve over roasted leeks.  

      

Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Taco Salad

Ingredients: 

1 bunch lettuce, any variety

1 can black beans

8 carrots, shredded

1 pkg Lightlife ground vegan hamburger

Blue corn tortilla chips

Directions: 

Cook hamburger in oil, according to package instructions (saute for 5 minutes or so).  Season w/seasoning salt if desired.  Set aside.  Chop lettuce.  Shred carrots.  Layer lettuce, then a couple tablespoons black beans, then shredded carrots, and finally the hamburger.  Garnish with a couple of blue corn tortilla chips, or alternatively crumble them over the salad.  Top with cilantro-lime vinaigrette.  Serves four.  Enjoy!  

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (approx 1 c)

1/2 c white wine vinegar

1/4 c water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove

Splash lime juice, or the juice of one fresh lime

Pinch salt

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor.  Blend till smooth, approx 3 minutes.  Serve over salad, veggies, whatevs!  Will keep for 3 days in refrigerator.