Whether you're vegetarian or
just looking to add a few more meatless meal options to your weekly dinner
rotation, make it a fiesta! Mexican food, with all its fresh ingredients - peppers,
tomatoes, beans, potatoes, corn, cheeses - is quite conducive for meatless and vegetarian
diets.
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| Avocado and Black Bean Quesadillas |
Here are three recipes that are so
hearty and flavorful. You’ll never miss the meat! In Avocado and Black Bean
Quesadillas, warmed flour tortillas are folded over melty cheese, sautéed veggies,
smashed avocado and beans. These quesadillas make a festive start to any meal, however,
they’re also substantial enough to stand on their own as the main course.
For
an alternative to traditional meat-filling, try potatoes, poblano chiles and
spinach wrapped up in soft corn tortillas. Mexican Rice and Black Beans makes a
great side dish, but with lots of add-ins, it becomes a plentiful and filling
one-pot meal.
Avocado
and Black Bean Quesadillas
So many delicious ingredients are packed into these quesadillas, but it’s the
cheese that binds everything together. Feel free to use any Mexican melting
cheese. Try asadero, chihuahua, queso quesadilla or a combination of all of them.
If those varieties aren’t available, Monterey Jack is a good option. Serve quesadilla
wedges with salsa and sour cream or Mexican crema.
1
tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, any color, sliced into strips
1 cup black beans, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt to taste
2 avocados, halved and pitted
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1 lime
1 cup shredded Mexican melting cheese
4 medium flour tortillas
In a frying
pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and pepper until soft. Stir in
beans and seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In a
bowl, mash avocados to desired consistency (I prefer mine somewhat chunky).
Sprinkle with lime juice and chopped cilantro.
To one
half of each tortilla, add 1/4 of the avocado mixture, beans mixture and then
the cheese. Fold tortilla over filling. In a skillet over medium heat, cook
each quesadilla until lightly browned or 3-4 minutes, turning once.
Place
quesadillas on a baking sheet and keep warm in 300 F oven. Repeat with
remaining quesadillas.
(Recipe
by Jennifer Ruple)
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| Potato, Poblano Chile and Spinach Tacos |
Potato,
Poblano Chile and Spinach Tacos
These tacos are a throwback from time spent in
New Mexico. My husband and I made these during one of the cooking classes we
participated in at the Santa Fe School of Cooking.
This class featured several
types of tacos – and this was the vegetarian version we made. Instead of adding
the cheese into the filling mixture, I opted to crumble Queso Fresco (which
literally means fresh cheese) over the filling.
1 pound red or white potatoes (about
4 or 5)
1 white onion, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 bunches fresh spinach, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
4 poblano chiles, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips, about 2 inches long
1 cup heavy cream, sour cream or Mexican crema
1 cup grated cheese such as Monterey Jack, cotija, Parmesan, fontina or a mix
Salt to taste
Corn tortillas
Peel potatoes and dice into
3/8-inch cubes. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until potatoes are soft
but not falling apart, about 10-12 minutes.
In a medium-hot skillet, heat oil.
Sauté pepper strips until they begin to soften. Add onion and cook until
lightly brown. Add garlic and potatoes and cook for 2 minutes more. Begin
adding spinach a handful at a time, stirring with tongs to wilt.
When greens are wilted, add herbs
and cream. Cook on a low boil, stirring constantly until liquid is reduced by a
third. Stir in cheese and continue cooking until smooth and thick. Adjust salt
if needed.
Serve filling with warm, corn
tortillas.
(Recipe adapted from the Santa Fe
School of Cooking)
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| Mexican Rice and Black Beans |
Mexican Rice and Black Beans
The perfect one-pot meal, this satisfying dish is packed with protein and
vegetables. It’s also a great option for meatless meal nights. Serve it with
shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream. Plus, warm tortilla
chips are a great vehicle for scooping it all up.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, any color, diced
1 cup corn kernels
14-ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
4-ounce can diced green chiles
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups cooked brown rice
Juice from 1 lime
8 ounces enchilada sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and tortilla chips for serving
Heat a large pot over medium heat.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper until
soft.
Stir in corn, tomatoes, and chiles
and cook for 1 minute.
Add beans, rice, lime juice,
enchilada sauce, spices, cream cheese and 3/4 cup Mexican cheese.
Sprinkle with additional cheese and
cook until cheese is melted. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and
tortilla chips.
(Recipe by Jennifer Ruple)
