Tacos, Jamaican roasted veggies and fruit salad

So yesterday I invited my parent's over for a south of the border feast :)
Unfortunately I had a late start to dinner preparation so I didn't get a chance to finish all that I wanted to make. Oh well.

Tacos:
2 sweet potatoes finely chopped
1 tbsp oil

1 can of black beans
1 portobello mushroom sliced and then roughly chopped
1/2 can of salsa
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp lemon juice


Sprinkle the sweet potatoes with oil and put into oven at 400 F for 30 minutes. Place the portobello
mushroom in a large bowl.  Dump the rest of the ingredients on top of the portobello, let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Place ingredients in a frying pan until mushrooms are cooked.  Mix the mushroom mixture with the finished potatoes for the taco filling.

Garnish with:
chopped romaine
chopped tomato
ketchup -- I'm weird I know lol I love ketchup with tacos
salsa
vegan sour cream, cheese
guacemole

-- I just used romaine, tomato and ketchup and a little bit of taco sauce.
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Jamaican veggies:

1 bunch of broccolini roughly chopped
1 sweet potato diced
1 potato diced
2 carrots chopped
1 tomato diced
1 yellow bell pepper sliced
1 onion
1 slice of pineapple
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of lime juice
1-2 tbsp of sugar (if at all)
2 tsp minced ginger
3 garlic cloves
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
sprinkle with pepper and red chili flakes

I made two varieties of this dish, since my mom isn't a fan of pineapples. I made a version for her using a tomato in place of the pineapple, she really enjoyed it!  So basically first place the potatoes, carrots and onion on a baking dish, put into the oven at 425 F for 30 minutes covered.  While veggies are cooking blend the pineapple with the orange and lime juice, sugar, ginger, garlic, nutmeg and salt.  Once blended add the pepper and flakes.  Take the veggie tray out and add broccolini, tomato, bell pepper to the mixture and pour the juice blend over the veggies.  Re-cover and put into the oven for another 30 minutes -- could even do with possibly 20 minutes.

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Fruit Salad:
Serves 3

1/4 cup blueberries
1 pear
1 banana
1/3 cup grapes
1/2 cup unsweetened yogurt
3-4 tbsp agave
1/4 cup of orange juice
2 tbsp lime juice
Soy whip cream

Mix all the ingredients minus the whip cream.  Serve up 3 portions of fruit salad, and top with whipped cream. My family loved this, a very healthy light desert that definitely goes within the south of the border theme :)

I also served vegan chocolate chip cookies  :)

PS i was going to add mangos to this dish.. however once opened they were completely bruised inside :(

Oh well.

Cookbook references:

Jamaican veggies adapted version of the one in
Hot Vegan by Robin Robertson

Tacos inspired by seitan and potato taco recipe in
Viva Vegan! by Terry Hope Romero

Fruit salad inspired by
vegetarian.about.com recipe "Creamy Vegan Ambrosia Fruit Salad with Pineapple"

No-so-Gnocchi, Greens and Portobello Steak

This reminded me of gnocchi, even though it's totally not, but I enjoyed it none the less :)

Not-so-gnocchi, steamed greens and a portobello steak
serves 1

3 red potatoes 1/4 inch cubes
1 small bunch of greens chopped
3 green onions
1 can of tomato sauce
1 portobello mushroom
2 tsp coconut aminos (soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
6 dashes garlic powder
5 dashes black pepper
3 dashes red pepper flakes
2 tsp vegan worcester sauce
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

Cut potatoes up and throw in a steamer for 30 minutes, add the greens + green onions for a minute at the end.
heat 1 can of tomato sauce with 3 dashes of garlic powder, 3 dashes of black pepper, red pepper flakes 1 tsp oregano, italian seasoning and apple cider and white wine vinegar.  Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Place portobello mushroom on a baking tray, remove stem, make sure gills are face side up, drizzle aminos, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar on top.  Then add 3 dashes of garlic powder, 2 dashes of pepper, 1 tsp of oregano and pop it in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Once the potatoes and greens are steamed put them on a plate and generously scoop tomato sauce on them, take out the portobello steak and put it on your plate -- either to cut up to put on top or eat on the side, can drizzle worcester sauce on top.. leave it on the side as a dip.

and finally generously top with nutritional yeast
:) 

Green Mania

Green Mania

2 baby bok choy

1 bunch of kale or other dark leafy greens

1 bunch of asparagus

1 yellow pepper

1/2 tsp lemon zest

juice of half of a lemon

juice of 1/4 of an orange

1 tsp fresh sage

1 tsp fresh oregano

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp oil

2 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

1/2 -1 tsp salt

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

At bare minimum, add the salt, balsamic and lemon zest... and for added flavor add the garlic and ginger.  

Fry the garlic in oil along with the stems of the leafy greens.  Add the ginger and asparagus.  When the asparagus becomes bright green add the yellow pepper and the rest of the seasonings and vinegar.  Add the leafy greens, when the leaves become just wilted, add the fresh herbs, lemon and orange juice-- if using.  

Serve :)