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Tag: tex-mex

  • Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadilla

    As a vegetarian, I often have to find fun and creative ways to achieve a balanced nutrition. This is normally important, but is more important in our household because of my husband’s active lifestyle through playing intensive Squash sessions and running more recently. Having joined him on his running sessions, I have realized how important a balanced nutrition is important to keep the metabolism active and to supplement the workout sessions.

    So, I always keep Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans in my pantry. One has complex carbohydrates and the other is packed with protein and fiber. I am always looking for different ways to use both these items. What better way than mashing them together and using it as a stuffing for a delicious Quesadilla?

    Sweet Potatoes cook very quickly and take up any flavor that you add to them, so that works great. Black beans from a can just need to be mixed in and mashed. So for a quick weeknight dinner, this is a great option. The spices can be modified to your liking, but for something like this, I like to keep it simple, yet lip-smacking with the Tex-Mex flavors.

    Now, the part that I struggle with is finding healthy Tortillas to make the Quesadilla. There are too many flour and corn ones out there with little to no health benefit. But, I was able to find a Sprouted Whole Wheat Tortilla with Spinach at a Sprouts Farmers Market. The light green colored tortilla is not only tasty and healthy but is also pleasing to the eye.

    Of course, like any Quesadilla, I served this one up with some Avocado sauce (similar to a chutney, and is not Guacamole). I was going for the same concept as eating a Kathi Roll dipped in Chutney, but here we will dip the Quesadilla dipped in the Avocado Sauce.

    In just 30 minutes, you can put together a weeknight dinner which can make for an especially balanced and nutritious meal post a long run. Any leftovers cans be individually wrapped in foil and re-heated to enjoy the following day.

    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Serves2-3

    Ingredients

    Avocado Sauce

    • Avocado – 1 large
    • Garlic – 1 clove
    • Cilantro – A handful
    • Salt – As per taste
    • Lime Juice – From half a lime

    Vegetables

    • Onions – 1 medium, diced
    • Jalapeno – 2, thinly sliced
    • Sweet Potato – 1 large or 2 medium, finely chopped or grated

    Beans

    • Black Beans – 1 15oz can

    Dairy

    • Grated Pepperjack Cheese – 1-2 cups (use any other cheese of choice or omit if vegan)

    Breads

    • Tortilla of choice (8″ size) – 4

    Spices and Flavors

    • Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
    • Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
    • Red Chili Powder – 2 tsp (Adjust as per your taste preference)
    • Salt – As per taste
    • Garlic – 1.5 tsp (Ground) or 3 cloves, finely chopped

    Oils

    • 2 tbsp + some extra to brush on the Quesadilla while cooking

    Method

    1. Warm 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium-high heat. To this, add the garlic and allow it to lightly brown. To this, add the onions and cook them until they are transluscent
    2. Next, add the sweet potatoes and cook them for 5 minutes until they are slightly tender. At this point, add salt and cook for an additional 5 minutes until they sweet potatoes are completely tender
    3. Add the black beans and mash them in (or mix them in for a chunky texture). Add the seasonings, mix and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool down
    4. In the meanwhile, prepare the avocado sauce by adding all ingredients to a blender to make a creamy sauce. Chill in the refrigerator until it is ready to be served
    5. To prepare the Quesadilla:
      1. Warm a grill plan and brush some oil onto it
      2. Place a tortilla on a flat surface
      3. Start by placing a generous amount of the sweet potato-black bean mixture on one half of the circular tortilla
      4. On this, place some slices of jalapenos
      5. Then add some cheese and fold the other half of the tortilla on top
      6. Carefully place on an oiled grill pan and brush the top with some oil
      7. After 1 minute, the underside of the quesadilla should be golden and crispy with the cheese oozing on the sides. At this point, flip the quesadilla to cook the other side to golden crispiness
      8. Repeat with the other 3 tortillas
    6. Slice the quesadillas into 2 wedges and serve immediately with the cool avocado sauce

    Serving suggestions

    • The quesadilla can be served with a salsa of your choice
    • Replace 1 tsp of chili powder with 1 tsp of smoked paprika for a smoky flavor with the sweet potato-black bean mixture
    • For an extra kick of spice, add some chopped jalapenos to the avocado sauce

    You can also follow me on Instagram to be up-to-date with what is cooking in my kitchen. If you like this recipe, do share your comments below. Don’t forget to post your version on Instagram using #foodformyloveblog

  • Vegan Oat Crepes

    This recipe started out with my husband’s craving for crepes. Now, I am all for crepes, but he does not like the general egg-y after taste of the regular ones. Plus, I wanted to avoid using regular flour. So, Vegan Oat Crepes it is. I chose Oats because they were readily available in my pantry and they are gluten-free. So, that’s a win. Oats, milk and flaxseed meal (egg replacement and binder) blended together to make a thin crepe batter. That’s how simple it is. These can be sweet or savory. The husband chose savory, and I ran with it!

    Now, I seem to have a weird obsession with Tex Mex and I think that is because of the similarity of flavors with Indian cuisine and because of the ingredients that are typical of this cuisine such as black beans, peppers and tomatoes. Black beans, peppers and tomatoes are a fail-safe combination that work for a variety of recipes. They are readily available, easy and quick to prepare and carry good flavors. And, I added chopped jalapenos to the batter, just to give them a zing 😉

    I am not going to lie, crepe making is not easy, so be prepared for a few flops. But, once you get the hang of it, you will want to try different variations of them i.e. with different flours and see which suits your palette the best. For instance, I heat= that buckwheat flour crepes work great, but I have yet to try them.

    What I also love about this recipe is that it has some great nutrient benefits such as protein form the beans and oats and fiber from the oats. So, the basic crepes can be prepared the night before for a quick breakfast in the morning that will keep you satiated. This also makes for a great weekend brunch with a heavier filling that can be prepared in a large batch the previous night. All you have to do is gather the troop, get some delicious crepes, load them with the filling, top it as you please and just kick back and enjoy the brunch 🙂

    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time10-15 minutes
    Serves2 (4-6 crepes)

    Ingredients

    Crepes

    • Oats – 1 1/4 cups
    • Plant Based Milk (Unsweetened) – 1 1/2 – 2 cups
    • Flax Seed Meal – 1/2 – 3/4 tbsp
    • Jalapenos – 1, finely chopped
    • Salt – As per taste

    Filling

    • Garlic – 2-3 cloves, finely chopped
    • Tri Colored Bell Peppers – 2 cups
    • Black Beans – 1 15oz can
    • Onions – 1/2 cup, finely chopped
    • Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp
    • Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
    • Coriander Powder – 1/2 tsp
    • Jalapenos – 1, thinly sliced in a round shape
    • Salt – As per taste

    Other

    • Oil of choice – As required for cooking
    • Cilantro – 1 handful for garnish (Optional)
    • Jalapenos – 1, thinly sliced for garnish (Optional)

    Method

    1. First, prepare the crepe batter. For this, add the oats, plant based milk and flax seed meal to a blender and make a thin batter. Transfer to a bowl, add salt, chopped jalapenos, mix and set aside
    2. Next prepare the filling. For this, add oil to a pan and heat it. Once hot, add the chopped onions and garlic and cook until the garlic has slightly browned and the onions are translucent. Then, add the peppers and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Then add salt, cumin, coriander and red chili powder and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until all the spices are cooked and the peppers are only tender. The peppers should not be mushy. Take off the heat and set the filling aside
    3. Time to prepare the crepes. For this, warm up a skillet on medium heat. Once warm, remove the skillet from the heat and brush some oil on it. Then, place a ladle of the batter on the skillet and turn it in a circular motion to allow the batter to spread thinly. Cook until the edges are golden brown (2-3 minutes). Then, carefully flip the crepe and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter
    4. To prepare the brunch, lay a crepe on a plate, place a generous amount of filling on it and close both sides of it (as though you are preparing a wrap) and press gently to hold it in place. Garnish with additional filling, sliced jalapenos and maybe some hot sauce of your choice and enjoy a delicious brunch

    Cooking, preparation and serving suggestions

    • While the batter is sitting in between each round of crepe making, it may thicken (due to the flax used in it). So, you can add a splash of milk and mix it up to thin it as you go
    • When preparing the crepe
      • Don’t be impatient to flip them, otherwise they may break or you may get a pile of mushy batter
      • I found that placing a lid on the skillet around the crepe for the first 1-2 minutes and then letting them get golden on the edges results in the sturdiest crepes
      • When using oil on the skillet, brush the oil and spread it evenly. You don’t want any droplets of oil sitting around because too many of those will make the crepe batter turn into a mushy pile
    • To prepare sweet crepes, eliminate the salt and jalapenos. Use sweetener of choice and some delicious sweet fillings. My favorite would be the classic banana-nutella or strawberry-banana 🙂

    You can also follow me on Instagram to be up-to-date with what is cooking my kitchen. If you like this recipe, do share your comments below. Don’t forget to post your version on Instagram using #foodformyloveblog.

    Rating: 1 out of 5.

  • Tex-Mex Breakfast Bowl

    If you have read a few of my posts, you will see me mention that I love brunch, especially on the weekends. I also enjoy food in a bowl format, something that incorporates different food components, textures and nutrition. With that in mind, this Tex-Mex Breakfast Bowl came together with some of my favorite and go-to ingredients.

    From a nutritional standpoint, this bowl hits the spot. There is Quinoa and Black Beans checking the box for protein. There are Sweet Potatoes checking the box for complex carbohydrates and there is Avocado checking the box for good fat. The Bell Peppers add a beautiful crunch, color and vitamins. So all in all, a colorful, hearty and healthy brunch bowl 🙂

    The ingredients seem like a lot in number, but what needs to be done with them so ridiculously simple. They can all cook simultaneously, so just a few minutes need to be spent preparing the ingredients and putting the bowl together.

    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Serves2

    Ingredients

    Beans

    • Black Beans – 1 can (15oz) [Approx. 2 cups]

    Grains

    • Quinoa – 2 cups, uncooked

    Vegetables

    • Sweet Potatoes – 1.5 cups, cubes
    • Bell Peppers – 1 cup, chopped (I used multi-colored ones, feel free to use whatever is available)
    • Onions – 1 cup, diced + 1/4 cup finely chopped
    • Tomatoes – 1 cup, diced

    Spices, Flavors and Herbs

    • Cilantro – A handful
    • Garlic – 2 tbsps, finely chopped
    • Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
    • Cumin Powder – 2 tsp
    • Jalapeno – 1, sliced
    • Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp (Alternatively, Red Chilli Flakes or Paprika can also be used)
    • Salt – As per taste

    Fruit

    • Avocado – 1, sliced
    • Lemon – 1, Cut into 4 quarters

    Oils

    • Cooking Oil – 4 tbsp

    Method

    1. Cook the quinoa using the package instructions.
    2. In the meanwhile, cook the sweet potatoes. For this, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. To this, add 1 tbsp of chopped garlic. Once the garlic starts to brown, add the cubed sweet potatoes. Add salt, 1 tsp each of coriander and cumin powder and 1 tsp of red chilli powder. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and can be easily halved (not mashed) with the edge of a wooden spoon. Set these aside
    3. In the same pan, add 2 more tbsp of oil. To this, add diced onions and the remaining 1 tbsp of chopped garlic. Cook the onions and garlic. Next, add the chopped peppers and black beans. To this add salt, 1 tsp each of coriander and cumin powder and 1 tsp of red chilli powder. Cook this mixture for approx. 5 minutes until all the flavors have amalgamated. The goal is to maintain the texture of the peppers and the beans, and not to have them mashed. Set this aside
    4. To prepare the mild salsa, in a bowl, add the finely chopped onions, cilantro and diced tomatoes. To this add salt and a squeeze of 1 quarter of a lemon
    5. Time to prepare the bowl with layers. At the base, place some cooked, fluffed quinoa. On top of this, add some black bean and pepper mixture. On this, add some sweet potatoes. Top this with some salsa, sliced avocado, sliced jalapenos and a squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy the scrumptious bowl 🙂

    Serving Suggestion

    • For extra protein, add in some scrambled eggs

    You can also follow me on Instagram to be up-to-date with what is cooking my kitchen. If you like this recipe, do share your comments below. Don’t forget to post your version on Instagram using #foodformyloveblog.