Tacos: Rice, Beans, and Greens

These tacos represent a coming together of some of our favorite side dish recipes. The flavours in each (garlic in the spinach, cumin in the rice, rich dark beer in the beans) come together for a satisfying, complex mouthful of taco goodness.

That being said, this recipe can look a little intimidating given all of its various elements. Each of the recipes are quite easy, and I’ve included instructions for timing everything so that it takes the least effort and all comes together at the same time. If you are short on time or energy, though, you can use store-bought prepared beans (I especially like Trader Joe’s canned “Cuban Black Beans” but any brand of baked beans should work if you can’t get those). You’ll need about 2 cans.

This recipe can be easily doubled and is great for a fun, laid-back dinner party. Have your guests make their own tacos from the ingredients you’ve prepared. The different elements keep well in the fridge for about a week. Just keep them in separate containers and put tacos together whenever you want them.

Tacos: Rice, Beans, and Greens

10 small flour tortilla shells or taco shells
1 recipe cumin garlic rice (below)
1 recipe beer-stewed beans (below)
1 recipe garlic greens (below)
1 cup salsa, store-bought or homemade
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)
1 cup cheddar or monterey jack cheese, shredded (optional)
1 avocado, sliced (optional)
hot sauce to taste (optional)

1. Put the rice on first, because it takes the longest and doesn’t need supervision.
2. Next, work on the beans. They are better the longer they simmer. When they are done (if you aren’t), just turn the heat off and put a lid on the pot.
3. Do the spinach last, because it doesn’t take long and it shouldn’t be over-cooked.
4. Gather the rest of the ingredients, and put together your tacos as you eat. Enjoy!

Cumin-Garlic Rice
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2¼ cup water (or follow instructions on your rice cooker)
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Put all ingredients in rice cooker and cook according to manufacturer directions for 1 cup of brown rice. If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can find instructions for cooking brown rice in a pot here.

Beer-Stewed Beans
(Adapted from Vegetarian 5 Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas)

4 cups pinto beans or black beans or kidney beans (cooked or canned)
1 cup tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup beer (preferably a dark beer)
½ cup vegetable broth
½ cup cilantro, minced

1. Place all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Garlic Greens
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
10 oz. fresh spinach or other greens (collards, kale, chard, bok choy, etc.)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or red wine vinegar or white wine

1. In a large pot or wok, heat oil and add garlic, sauteeing until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
2. Add spinach and vinegar or wine, and cook until spinach is bright green, and has reduced to about a quarter of its original size (about 5 minutes).

Goat Cheese, Avocado & Onion Burgers

I just don’t really like meat, and as far as I can remember I never really have. So for a long time, my approach to burgers has been to smother them in as many condiments as I can lay my hands on. That’s an approach that has stuck even as I’ve found veggie burgers that I really like, but these days I like to smother my burgers in combinations of veggies, cheeses, and sauces that make them more sophisticated  than the burgers of my youth.

This particular burger came out of a need to use up many of the included ingredients, including salsa, goat cheese, and avocado. Lucky for us, those are three ingredients that balance each other well! The creamy, mellow avocado balances the sharper flavours of the goat cheese and salsa, while the sauteed onions add another level of flavour that gives the burgers a real depth. All in all, these burgers were a huge success! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Goat Cheese, Avocado & Onion Burgers
Makes 4 Burgers

4 whole wheat hamburger buns
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine (optional)
4 premade veggie burgers (we used Morningstar’s Tomato-Basil Burgers)
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 avocado, sliced
½ cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
½ cup salsa, store-bought or homemade
½ cup pickle slices or sliced pickled hot peppers

1. Cook the veggie burgers according to the package directions. (We heated them in a large frying pan on low heat, cooking 5 minutes on each side).
2. Toast the hamburger buns, spreading with butter first if desired. (This is optional, but it makes the buns moist, rich, and just a little bit crispy). If you use butter, toast the buns in a toaster oven, an oven, or on the grill. The butter could be dangerous in a conventional toaster, and at the very least, it may ruin your toaster.
3. Slice the onion into thin rings. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, and sautee the onions until just beginning to brown, stirring constantly (about 10 minutes).
4. Spread mustard on the toasted buns.
5. When the burgers and onions are done, place the burgers on sliced rolls. Top each burger with ¼ of the onions, ¼ of the avocado, and 2 tablespoons each of goat cheese, salsa, and pickles (or pickled peppers).

Fresh Summer Salsa

Yum! As I’ve said before, making fresh salsa is one of my favorite things about summer. Ripe tomatoes, cilantro, some spice, and the coolness of cucumber all come together in a fresh, flavorful condiment that can be used in so many things that it’s almost mind boggling. For some ideas, go here.

Salsa is a fun thing to make, I think, because it is so delicious, so versatile, and rather impressive-sounding (“yes, I make my own salsa…”) but it is extremely easy as long as you have the right vegetables on hand, and a food processor. A food processor is a must here to get the veggies chopped finely enough and consistently enough without your salsa-making adventure lasting until next September. A good food processor can usually be obtained for $30 – 40 (in the United States) and it’s a good investment for salsas, falafel, latkes, and many other dishes.

This salsa is a variation on the recipe that I posted last summer. I didn’t have as many tomatoes around the house this time, so I substituted other vegetables in their stead. I also blended the salsa a little bit less, creating a texture more like pico de gallo than bottled salsa. This particular incarnation was also somewhat reminiscent of a Latin-inspired bruschetta, and went very well on thin slices of garlic-infused baguette. I suspect that an unflavored baguette would treat it just as nicely.

Another Summer Salsa
Makes about 4 cups

1 cup red onion, cut into quarters (1 large onion)
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed (about 1½ cups)
1 bell pepper, veins and seeds removed and cut into quarters
2-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 scotch bonnet chile (or other chile), chopped with veins and seeds removed
1½ cups cucumber, cut into large chunks (about ½ a cucumber)
3 cups cherry tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt, preferably kosher or coarse salt
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons lime juice

1. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapenos into food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped (about 10 seconds).
2. Add cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, salt, cumin and lime juice and pulse until finely chopped and well combined (about 10 more seconds).  It’s important to do this in two steps so that the harder veggies (onions, peppers) can be finely chopped without turning the softer veggies (tomatoes, cucumber) into mush.
3. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with tortilla chips, on baguette slices, in tacos or burritos, on salads, in eggs or tofu scrambles and in any other dish you can imagine. It will keep in the fridge for about a week (theoretically; that is, if you don’t eat it all up first).

Spinach and Black Bean Quesadillas

It would seem that grad school has managed to shift the focus of this blog specifically to vegetarian recipes that are quick, easy, and relatively cheap. This one is all three and was also really delicious. This recipe only makes one quesdadilla (half of which is shown above), but you could easily multiply the filling to make massive amounts and then make quesadillas (even more easily) all week. You could also easily make this recipe gluten free by using corn tortillas, or vegan by omitting the cheese and substituting extra filling.

Spinach and Black Bean Quesadillas
Serves 1 – 2

2 – 8″ whole wheat tortillas
1 cup frozen spinach (or about 4 cups fresh)
½ cup black beans
2 – 4 cloves garlic (I used 4, but not everyone loves garlic as much as I do)
¼ tsp. chili powder
½ shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. In a large non-stick pan, cook the spinach, beans, garlic and chili powder until the spinach is either thawed (if frozen) or cooked down (if fresh).
2. Spread spinach mixture on one tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with the other tortilla.
3. Rinse out the pan.
4. Cook the quesadilla in the same pan for about 3 minutes on each side, using two spatulas to flip it.
5. Cut into wedges and serve. Garnish with salsa or hot sauce if desired.

Wisconsin, Land of Cheese and Spicy Tofu

Cheese

After nearly a week of chain restaurants and family diners, yesterday arrived like a flavour explosion. We drove into Wisconsin from Minnesota, and got hungry for lunch long before Milwaukee or even Madison. We pulled into the town of Tomah and as my dad was pulling into yet another Subway parking lot, I convinced the family to go to the touristy cheese store first so that we could at least get good, local cheese for our sandwiches. We walked into the Humbird Cheese Mart to find not only a variety of cheeses, but also breads, mustards, sauces and fudge. After much debate, we settled on Smokey Swiss ‘n Cheddar (which they kindly sliced for us), Garlic and Dill cheese curds and a long, tiny loaf of pumpernickel bread. For about $10 (not counting the variety pack of cheese and meat that my parents also got), we ate a satisfying lunch and never went back to Subway.

Spicy Tofu, Part One
Pulling into Milwaukee four hours later, we needed to eat before the ball game (we are going to six Major League Baseball games on this trip), and we settled on a Caribbean place called Good Life that I’d found on the internet before we left Edmonton. The restaurant itself was cute, situated on a corner and made mostly of glass with about a dozen tables, a large patio and a long bar. The menu was long with lots of vegetarian options, including curried cashew patties (that are also the veggie burger patty), jerk tofu, and Good Life Salad. We decided that the cuisine was more “Pan-Caribbean Fusion” than authentic fare, but the food was very good, the prices were fair and the atmosphere and service were lovely.

I ordered the jerk tofu plate ($13), which comes with rice, beans, and a wedge of pineapple, while my dad got the platter ($17)  (all the above plus corn on the cob and roasted veggies). My mom, still full from lunch, got the Caribbean chips and salsa ($8 ) and called it good. Excellent, actually. The chips were made from thinly sliced sweet potato and plantain, and both the mango salsa and guacamole were homemade, fresh and delicious.

The jerk tofu was great and the sides were even better. The rice was cooked to a soft, pleasant texture and subtly spiced with flavours that we loved but couldn’t quite recognize. The stewed red kidney beans were spiced entirely differently, and provided a nice textural contrast with the rice. My dad’s sides (which he shared) added yet another dimension to the platter. The roasted veggies (mostly zucchini and summer squash) were tender-crisp, and the corn on the cob was spread with mayo and cheese, a culinary choice that sounded disgusting when a friend first told me about it upon returning from Mexico, but which I actually really enjoyed.
The jerk tofu itself was cornmeal-crusted and swimming in jerk sauce, which (I tell you without a touch of irony) was almost too flavourful. The best thing about the platter, though, was its balance and the spicy, spicy tofu sat perfectly as the centrepiece of a well-balanced and delicious meal. The portions were huge, though, so while I strongly recommend the platter, I also strongly recommend sharing.

Spicy Tofu, Part Two

In between culinary adventures, we went to an incredible ball game. The Brewers won 5-0, Sabathia pitched a full game shut out, and Weeks dodged a tag to disrupt a double play and make it to third base (and eventually home). But that’s not what you came here to read about.

At the ball game, I resisted all temptations: pretzels the size of my head, ice cream sundaes, and even popcorn, because I had a mission: vegan hot wings. In searching for vegetarian options in Milwaukee, I came across many rave reviews for the Palomino, a restaurant that serves regular bar food and veggie analogues, all cooked up in their dedicated veggie fryer so that there is no chance of meat or meat juices in your vegan hot wings. After the game, we got lost on a series of interchanges and didn’t arrive at the Palomino until 10:30. Due to a city ordinance, they couldn’t serve us on the patio after 10:50, and due to wheelchair accessibility issues, we couldn’t get inside. After much pleading, they agreed to bring us vegan hot wings to go, but this means that I never saw a menu and can’t tell you anything about their other veggie options. The wings ($9), properly called “Toffalo Wings”, were very good. The portion was huge and came with tater tots and celery, as well as a delicious and presumably homemade ranch dip. The wings themselves were large chunks of battered and deep fried tofu and seitan, which were properly crispy, chewy and spicy. The only thing I would change is to make them smaller for a higher crust-to-tofu ratio, more like traditional wings. They were definitely worth the driving and the pleading, though, and I went to bed with a full tummy and soft spot in my heart for Milwaukee – land of cheese and spicy tofu.

Taco Salad

I went through a long period in my childhood wherein the only thing that I would order at restaurants was taco salad. If there was no taco salad on the menu, there was trouble. So, having tried many a taco salad, I think that my recipe is not too shabby. Try it and see what you think. This is the last installment in my series of “Things to Do with Salsa.” If you missed out, check out the posts over the last week.

Taco Salad
Serves 4

4 cups lettuce, torn
½ tsp. lime juice
½ tsp. olive oil
¼ cup corn
½ cup black beans
2 tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
2 green onions, sliced (about ½ cup)
½ cup red onion, finely diced
1 avocado, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup salsa
½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
½ cup goat feta cheese, crumbled

1. In a large bowl, toss lettuce with lime juice and oil. Divide between 4 bowls or plates.
2. Top each salad with ¼ of the remaining ingredients. Serve and enjoy!

P.S. I made this recipe to serve four so that you wouldn’t have leftover avocado, but feel free to cut it down if you want to make it for 2 or even just you. To preserve the remaining avocado, keep it in its shell with the pit and rub the exposed green flesh with lemon or lime juice. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and it should keep for a day or two.

Tofu Ranchero

Here’s a vegan take on huevos rancheros, one of my favourite brunch items. Using salsa here saves a lot of prep time versus other tofu scramble recipes, because you don’t have many vegetables to chop up, but the recipe still has a nice fresh taste. Enjoy!

Tofu Ranchero
Makes 2 – 4 Servings

½ cup black beans
¼ cup corn
2 – 3 cloves garlic
½ tsp. olive oil
½ lb. tofu (about 1½ cups)
¾ cup salsa
½ tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. turmeric
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small non-stick frying pan, heat oil. Add garlic, corn and beans. Cook until garlic is cooked and corn and beans are thawed (if using frozen).
2. Add tofu, mashing it between your thumb and forefinger to reach desired consistency.
3. Add salsa, chili powder, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook until heated through.
4. Serve with toast, or in a tortilla for a vegan breakfast burrito

Veggie Quesadillas

Often, vegetarian quesadillas are just a grilled tortilla filled with cheese, but it doesn’t have to be like that. This recipe has beans and sautéed veggies, and can still be made in under 20 minutes (if you use pre-made beans and salsa).

Veggie Quesadillas
Makes 2 servings

1 bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. olive oil
2 large whole wheat tortillas
1 cup refried beans
1 cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
12 pickled jalapeño slices, or to taste (optional)
½ cup salsa, store-bought or homemade

1. In a small non-stick pan, heat the oil. Add the peppers, onions and chili powder and sauté until soft. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, spread ½ cup of beans across half of each tortilla.
3. Sprinkle ½ cup of cheese over each tortilla.
4. Place 6 jalapeño slices on each tortilla, if using jalapeños.
5. Spread the cooked vegetables over the top.
6. Fold the tortillas in half.
7. Cook the tortillas in a large non-stick pan until the cheese is melty, about 5 minutes. Flip once during this time.
8. Slice each quesadilla into four slices.
9. Serve topped with salsa.

Veggie Burritos

A friend of mine recently commented that she rarely has tacos or burritos at home because they’re so hard to make and aren’t that great. I was shocked to hear this since burritos are one of the easiest and most favourite foods in my repertoire. If you use premade salsa and beans, and take advantage of my “easy guacamole” recipe below, these burritos can be ready to go in under 20 minutes. I hope that this recipe will help convert any taco-haters.

Veggie Burritos
Makes 4 Burritos

4 – 10″ burrito shells
1 – 14 oz. can (2 cups) refried beans (I really like Amy’s, but any vegetarian variety will do)
3 cups lettuce, torn
1 tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
½ bell pepper, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 scallions, chopped (about ½ cup)
¼ cup olives, chopped (optional)
1 cup Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Feta Cheese (optional)
½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)
½ cup salsa, homemade or store-bought
1 cup guacamole, or see simple recipe below
hot sauce, to taste

1. Chop veggies and arrange them on a plate.
2. Shred or crumble cheese, if using.
3. Divide ingredients between the burrito shells or, better yet: let everyone make their own burrito.
4. Enjoy

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Easy Guacamole
Makes about 1 cup

1 avocado
¼ tsp. lemon or lime juice
¼ cup chopped onion (optional)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Mash the avocado and lemon juice together in a bowl.
2. Add onion (if using) and pepper and mix well.
3. Serve immediately.

Guacamole!

If there is fresh salsa in the house, then homemade guacamole can’t be too far behind. This is another one of my mom’s favourite foods that I learned to love through her. Now she’s a big fan of my recipe and that makes me happy. The biggest trick to making guacamole is preventing it from going brown before you are done eating it. There are two things that I have found work well in this respect. First, combining the avocado and lime juice in a food processor (or mashing up the avocado very finely and mixing in the lime juice well before adding any other ingredients). Second, reserving the pit from the avocado and placing it in the centre of any uneaten guacamole. I don’t know why it works, but it does.

Guacamole
Makes about 2 cups

2 avocados
½ tsp. lime juice or lemon juice
¾ cup white onion, chopped
¾ cup tomato, chopped
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1. In a food processor (or in a bowl with a fork), mash avocado very finely and blend with lime juice.
2. Add onion, tomato and pepper and mix together.