20 Minutes To The Table: Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos & Costa Rican Cabbage Salad Video

20 Minutes To The Table: Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos & Costa Rican Cabbage Salad

Hi everyone! I had an idea the other day of putting together quick delicious meals for those of you short on time. This recipe is a great midweek recipe, if you can open a can and use a knife you can make this recipe very easily! I’ll start off by showing you how to make the raw Costa Rican Cabbage Salad recipe, and then the Mexican Black Bean Corn Tacos (this is a variation on my recipe in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.)

If you’d like order one of my cooking aprons or my cookbook my store is here: http://lowfatveganchef.storenvy.com

I’d like to point out that I used canned ingredients in my first video to show how anyone, no matter where you are, can make this recipe. You can also use home cooked beans and fresh corn (or frozen) if desired and using organic foods is your choice as well. This new series is going to show easy plant based recipes that absolutely everyone can make with ease, when pressed for time. That’s why I list the short cuts. Most of the time I cook from scratch, but I know this is not feasible for everyone, especially on a week night after work. Please of course feel free to use fresh cooked beans, organic fresh corn and your own homemade corn tortillas if you are a scratch cooker, but of course this will add to the prep time and take much longer than 20 minutes. Enjoy 🙂

Recipes follow below.

Raw Vegan Costa Rican Cabbage Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 green cabbage shredded (or 5 cups bagged slaw mix)
1 medium (ripe) tomato, diced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 glove garlic, pressed or minced
1 handful fresh cilantro/coriander roughly chopped (or to taste)
1 – 1 1/2 large limes juiced (use your discretion to balance with salt)
1/4-1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (use your discretion to balance with the lime)
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Toss ingredients into a large salad bowl (mine was a little small but I used it as it was clear to show you) and massage well for a minute or two, scrunching the cabbage to help soften it.

2. Adjust lime, salt and pepper to your tastes. If it’s perfectly seasoned it should taste neither of just salt or lime, but a nice mix between the two.

3. Place in refrigerate to marinate until needed.

To spice things up: Add a sliced fresh jalapeno or chili pepper.

Based on my recipe in Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World

Vegan Mexican Black Bean & Corn Tacos

Serves 2-4 (depending how ravenous you are!)

Ingredients:

19 oz. can no sodium black beans or pinto beans (or 2 1/3 cups cooked fresh)
12 oz. can no sodium/no sugar corn or 1.5 cups frozen or fresh cut
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
3/4 tbsp maple syrup, maple sugar or honey – I don’t use agave (*optional to add flavor to the unsalted beans)
1.5 tsp roasted cumin (or regular, but roasted is much more flavorful)
1/4-1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (or to taste)
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
1/4-1/2 lime juiced (or to taste)
8-12 corn tortillas (depends how full you load your tacos)
Salsa of choice (I always look for the lowest sodium on the shelves, you’d be surprised how much sodium is in salsa)

Directions:

1. Heat a pot over medium heat. Drain the corn (if applicable), add some black bean juice to the pot and the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the black beans, corn and seasonings (leave the lime juice until the end) and heat for 5-7 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

3. Meanwhile heat your corn tortillas over medium heat in a crepe pan, griddle or frying pan just until warm and place in a tortilla warmer, tinfoil or tea towel to insulate. Alternatively you can heat them over a gas flame until slightly charred or microwave just at the end all together for 30 seconds. (Any longer and it won’t be good…)

4. Add the lime juice to the beans and corn and taste test. Adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Assemble tacos, starting with a layer of black beans and corn, some salsa and then top with your marinated Costa Rican Cabbage Salad. Sometimes I like to add some fresh guacamole for variety as well.

6. Enjoy!

Make it spicy: add some chipotle chili powder, cayenne or a sliced jalapeno to the black bean and corns. Use your discretion.

Corn tortillas are fairly common in the USA and easy to find at most grocery stores and health food stores. I use corn tortillas because they usually have only 3-4 ingredients (but read the label to make sure there is no oil or lard) and are lower calorie than wheat tortillas. Wheat tortillas are more for burritos. If you’re in Canada check your health food store or google mexican/latin groceries in your area. I found several in my city of Calgary that had homemade corn tortillas. I will post a video later on show you how to make your own corn tortillas with masa (corn flour).

This makes a fairly light meal, if you’re family or dinner guests are ravenous I would recommend serving some fresh seasoned rice on the side to round it out, or double wrapping your tacos (use 2 tortillas) and load them up with beans and corn. 🙂

I hope you enjoyed my first episode of 20 minutes To The Table. I filmed this in my kitchen with a camera, a tripod and a lot of books lol.  Let me know what you think by posting below!

10 Tips For Eating Out Raw At Restaurants

Depending where you live, you might be more or less able to continue your raw eating habits when dining out with friends and family.

Just because you are a raw foodist, it does not mean that you have to eat all of your meals alone or at home (unless you want to). Some people in your life might even be put off with the fact that you no longer socialize the way they do. Although you are living a healthier (and hopefully happier) life than some of your friends with unhealthy eating habits, there’s no reason to make an outcast of yourself.

Many times your friends and family just don’t understand, they think it’s too hard to stop eating the foods they grew up with and have come to love. They think what you are doing is hard work, unsatisfying, isolating etc.

Well, why not show them they are wrong? You’re still the same person, you just have a more informed view on food and health. So find a compromise and demystify these negative attitudes they have about raw food being “rabbit food” and “not people food”.

With vegan and vegetarian restaurants popping up all over the world, it’s no longer unheard of, and vegan diets are gaining ground.

Now, you might not have access to a raw food restaurant full of imitation SAD comfort food dishes, but here are some tips on how you can still socialize and eat out once in a while.

 

10 Tips for Eating Raw at a Regular Restaurant

1. Call the restaurant ahead of time to see if they can accommodate any special raw meal request, many restaurants have a large supply of vegetables and in season fruits. A larger restaurant or chain might accommodate you better as small vegan restaurants often have less produce and offer primarily cooked meat replacement dishes.

2. Find a restaurant that has an all you can eat salad bar or buffet style restaurant with a salad bar.

3. Order a fresh fruit smoothie or juice to start (if available), or bring your own in a travel container.

4. Let your waiter know of you dietary needs and ensure they understand what uncooked, and vegan food means.

5. Ask your waiter for suggestions of salads or appetizers on the menu that can be modified. Also ask about any cold soups available that are made with raw ingredients.

6. Bring your own low fat salad dressing. Restaurant dressings are riddled with preservatives and excitotoxins. The standard olive oil and balsamic vinegar might be ok once in a while, but know that any oil served in a clear glass container becomes rancid when exposed to light and is not very fresh.

7. Ask if the restaurant has fresh avocado or seeds for your salad, or bring your own.

8. Ask the waiter to talk to the kitchen to see what raw fruits and vegetables they have available and be creative to make a dish not on the menu. A lot of restaurants serve fruit cups for breakfast, so check if they have any left.

9. If your friends want to order an appetizer and you’d like to eat with them, bring your own raw hummus and ask the waiter to cut fresh carrot and cucumber slices for *chips* so everyone can try it.

10. If you’re feeling tempted by desserts at the end of your meal, bring some dates and have a few to satisfy your sweet tooth (if you haven’t eaten enough fruit before the meal).

If you have access to a raw food restaurant, or perhaps have some friends that are interested or used to this type of fare, here are some tips for eating out at a raw food restaurant and not compromising your taste buds or digestion.

10 Tips for Eating Out at a Gourmet Raw Food Restaurant:

1. Check out Happy Cow or yelp.com for restaurants in your area.

2. Look at the restaurant menu in advance (either in person or online) and analyze the menu for healthier options. Most raw restaurants base all entrees around oil and nuts and can be very hard to digest.

3. Order a fresh juice or smoothie to start (or several if they are tiny!).

4. Talk to the waiter to find out what dishes can be made without added oils or salt (if you’re concerned).

5. Order a salad or salad roll for an appetizer and don’t mix oils, nuts/seeds, or avocado in the same meal, choose 1 type of fat (for best digestion and low fat lifestyle).

6. Try to fill up mostly on fruit and salad before ordering a tempting dinner entree.

7. Look for dishes that contain vegetables or fruits for the base of the meal instead of flax crackers or nut breads. Or ask for a hummus or dip to come out with carrot and cucumber slices instead of the bread and crackers.

8. Plan ahead of time to use this meal as your higher fat meal to balance out your overall fat intake for the week. i.e Try having a no fat day the day before or after this treat day.

9. Share an entree item with a friend if you just want a taste and not the whole heavy meal.

10. Ideally, say no to dessert, (or at least no to the pie crust portion or nut “cheesecake”). Ask if they have raw sorbet or banana ice-cream instead for a healthier treat.

If you keep in mind your overall health goals and observe your energy and digestion after having a higher fat meal or treat you will be better in tune with your body’s needs. Maybe you have no problem digesting raw gourmet meals, maybe only once in a while. Try to give your body a break after these days and stick to fruit meals, juices and smoothies to get enough hydration and fiber back into your body after a dehydrated gourmet treat.

You can eat out with friends and family and have fun being social, but make sure you select food that you will be glad you ate (as a treat) and not regret afterwards. Keep your experience positive and stick to your healthy lifestyle.

It will be worth it in the end.

GoGo Quinoa Minestrone Soup Review (Gluten Free and Vegan)

We have a new food/pharmacy shopping website in Canada called www.Well.ca and I noticed they had food items on there. I decided to check to see if they had any vegan products and I was pleasantly surprised they had some vegan and gluten free combined products. I purchased a few including this GoGo Quinoa Minestrone Soup to try and review.

Reading the label I noticed it contained only natural and some organic ingredients. It was also completely oil free, low in fat and low in sodium. I was pretty shocked, but thought this was an excellent choice for a prepared food item. It only contains vegetables, quinoa and seasonings. The package says it has 4 servings, but I think it’s more realistically 2 servings for a hearty meal.

Ingredients: Organic white rice and quinoa macaroni, organic white quinoa flakes, tomato powder, green peas, red beans, carrots, red peppers, onion flakes, paprika, parsley, organic onion powder, salt, organic garlic, and organic tumeric. – That’s it! No oil and no chemical flavorings.

It’s very easy to prepare, you just boil some water and add the contents and cook until the pasta is tender. This pasta tends to get overcooked quite quickly, so it is best eaten fresh. If you only want a half portion I would try dividing the whole package ingredients in half as it’s a little too overcooked if reheated.

The taste is much better than instant soup cups and other dehydrated camping meals I’ve tried. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that the peas never really softened and were still kind of hard and gritty they weren’t very good even after cooking for 15 minutes and letting sit for a few minutes.

For a healthy fast meal I would recommend it, especially since it contains only natural ingredients, it’s vegan, gluten free, oil-free and low in sodium.

If you purchase these items on www.Well.ca (in Canada) you can get free shipping on orders over $25.  Otherwise you can order them directly from the company for a flat shipping free of $5 in Canada and $10 shipping in the USA. Check out GoGo Quinoa’s Website for more gluten free vegan items.

Just FYI. This is not a sponsored review. I receive absolutely no compensation from GoGo Quinoa, I just thought it was neat that they were creating oil free vegan and gluten free products which is uncommon.

Pre Order Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World Now!

Hi Everyone!

I’m now accepting pre orders for Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.

Just click here to go to the sales page.

I have had this available as a recipe ebook since October 2012, but now I’ve turned your favorite recipes into an all new, totally redesigned printed book you can bring into the kitchen with you!

Thank you so much for your support and all the positive feedback I’ve received from you guys. I could not do this without you!

This book has recipes for everyone in it. All of them are low fat, oil-free and contain absolutely no fake vegetarian cheeses or meats. There’s also tons of recipes for those following a gluten free, nut free or soy free diet.

Enjoy my little chefs! 🙂

Veronica

Vegan Comfort Foods Printing Soon and Contest!

COMING SOON!

Hi everyone! I am so excited to announce that my print edition of Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World is ALMOST ready! It has been a huge learning process for me and I’ve had multiple people help me on this project from editing to formatting to design. Since I’m not going the traditional route (like trying to find a big publishing house to work with) I can do things a little differently. By self publishing I can decide on the quality and content of each book and offer you a fully colored printed book with photos for EVERY recipe instead of just for some. This recipe book has exactly the same recipes in my ebook version, the only thing that has changed is the cover and the layout.

Some of you have been begging for me to come out with a printed recipe book and because Vegan Comfort Foods sells so well in ebook form I was able to take a risk and get it designed and printed. So I wanted to thank you all for your support!

I’d like to get your feedback on what you think of this design as well and do a special launch contest for you in return.

*Contest* – Win A Copy Of Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World 

Just comment below and tell me what you think of the design and why you would like to win a copy. I’ll select one lucky winner from all the comments and mail you a copy of Vegan Comfort Foods as soon as it’s printed. (Please don’t enter any address or shipping information in your comment, I will contact you for those details if you win, just provide a working email address)

Here’s the beautiful back cover I had designed.

Chapter Sections:

Sample Recipe (click each photo to enlarge):

The book is 150 pages and in an 8 x 10″ format. It’s jam packed with delicious recipes and other helpful information such as:

Tools Necessary For A Low Fat Vegan Kitchen
Ingredients Necessary For These Recipes
Why Cook Without Oil?
Debunking Common Cooking Myths
What Is This Ingredient?
How To Cook The Perfect Brown Rice
How To Cook The Perfect White Basmati Rice (and brown)
How To Cook Quinoa Perfectly Every Time
How To Bake Jacket Potatoes Without Oil
How To Cook The Perfect Sushi Rice.

Recipes featured in Vegan Comfort Foods:

Comfort Foods From the Americas:

Baked Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Better Than Boston Baked Beans
Black Bean & Corn Tacos
Cranberry Apple Pecan Holiday Stuffing
Easy Cheezy Shells and Broccoli
Hearty Vegetable Slow Cooker Stew
Herbed Lentil Loaf
Holiday Stuffed Acorn Squash
Jackfruit Carnitas (faux pulled pork tacos)
Marinated Portobella Bean Burritos
Mashed Potatoes With Mushrooms
Meatless Sloppy Joe’s
Quinoa Veggie Slow Cooker Chili
Rainbow Nachos
Rice & Beans Costa Rican Style (Gallo Pinto)
Saucy Eggplant Fajitas
Spicy Black Bean & Corn Burgers
Yam & French Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Yam and Pecan Holiday Casserole
Yam Black Bean Enchiladas

Comfort Foods From Europe and Asia

Baked Artichoke Risotto
Baked Ziti With Greens
The Best Cabbage Rolls
Cauliflower Potato Tofu Frittata
Deluxe Spinach Mushroom Lasagna
Fettuccini Alfredo With Mushrooms and Spinach
Gourmet Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto
Greek Rice Stuffed Peppers
Indian Basmati Rice with Peas
Indian Cauliflower & Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi)
Indian Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala)
Indian Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta)
Indian Spinach Potato Curry (Aloo Palak)
Moroccan Root Vegetable Tagine (Stew)
Ratatouille
Rotini Marinara With Chanterelle Mushrooms
Spaghetti Marinara With French Lentils
Thai Eggplant & Basil Stir Fry
Vegan California Sushi Rolls
Yam Chickpea Spinach Curry

Comfort Sauces/Gravies/Dips

Baba Ghanoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)
The Best Guacamole
Black Bean Dip
Cheezy Sauce For Vegetables
Classic Brown Gravy
Creamy White Bean Gravy With Thyme
Low Fat Hummus
Miso Tahini Gravy
Queso Sauce
Rich Mushroom Gravy
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Southern White Gravy
Tangy Tofu Ranch Dip
Plus Bonus recipes: Sauteed Garlic Mushrooms,Two Bite Brownies and Vegan Rice Pudding

How To Win A Copy:

Let me know what you think of the design and why you would like to win a copy! Comment below and I’ll choose 1 lucky winner!

Contest is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered!