The kids and I can't agree whether these are called Smunchies or Crunchies, but either way they're requested often. Like other recipes, I will sometimes add dairy cheese for the boys, but I omit the dairy cheese from mine and it is plenty delicious just as is. They're a little time-consuming, but better than anything I've ever had at That One Taco Joint. PS If you're thinking this looks similar to stuffed bell peppers you're right, but the outcome is completely different.
4 very large flour tortillas (I think 12" is the biggest they make)
1 8" flour tortilla torn into fourths
4 tostata shells, the flatter the better
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. tomato paste
1 1/2 c. lentils*
1 1/2 c. brown rice*
Taco seasoning to taste
4 to 5 dashes Worcestershire (vegean) to taste
4 to 5 dashes chipotle tobasco sauce
4 T. vegan sour cream (commercially purchased or make your own)
4 T. salsa
Diced tomato, optional
Shredded lettuce, optional
Vegan cheese, shredded, optional
*For variation, you may substitute refried beans (vegan, of course) for all or part of the lentil and rice mixture.
Warm flour tortillas either in the microwave or a large, dry skillet. Keep warm in a tortilla keeper or on a plate under layers of paper towels. Set all tortillas, including tostata shells, aside so they are ready for assembly.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft but not yet carmelized. Add tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add enough hot water to keep ingredients moist and not sticking to the pan. If you add too much, don't worry - you can just let it cook down at the end.
Add lentils, brown rice (and/or refried beans if using), taco seasoning, worcestershire sauce and tobasco sauce. Stir to combine and cook until heated through. Let it cook a few minutes for flavors to blend, adding additional water if necessary.
Preheat another large, dry skillet over medium heat. Assemble smunchies. Arrange 1/4 of the lentil mixture followed by 1/4 of the salsa and the tostada shell. On top of the tostada shell spread the sour cream and any other optional fixin's you choose. The flour tortilla is not large enough to wrap itself all the way around, so place 1/4 of the smaller flour tortilla in the center. Begin folding edges of large tortilla up and over, holding in place until all edges are folded. (You should not be able to see any of the inner ingredients at this point.)
Place smunchie in pan, folded sides down, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Check occasionally to ensure it is not burning. Flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the top is golden. Let stand a few minutes before serving as it will be HOT.
Repeat with remaining smunchies. Makes 4 smunchies. Warning: children, specifically teenage boys, get addicted to smunchies and you may be asked repeatedly to make them.
Showing posts with label Tortillas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tortillas. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18
Wednesday, December 1
Curry Wraps
My oldest hates everything foreign - usually until he tries it. This was no exception. The flavor was not something he was used to, but it was quite yummy and we all enjoyed it. I should have made mored because they both wanted seconds! :o)
1 1/2 c. cooked barley
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
Curry Sauce (recipe will follow)
3 burrito-sized wheat tortillas
9 romaine lettuce leaves
Shredded Vegan Cheese (if desired)
Combine barley and white beans in a large bowl or pot. Use a bowl if you are making a cold wrap and use a pot if you are making a warm wrap.
Prepare Curry Sauce:
1 package (12 oz) light firm silken tofu, drained
1 t. yellow curry powder
1 t. Real Salt
1/4 t. granulated garlic
1/4 t. ginger
1/8 c. nutritional yeast
1 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 c. coconut milk
Place all ingredients except coconut milk in a hand blender. Add half of the coconut milk and begin blending, adding more milk as necessary to reach desired consistency. The sauce should be thin but not runny. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Add 1/2 of the sauce mixture to beans and barley, stirring to combine. Store remaining sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you want a warm wrap, heat barley mixture over low heat until just heated through. Remove center rib from lettuce leaves, and arrange three of each lettuce leaf on each tortilla. Top with 1/3 of barley mixture. Fold bottom up and then roll both sides over like a burrito. Serve immediately.
If desired, garnish with tomato and/or avocato before rolling.
1 1/2 c. cooked barley
1 1/2 c. cooked white beans
Curry Sauce (recipe will follow)
3 burrito-sized wheat tortillas
9 romaine lettuce leaves
Shredded Vegan Cheese (if desired)
Combine barley and white beans in a large bowl or pot. Use a bowl if you are making a cold wrap and use a pot if you are making a warm wrap.
Prepare Curry Sauce:
1 package (12 oz) light firm silken tofu, drained
1 t. yellow curry powder
1 t. Real Salt
1/4 t. granulated garlic
1/4 t. ginger
1/8 c. nutritional yeast
1 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 c. coconut milk
Place all ingredients except coconut milk in a hand blender. Add half of the coconut milk and begin blending, adding more milk as necessary to reach desired consistency. The sauce should be thin but not runny. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Add 1/2 of the sauce mixture to beans and barley, stirring to combine. Store remaining sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you want a warm wrap, heat barley mixture over low heat until just heated through. Remove center rib from lettuce leaves, and arrange three of each lettuce leaf on each tortilla. Top with 1/3 of barley mixture. Fold bottom up and then roll both sides over like a burrito. Serve immediately.
If desired, garnish with tomato and/or avocato before rolling.
Thursday, October 21
Garden-Fresh Breakfast Burrito
We helped my mom "put the garden to sleep" last weekend, which means we came home with bags and bags of veggies from her garden. I get tired of eating oatmeal every morning (which is usually breakfast because I'm in a rush) and I needed to use up the veggies before they went bad. The bell pepper and zucchini I used in this reciep were VERY tiny, so it worked well for a single burrito. If you have bigger veggies simply use half and save the other half for later.
Olive oil
1 very small green bell pepper (or other pepper), thinly sliced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moon pieces
1 very tiny zucchini (or half a regular small zucchini), thinly sliced
1/2 t. Southwestern seasoning
2 small roma tomatoes
1 burrito-sized tortilla
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and onions, sauteeing until almost soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and southwestern seasoning. Stir to evenly distribute seasoning and cook another 2 minutes.
Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds and liquid-y centers, if desired*. (I did this because I was going to be eating it in my new car on the way to work and I didn't want burrito juice going everywhere.) Slice thinly.
Heat tortilla in a dry skillet, over a gas flame or in microwave for 10 seconds, just long enough to soften. Spread tomatoes evenly across center of tortilla. Top with cooked veggies. Add vegan sour cream, if desired. Fold bottom up, then fold sides over to form a burrito.
Makes 1 serving. If you want more than one burrito, just cook and slice more veggies.
*Note: The easiest way I have found to do this is to quarter the tomato and then slide your thumb under the seeds under cold running water.
Tip: Most veggies can be frozen for later use with very little impact on quality. For example, if I dice or slice a whole onion and only use half, I toss it in an airtight container or baggie and save it for next time. My mom likes to carmelize large batches of garlic and freeze it. You can do the same thing with peppers and other veggies. Some veggies require blanching before freezing, like spinach and broccoli. Having veggies ready to go ahead of time really cuts down on porep time, making it easier to create a vegan masterpiece.
Variations: Use any veggies you have on hand. Consider mushrooms, potatoes, avocado, spinach, broccoli, etc. I can't think of a veggie that would NOT go well sauteed up and put in a tortilla. Also consider adding grains like Quinoa or brown rice.
Olive oil
1 very small green bell pepper (or other pepper), thinly sliced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moon pieces
1 very tiny zucchini (or half a regular small zucchini), thinly sliced
1/2 t. Southwestern seasoning
2 small roma tomatoes
1 burrito-sized tortilla
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and onions, sauteeing until almost soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and southwestern seasoning. Stir to evenly distribute seasoning and cook another 2 minutes.
Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds and liquid-y centers, if desired*. (I did this because I was going to be eating it in my new car on the way to work and I didn't want burrito juice going everywhere.) Slice thinly.
Heat tortilla in a dry skillet, over a gas flame or in microwave for 10 seconds, just long enough to soften. Spread tomatoes evenly across center of tortilla. Top with cooked veggies. Add vegan sour cream, if desired. Fold bottom up, then fold sides over to form a burrito.
Makes 1 serving. If you want more than one burrito, just cook and slice more veggies.
*Note: The easiest way I have found to do this is to quarter the tomato and then slide your thumb under the seeds under cold running water.
Tip: Most veggies can be frozen for later use with very little impact on quality. For example, if I dice or slice a whole onion and only use half, I toss it in an airtight container or baggie and save it for next time. My mom likes to carmelize large batches of garlic and freeze it. You can do the same thing with peppers and other veggies. Some veggies require blanching before freezing, like spinach and broccoli. Having veggies ready to go ahead of time really cuts down on porep time, making it easier to create a vegan masterpiece.
Variations: Use any veggies you have on hand. Consider mushrooms, potatoes, avocado, spinach, broccoli, etc. I can't think of a veggie that would NOT go well sauteed up and put in a tortilla. Also consider adding grains like Quinoa or brown rice.
Tuesday, October 12
Seitan and Lentil Tacos
This was one of those "What's For Dinner?" solutions. The kids had ideas that didn't sound all that great to me, and I had ideas that didn't sound all that great to them. This is what we finally settled on - and I couldn't have been more pleased. We have plenty of leftovers for dinner tonight.
1/2 recipe Homemade Seitan or Cheater Seitan
1 c. dry lentils
2 to 3 T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Taco Seasoning, to taste
Tortillas
Taco Toppings (tomato, avocado, vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, spinach, lettuce, salsa, etc)
Cut seitan into 2 inch chunks (approximately) and place in food processor. Process on low for a few seconds at a time until seitan is crumbly and resembles cooked ground beef.
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with hot water, at least 3 cups. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, sort lentils, removing any rocks or debris. Rinse under cold water. Add to saucepan, return water to boiling, and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
While lentils are cooking, heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic begin to carmelize. It may be necessary to add additional olive oil if onion begins to stick to the pan. Once carmelization begins, add ground seitan and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until seitan just starts to brown. If lentils are not yet finished cooking, reduce heat on skillet to low and stir mixture frequently to prevent burning.
Drain lentils and add to seitan mixture. Add taco seasoning, a few tablespoons at a time, until desired flavor is reached. Add approximately 1/2 cup hot water with taco seasoning, more or less as needed, to prevent seasoning from clumping. Do not add too much water as it will make your tacos too "drippy." Continue cooking and stirring until heated through.
Serve immediately on tortillas, garnishing as desired.
Note: The taco "meat" can be made ahead of time and heated through just prior to serving.
Variation: Add a 6 oz can tomato sauce or a 12 oz can petite diced tomatoes (drained) with the taco seasoning.
Variation #2 - Barley and Lentil Tacos. For one dinner we didn't have any seitan made, and it takes a considerable amount of time to prepare, so I boiled up 1/2 c. barley and used it in place of the seitan. The boys hardly noticed and the tacos got good reviews from my little critics.
1/2 recipe Homemade Seitan or Cheater Seitan
1 c. dry lentils
2 to 3 T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Taco Seasoning, to taste
Tortillas
Taco Toppings (tomato, avocado, vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, spinach, lettuce, salsa, etc)
Cut seitan into 2 inch chunks (approximately) and place in food processor. Process on low for a few seconds at a time until seitan is crumbly and resembles cooked ground beef.
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with hot water, at least 3 cups. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, sort lentils, removing any rocks or debris. Rinse under cold water. Add to saucepan, return water to boiling, and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
While lentils are cooking, heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic begin to carmelize. It may be necessary to add additional olive oil if onion begins to stick to the pan. Once carmelization begins, add ground seitan and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until seitan just starts to brown. If lentils are not yet finished cooking, reduce heat on skillet to low and stir mixture frequently to prevent burning.
Drain lentils and add to seitan mixture. Add taco seasoning, a few tablespoons at a time, until desired flavor is reached. Add approximately 1/2 cup hot water with taco seasoning, more or less as needed, to prevent seasoning from clumping. Do not add too much water as it will make your tacos too "drippy." Continue cooking and stirring until heated through.
Serve immediately on tortillas, garnishing as desired.
Note: The taco "meat" can be made ahead of time and heated through just prior to serving.
Variation: Add a 6 oz can tomato sauce or a 12 oz can petite diced tomatoes (drained) with the taco seasoning.
Variation #2 - Barley and Lentil Tacos. For one dinner we didn't have any seitan made, and it takes a considerable amount of time to prepare, so I boiled up 1/2 c. barley and used it in place of the seitan. The boys hardly noticed and the tacos got good reviews from my little critics.
Tuesday, September 21
Veggie Fajitas
This recipe uses Seitan - pick either the Homemade Seitan or Cheater Seitan from this blog, or use commercially prepared seitan. Use many colors of bell peppers to make the dish look interesting. I could eat this for days and days - and the boys didn't complain. Win-win!
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, any color, thinly sliced
1/2 recipe Cheater Seitan thinly sliced, about 2 cups
Olive oil
Southwestern Seasoning
Heat a few tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until onion and pepper start to become soft. Add seitan and southwestern seasoning to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until seitan is heated through. It may be necessary to add some additional olive oil if seitan begins to stick to the pan.
Serve immediately with tortillas, vegan sour cream, avocado, tomatoes, guacamole, vegan cheese, or any other fajita toppings.
Makes about 6 fajitas.
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, any color, thinly sliced
1/2 recipe Cheater Seitan thinly sliced, about 2 cups
Olive oil
Southwestern Seasoning
Heat a few tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until onion and pepper start to become soft. Add seitan and southwestern seasoning to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until seitan is heated through. It may be necessary to add some additional olive oil if seitan begins to stick to the pan.
Serve immediately with tortillas, vegan sour cream, avocado, tomatoes, guacamole, vegan cheese, or any other fajita toppings.
Makes about 6 fajitas.
Monday, September 20
Chi-hua-huas
This is similar to Happy Dogs in a Blanket, but fundamentally different enough that I wanted to post it. The boys love Chi-hua-huas and they are so easy.
1 package (8 count) veggie dogs
4 slices non-dairy cheese
8 whole wheat tortillas
olive oil or cooking spray
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add veggie dogs and cook until heated through.
Heat tortillas in the microwave for 10 seconds each, or heat in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 1/2 piece of cheese in the center of a tortilla and top with veggie dog. Fold tortilla over each end of the veggie dog, then roll like a burrito. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat for all 8 dogs and tortillas.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange Chi-hua-huas on a cookie sheet (lined with foil, if desired). Brush lightly with a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or spray with a generous coat of cooking spray. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tortillas just start to brown. Watch closely to prevent burning. Serve immediately.
1 package (8 count) veggie dogs
4 slices non-dairy cheese
8 whole wheat tortillas
olive oil or cooking spray
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add veggie dogs and cook until heated through.
Heat tortillas in the microwave for 10 seconds each, or heat in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 1/2 piece of cheese in the center of a tortilla and top with veggie dog. Fold tortilla over each end of the veggie dog, then roll like a burrito. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat for all 8 dogs and tortillas.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange Chi-hua-huas on a cookie sheet (lined with foil, if desired). Brush lightly with a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or spray with a generous coat of cooking spray. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tortillas just start to brown. Watch closely to prevent burning. Serve immediately.
Tuesday, August 17
Vegan Stir Fry
I'll be the first to admit I have been really lazy about meal preparation lately. Not only that, but the produce seems to be going bad much more quickly than normal. I decided to go for frozen veggies this week in an effort to reduce waste. I came up with this idea for dinner while browsing the frozen foods section at the store this week. It has a lot of pre-packaged ingredients, so it is not to be used every day, but we really enjoyed it and it made enough for dinner AND leftovers for my lunch tomorrow.
1 cup uncooked rice (brown is best but I only had white on hand)
1 package (16 oz) frozen veggies - I picked a Thai blend
1 jar (8 oz) Pad Thai sauce (contains a little fish sauce so technically not vegan)
1 package (8 oz) Seitan strips
Boil two cups of water. Add rice and stir. If using brown rice cook for 45 minutes and if using white rice cook for 15 minutes, or each until all water is absorbed. Add a little Real Salt for flavor if desired.
While rice is cooking, put vegetables directly into a large, hot skillet. When they are completely defrosted add seitan and stir. Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are completely cooked. Add sauce, stirring well to combine. Heat through. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: If you have the time and resources (which I did not tonight) consider using fresh vegetables. Broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, green beans, and onions (or any other fresh vegetables) could easily replace the frozen vegetables. You may need to cook it a little longer, but the fresh dish will more than make up for the extra time.
1 cup uncooked rice (brown is best but I only had white on hand)
1 package (16 oz) frozen veggies - I picked a Thai blend
1 jar (8 oz) Pad Thai sauce (contains a little fish sauce so technically not vegan)
1 package (8 oz) Seitan strips
Boil two cups of water. Add rice and stir. If using brown rice cook for 45 minutes and if using white rice cook for 15 minutes, or each until all water is absorbed. Add a little Real Salt for flavor if desired.
While rice is cooking, put vegetables directly into a large, hot skillet. When they are completely defrosted add seitan and stir. Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are completely cooked. Add sauce, stirring well to combine. Heat through. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: If you have the time and resources (which I did not tonight) consider using fresh vegetables. Broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, green beans, and onions (or any other fresh vegetables) could easily replace the frozen vegetables. You may need to cook it a little longer, but the fresh dish will more than make up for the extra time.
Wednesday, June 16
Spinach Hummus Wrap
The boys are visiting their father for a couple of weeks and I don't feel the need to cook a large meal just for me. I made this wrap from tossing several things together from the refrigerator, but it turned out great.
For One Wrap:
1 large tortilla or wrap
2 T. hummus
1/4 roasted bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/8 cup diced (not sliced) baby portabello mushrooms
2 T. brown rice
8 to 10 large spinach leaves (or however many will fit in your wrap)
1 to 2 T. Creamy Vegan Ranch
Note: The hyperlinks will take you to a recipe on this blog for the required ingredient.
Optional: Heat tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds or in a heated skillet until just warm. This step is not required considering this is a cold wrap, but it does help the tortilla to roll more easily without tearing.
Spread hummus down the center of the wrap. Top hummus with peppers, mushrooms and brown rice. Add spinach, then drizzle ranch.
Fold like a burrito, tucking the "bottom" side in first. It is helpful to use a dull knife to stuff the vegetables into the wrap so they don't fall out while rolling.
Serve immediately or wrap in foil until lunch (be sure to recycle it when you're finished). :o)
Wraps are a great way to get some veggies into your diet. Load the tortillas up with any combination of vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, or even fruits. Sauces are the key to a delicious wrap - play with vegan Ranch, Caesar, varied flavors of hummus (my favorite is sun-dried tomato), or vegan cheese sauces.
For One Wrap:
1 large tortilla or wrap
2 T. hummus
1/4 roasted bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/8 cup diced (not sliced) baby portabello mushrooms
2 T. brown rice
8 to 10 large spinach leaves (or however many will fit in your wrap)
1 to 2 T. Creamy Vegan Ranch
Note: The hyperlinks will take you to a recipe on this blog for the required ingredient.
Optional: Heat tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds or in a heated skillet until just warm. This step is not required considering this is a cold wrap, but it does help the tortilla to roll more easily without tearing.
Spread hummus down the center of the wrap. Top hummus with peppers, mushrooms and brown rice. Add spinach, then drizzle ranch.
Fold like a burrito, tucking the "bottom" side in first. It is helpful to use a dull knife to stuff the vegetables into the wrap so they don't fall out while rolling.
Serve immediately or wrap in foil until lunch (be sure to recycle it when you're finished). :o)
Wraps are a great way to get some veggies into your diet. Load the tortillas up with any combination of vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, or even fruits. Sauces are the key to a delicious wrap - play with vegan Ranch, Caesar, varied flavors of hummus (my favorite is sun-dried tomato), or vegan cheese sauces.
Thursday, May 6
Baked Burritos
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the boys wanted something Mexican-ish. They originally suggested burritos, which are not my favorite. Earlier in the day I had come across a number of different recipes for Cinco de Mayo feasts, and this is a hybrid of my favorite parts of each.8 (8 inch) flour tortillas (whole wheat is best)
1 can (12 oz) fat free refried beans*
1/2 small onion, diced
1 cup packed spinach, thinly sliced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. non-dairy cheese (optional)
Taco seasoning to taste
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
To prepare burritos, put a small amount of each ingredient just off center on each tortilla in the following order: beans, onion, tomatoes, taco seasoning, spinach, cheese. Tuck each side in and roll into a burrito. Place on prepared baking sheet with the open edge down to hold it in place.
Use a pastry brush to very lightly coat each burrito with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with salsa, avocado, non-dairy sour cream or any other desired burrito toppings.
Makes 8 burritos.
*If you have time, homemade refried beans are really easy. Take 1 1/2 c. cooked pinto beans (from scratch, not from the can or what's the point?) and mash with a potato masher. Mix with just enough water to get the right consistency, 1/2 t. of cumin, 1 T. powdered vegetable broth, and Real Salt to taste. Stir and continue adding water as necessary. Feel free to play with the seasonings until you get the taste you're after. They're much tastier than the canned beans, although they do take a bit more time.
Nutrition facts per burrito without garnishes
Cal: 265, Fat: 10, Carb: 35, Fiber: 4, Protein: 9
Random Factoid: Most commercially produced non-dairy cheeses contain casein, which is a milk protein. I hate to point out the obvious, but that means it's not a dairy-free cheese. Checking the label for casein (or more appropriately, lack of casein) will ensure you're getting a truly dairy-free cheese.
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