South American tamales are mostly masa served with delicious sauces, whereas Central American tamales rely on stewed meats and veggies to add flavor. This recipe is more in a South American style but uses Kabocha, a Japanese winter squash, to add substance and sweetness. Any winter squash, like butternut or acorn, will make a good substitute.

Steaming Kabocha Squash and Quinoa Tamales (Photo by Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds Kabocha squash, steamed and pureed
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 2 cups masa harina 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Prepare the tamales.
3. Steam the tamales until the masa is firm, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Serve with your favorite Aji.

Spaghetti Squash with a sprig of fresh basil.

Ingredients

• Spaghetti squash, halved and de-seeded
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1-3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
• salt to taste

Preparation

1. Place the squash halves face down in a large rectangular baking dish. Place a sprig of rosemary under each half and a few around the squash.
2. Pour water in the baking dish with one half inch of water.
3. Place the baking dish in the over and cook at 400 degrees Farenheight for an hour or until the squash is fork tender.
4. When the squash is finished cooking, carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool until it can be safely handled, about 15 minutes.
5. Scoop the flesh of the cooked squash into a large bowl and discard the skins. Toss with olive oil and salt to taste, or serve with marinara sauce.

These enchiladas pair a tangy tomatillo filling with a sweet ripe tomato ranchero style sauce.

Tomatillo Enchiladas with fresh Ranchero Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 Pound tomatillos, diced
• 29 ounces cooked pinto beans
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced and divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped and divided
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 2 small serrano peppers or one medium jalapeno, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, divided
• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 dried chipotle, halved
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 12 fresh corn tortillas
•  1/2 cup cilantro, minced and divided
• 1 medium ripe avocado, sliced

Preparation

1. To start the sauce saute 3/4 of the onion and 1/2 the minced garlic in 1 tablespoon oil. Add bell pepper, minced serrano, and 1/2 a teaspoon ground cumin and cook until the peppers have softened. Add tomatoes and half of the chopped cilantro and allow the sauce to come to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt to taste. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally while you prepare the filling.
2. In a medium pot heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat and saute the remaining onion and garlic. Add tomatillos, pinto beans, oregano, dried chipotle, and 1/2 a teaspoon cumin. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Cook until the tomatillos have softened, about 10 minutes. Remove the chipotle from the filling and season with salt to taste.
3.  Fill tortillas with about 1/4 of the tomatillo mixture and roll tightly and arrange in a large baking dish. When the dish is full of tortillas top with the ranchero sauce covering evenly. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Top with remaining cilantro and avocado slices. Serve warm.

This lasagna achieves nutrient density with fresh seasonal vegetables and without the heavy, cheesy, saltiness might be associated with other lasagnas.  It also uses zucchini “noodles” in place of pasta and finely chopped eggplant in place of ground beef. If you freeze this dish, allow the lasagna to thaw completely at room temperature then reheat, covered, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.

Tofu Pesto Lasagna

Ingredients

• 3 pounds zucchini, you will want large zucchini, washed and sliced with a vegetable peeler into wide “lasagna noodles”
• 1 pound eggplant, peeled and finely diced in a food processer
• 28 ounces stewed tomatoes, unsweetened
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 cloves ogarlic, minced and divided
• ½ large white onion, diced and divided
• ½ cup water
• 14 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed
• ½ cup whole raw almonds, divided
• 2 cups packed fresh basil
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. To prepare the marinara sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onions and 1/3 of the minced garlic over medium heat until the onions are tender and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the processed eggplant to the sauté and continue cooking for a minute. Add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and water. Turn to low heat and allow to simmer until the eggplant is thoroughly softened and most of the liquid has reduced.
3. While the sauce is simmering prepare the pesto. Combine tofu, basil, 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and one clove of garlic in a large blender or food processor until it is smooth and creamy.
4. When the sauce is ready it is time to assemble the lasagna. Spread ½ a cup of sauce on the bottom of a large glass (Pyrex) baking dish. Create an even layer of zucchini noodles on top of the sauce using 1/3 of the zucchini noodles. Add the tofu pesto in an even layer over the zucchini and layer another 1/3 of the zucchini noodles on top of the pesto. Spread another cup of the sauce on top of the zucchini, followed by the remainder of the noodles. Top it off with the rest of the sauce and bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
5. While the lasagna is cooking prepare the topping. Combine ¼ cup of almonds, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until it is uniformly ground.
6. After the lasagna has cooked, allow it cool for 10 minutes then sprinkle the topping on top in a uniform layer. Serve warm.

I do not believe that I have ever had a vegan mac and “cheese” that tastes like the original, but that does not mean that they are not also good. This recipe creates a savory sauce with mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and Peruvian Aji Amarillo and ups the nutritional ante with fresh broccoli and quinoa.

Veggie Mac Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free or whole wheat elbow pasta, cooked according to directions
• 1/4 cup qunioa, cooked according to directions
• 2 tablespoons butter or butter alternative
• 4 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 pound winter squash, cooked and mashed
• 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 1 tablespoon Aji Amarillo
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute until they have expressed liquid. Add onion and garlic to saute and continue cooking until onions are tender, about two minutes.
2. Stir broccoli into the saute. Cover and reduce heat to low allowing broccoli to steam until bright green and tender, about three minutes.
3. Stir cooked quinoa and pasta into the vegetables and set aside.
4. To make the sauce, combine squash, nutritional yeast, paprika, soy milk, Aji Amarillo, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar  in a blender and combine until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
5. Pour sauce over vegetable saute and noodles and return to heat until the sauce begins to bubble.
6. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

These are fantastic. Really.

Green Tomato Enchiladas (Photo:Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 2 large green tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium yellow squash, diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1 large white onion, diced and divided
• 2 medium purple or green bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup textured vegetable protein, re-hydrated
• 15 ounces cooked pinto beans
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Mexican oregano, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 20 fresh corn tortillas
• 8 large dried guajillo chilis
• 2 dried chipotle peppers
• 2 ripe red tomatoes, diced
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese or cheese substitute (optional)

Preparation

Sauce:

1. Boil dried guajillo and chipotle peppers in a pot of water until softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Drain the water and, when the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the steams.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Fry the softened peppers for a minute on each side on high heat until fragrant. Remove from heat.  Leave the leftover oil in the skillet and remove from heat.
4. Transfer peppers to a blender. Add broth and puree until smooth.
5. Reheat oil in the skillet and saute bell pepper, 1/2 of the diced white onion, half of the minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and 1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano until the onions are soft. Add pepper puree and continue cooking for another minute or two.  Season with salt to taste and set aside.

Filling:

1. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Saute the remaining onion, garlic, tomatoes, and squash until the squash begins to soften, about two minutes.
2. Add remaining oregano, cumin, textured vegetable protein, and pinto beans to the vegetable saute. Cook for an additional two minutes and season with salt to taste.

Baking:

1. Coat a large baking pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 a cup of the prepared enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan and spread evenly.
2. Fill corn tortillas with about a 1/2 cup of filling and roll tightly. Pack the pan densely with rolled enchiladas then top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
3. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is thoroughly melted, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

This recipe can easily be made gluten free by using a gluten-free crust.

Green Tomato Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 medium green tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 small white onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup preferred pizza sauce
• 1 12 inch pizza crust
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Spread sauce on the pizza crust evenly.
2. Arrange green tomato slices, onions, basil, and pepper flakes evenly over the sauce and top with cheese.
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, until crust is slightly brown and cheese has bubbled.
4. Serve immediately.

I don’t like to eat any food that I can’t make myself. Translation: I want to eat a whole food plant based diet and I don’t like vegan or vegetarian foods that replace meat with lab creations. This aversion, however, does not extend to gluten “meats” since 1) gluten is the protein found in wheat and you can extract at home with relative ease, if you are so inclined; and  2) I am fortunate enough not to have any gluten intolerance so gluten based meat substitutes are a good source of protein in my diet.

This recipe and method for gluten and bean “sausage” are inspired by Post Punk Kitchen. This version uses black beans, ground Cayenne for heat, and substituted the thyme with Fertile Earth’s Organic Thyme Blend Spice Rub.

Black Bean Veggie Sausage on the grill (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or spice blend
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten

Preparation

1. Blend beans and broth together in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine the bean puree with olive oil, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic, spices, and salt.  Once thoroughly combined, stir in the wheat gluten.
3. Divide dough into 6 even portions and place the portions in individual sections of tin foil, Mold the dough into 5 inch long sausages and wrap in the tin foil.
4. Place wrapped sausages in a steamer basket and steam for 40 minutes. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

These sausages make great hotdog substitutes! We recommend them with Drippin’ Sauce’s Mild Chipotle Ketchup or spicy mustard.

Grilled Asparagus is simply delicious and the addition of portabello mushrooms and this marinade make them to die for!

Grilled Asparagus (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 pound of asparagus, washed with stems trimmed
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch thick strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in an airtight container and allow to marinade for at least 2 hours.
2. Place the marinaded vegetables directly on a lightly greased grill. Cook rotating occasionally until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve warm.

Note: If your grill is of questionable cleanliness or you are concerned about loosing a few asparagus lay a square of tinfoil on the grill poke it with a few small holes to allow some smoke to come through the surface, and place your vegetables on the foil.

Black Bean Taquitos

Taquitos are a Tex-Mex snack in that typically consist of corn tortillas rolled around small portions of ground beef then deep fried. These little flavor bombs will fulfill anyone’s quotient for junk food particularly when dipped in to a sour cream or cheese sauce. These healthier taquitos are baked and also vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 2 cups refried black beans
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted and sliced
• 2 dozen corn tortillas, softened*
• Vegetable or olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Roll the taquitos by placing a tablespoon of black beans and a slice of pepper in the center of a corn tortilla, fold in half, then roll tightly.
2. Place the rolled taquitos in a large baking dish coated in cooking spray.
3. Once the dish is full with a single layer of taquitos, liberally spray the taquitos with some additional cooking spray.
4. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Serve warm with your favorite salsa or aji.

*Corn tortillas are notorious for crumbling. If they are fresh (still warm) this will not be a problem, but it is reasonable to expect that this may not be possible. Here are some instructions for softening corn tortillas to make them more pliable.