The Big Texan on I-40 in Amarillo, Texas

I am a native Texan and I have talked to many many people along the way who say “I have been to Texas before.” When this happens I respond with “Oh good! Where did you go?” Occasionally I will hear a story about a 4H trip to Dallas or an Americorps job in Beaumont, but the majority of the time I hear “I drove through Amarillo on my way to…” In case you don’t know Amarillo is in the Panhandle, a portion of Texas that juts out into the great plains and is the best place to stop for gas on I-40 between Oklahoma City and Albuquerque.  In other words, if you slip up and  indicate to a Texan that your big fill-up in Amarillo earned you of Loan Star cred then you need to do some damage control. This is where the Big Texan might save you. If the sentence concludes: ” I drove through Amarillo on my way to California and stopped at the Big Texan” you might escape one of my more ocular-nerve defying eye rolls.

9 brew sampler at Big Texan

Big Texan is Texas kitsch that everyone can love. The exterior and adjacent motel are fixed up to look like the set of an Old Western movie, the foyer has a shooting gallery game, and the establishment is decorated with enough taxidermied remains to fill a small zoo. However, its biggest claim to fame, until now, was being the home to the free 72 ounce stake. So why on earth are a couple of vegetarians excited to talk about the Big Texan? Well, on a recent trip to Amarillo to visit family I learned that Big Texan is now the home to the panhandles first and only microbrewery! In addition to loving good vegetarian food, James and I are also proud beer nerds and avid home brewers who never pass up the chance to try a new brew. We tried all of the different styles they had to offer and found them to be very palatable. My favorite was the Pecan Porter and James liked the Rattle Snake IPA. We supped on fried okra and a baked potato and grabbed some homemade fudge on our way out the door. So while I can’t recommend the 72 ounce stake, I can say that the Big Texan has something to offer a more vegetarian leaning crowd.

These quick radish and cipollini onion pickles can be served with a variety of dishes to add a touch of acidity and sweetness.

Quick Radish and Cipollini Pickles

Ingredients

• 16 cipollini onions, tops and bottoms removed, skinned
• 12 red radishes, stems and tails removed, cut in half
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into large matchsticks
• 2 cups water, salted slightly
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 15 black peppercorns, crushed slightly
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation

1. Bring the salted water to boil. Add the onions, radishes, and carrot, and let boil for 4 minutes. Drain and place vegetables into a shallow non-reactive bowl.
2. In a small non-reactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, peppercorns, sugar, salt, and cayenne over medium heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the boiled vegetables.  Let cool, then chill slightly before serving.

Store in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Mango Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 small avocados, diced
• 1 medium mango, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, minced
• 1 spring onion, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Almost every Sunday I make a giant crock pot full of beans and throughout the week James and I eat some for lunch, add them to dinner, and otherwise transform and include them in our food. They are cheap, nutritious, and delicious. Most of the time our beans don’t make it to the end of the week because at some point I get a hankering for refried beans. Refriend beans are a Tex-Mex staple and also a flavorful way to get a whole heaping of plant-based protein and plenty of fiber.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked black beans, drained
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot and saute onions until translucent over high heat. Lower heat to medium and add garlic and cumin. Continue to saute for 2 minutes stirring frequently to prevent burning.
2. Add beans and mash thoroughly with a potato masher, pastry cutter, or a sturdy fork.
3. Once the beans are a more or less uniform texture, add the broth, stirring to incorporate.
4. Season with salt to taste and serve or use as directed.

Fresh mangoes are becoming more and more common in grocery stores around North America. Unlike many fruits, mangoes are good in almost all states of ripeness the taste moving from sour to sweet the riper it gets. This means that you can shop for mangoes according to your personal preference.

If you love mangoes but are a novice at slicing them be sure to avoid the skin and the fiber around the large oblong seed in the center of the fruit as these are not delicious. Below is a technique that should help you avoid these hazards: