Taco Salad with Cauliflower Chorizo and a Spicy Jalapeno Cilantro Dressing

 

It's August and summer is simultaneously in full swing and on it's way out.  Green leaves are beginning to change and the sweet scent of autumn has drifted into the air.  But summer isn't over yet! This past weekend I spent a lot of time outside enjoying the sunshine and beach while the glorious weather holds out. It's Washington so rainy days/weeks in summer are totally normal. We have a saying here that if the sun is out stop what you are doing and go outside! Well, the sun was out all weekend and so was I! Fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest mean lots of cloudy days drizzly, wet weather.  When you know that long winter is lingering up ahead, it's imperative to luxuriate in the wonderful summer season.  Luckily, I think I've been doing a pretty good job of it. If you follow me on Instagram (@venturingvegan) then you've got a pretty good idea of what I've been up to. If not, here's a glimpse of my August... Typical life by the Salish sea... boats, bonfires, beach and lots of swimming!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spending time doing activities in the sun can really work up an appetite but in the heat and my bikini, I don't want something that is too heavy or that will load me down with digestion. Salad is the perfect summer meal because it is fresh, colorful, and can be very filling without being too heavy.  Plus, it's perfect for adding in lots of raw veggies and good fiber!

 

Since going gluten free at the beginning of the year, I've become quite the adventurer in the kitchen.  Going from vegetarian to vegan had a bit of learning curve cutting out dairy and eggs but there is wheat is everything! Once I went gluten free that meant that most vegan meat substitutes were off limits. The soy chorizo that I once loved contains wheat gluten (hello upset tummy and bloat) so I decided to experiment in new and unprocessed ways. Since I already made a Raw Sunflower Chorizo salad, I thought a cooked chorizo salad would be nice. Having recently spent the weekend with a dear friend of mine, who happens to be a chef, I found myself falling in love with cauliflower. He made the most amazing grilled cauliflower dish with corn and tomatoes. With this heart healthy cruciferous on the mind, I thought why not?! Turns out, this incredibly healthy superfood is also incredibly versatile!  Yay to cruciferous veggies!!  Let's get started!

 

 



 

Cauliflower Chorizo Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, cored, broken into florets

1/2 - 2/3 cup jarred tomato sauce

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

3 cloves garlic, crushed, minced

4 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

 

Cauliflower Chorizo Method:

Into a food processor fitted with the "S-type" blade, add the cauliflower florets. Then pulse until the florets are broken down into small pieces.  It should look something like this:

 

 

 

Now, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and jalapeno and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion turns translucent.  To the onions and jalapeno, add the cauliflower and spices.  Stir well.  Then add the garlic and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally taking care not to let the garlic burn.  The kitchen should start smelling pretty incredible right about now!  Once the spices and cauliflower have cooked it's time to add the tomato sauce.  Pour it into the pan and stir well making sure everything is coated in sauce.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and the juices from the sauce have been absorbed.  This is cauliflower chorizo!! Give it a taste to see if it needs additional spice but it should be spot on and look something like this:

 

 

Now you can make your salads.

 

Taco Salad Ingredients: (serves 4)

6 cups romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces

3/4 cup corn (I used frozen corn that I thawed but grilled corn would be divine)

2 avocados, pitted, diced

3/4 cup black beans

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

cilantro to garnish, optional

Daiya Shredded Cheddar Cheese to Garnish, optional

A few tortilla chips on the side, optional

 

Spicy Jalapeno Cilantro Dressing Ingredients:

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2-3 Tbsp. evoo

1 garlic clove

1 lime, juiced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded, diced

2-3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

a dash of cumin (around 1/8 tsp.)

 

Spicy Jalapeno Cilantro Dressing Method:

Add all ingredients to a blender and process until creamy and smooth.

 

To plate:

Create a bed of romaine lettuce as the foundation. Then add the cauliflower chorizo in the center as the focal point. Add the corn, tomato, beans, and avocado around the chorizo. Garnish with shredded vegan cheese and cilantro. Add the dressing and enjoy!

 

 

Thank you for stopping by Venturing Vegan and as always a big thank you to YOU for adventuring in vegan eats! Each plant powered bite makes a better and brighter future for you and the world we live in! Enjoy and always feel free to share!



 

 

 

 

 



Mexican Chop Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

 

 

Living in the Pacific Northwest has its perks.  Lots of fresh air, beautiful natural landscapes and loads of hiking, kayaking, and even snowshoeing just outside.  One unexpected aspect of living in the great northwest is the lack of Vitamin D in the winter.  Due to our northern location and distance from the equator, our winter sun does not provide adequate (or any) amounts of Vitamin D.  That is, when the sun decides to peek out from behind the clouds and grace the good people of Washington with its golden bounty. 

 

Around August summer has shed its last glorious rays of sunshine and by November and December I start to feel the need for more nourishment.  Good old, grown from the earth and filling my every cell kind of nourishment. That's when it's green smoothies for breakfast, spirulina shots and salad for lunch and warming, hearty soups for dinner.  Life is looking pretty tasty!  Today I'm sharing with you my PNW secret: Eat Your Sunshine!!  When there is no sun outside just whip up sun grown yumminess for your insides!  Eating brightly colored fruits and vegetables like peppers, lettuce, squash, and tomato will transfer liquid sunshine in the form of phytonutrients right to your body. Eating them fully raw will ensure you get the highest amount of nutrient possible from what you're eating.  Make winter salads your new go to dish to keep that vegan glow all year round.

 

Today, I found myself with some leftover black beans that I had made the day before. Wanting something fresh but filling on this cold (and snowing soon, I hope!) day, I decided to make this beautiful salad that was so delicious it has made it to the blog.  My ingredient list for the salad is really just a rough guideline, use what you have on hand or what ingredients you love the most. Try shredded cabbage, corn, mushrooms, asparagus, cucumber, zuchinni, or anything you have.  The beauty of this salad is not only the color, so add lots of variety, it is the incredibly versatile dressing that will pair well with most vegetables.  I hope you guys love it as much as I did!  Here we go:

 

Mexican Chop Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Makes 2 salads

Ingredients:

4 cups romaine, chopped

3 sweet peppers, seeded, julienned

1 tomato, seeded, diced

1 carrot, julienned

1 soft yellow squash, diced

1/2 cup black beans, cooled

pinch of vegan cheddar shreds, optional

 

Dressing:

1/4 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil

juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/4 tsp. cumin

pinch of sea salt

 

 

Add all of your salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss.  For the dressing, add all ingredients to a blend and blend until it is creamy and well blended.  Dress and toss the salad.  Enjoy!

 

Now before you guys start thinking that Washington skies are always grey, don't forget the power of a glorious sunrise.  Even through the clouds :)

 

 

 





Butternut Squash Tamales

If you love butternut squash and have made it into soups, curries, ravioli, roasted it, mashed, it, stir fried it and even juiced it then you might be looking for a new way to incorporate this delicious winter vegetable.  Then this is the recipe for you!  These Butternut Squash Tamales are savory and delicious but they do require a bit of time to prepare.  My suggestion would be to make the dough and the filling on one day, then stuff the tamales and cook them the next day.  Of course, making them in one day is possible but it will take around 3 hours from start to finish.  Tamales are a process well worth the time, not to mention they make the kitchen smell like limes and tortillas!  I've included a recipe for homemade chipotle hot sauce since I was not able to find chile in adobo sauce that was not being sold in an aluminum can (boo hoo on BPA leaking and possible future aluminum induced Alzheimer's disease.) So, I made my own for the first time and couldn't believe how easy it was!  Let's get started...

Here's what you're going to need:

• 16 corn husks

For the dough

• 2 cups butternut squash, diced
• 3 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 6 chives, chopped (white and green)
• 1 Tbsp. Chipotle en Adobo sauce
• 1 3/4 cup masa harina (Bob's Red Mill is a good non GMO brand)
• 2 Tbsp. evoo
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp.  sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin

For the filling

• 1 small bunch chives, finely chopped (white and green)
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. Chiptole in Adobo sauce (or more if you want to turn up the heat)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1-2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
• 2 Tbsp. evoo

Method for the Dough:

1. Into a medium sized stock pot, add the butternut squash, spring onion, adobo sauce, garlic, salt, cumin, and the vegetable broth.  Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, cover and cook about 15 minutes or until the squash is tender and mashable.
2. Turn off the heat and grab a slotted spoon.  Carefully remove the cooked squash and place in a bowl.  We will be using the broth so cover it back up and set aside.
3. Into a large mixing bowl, place half of your cooked butternut squash. Mash the squash with a fork and then mix in the masa harina (1 3/4 cups).
4. Take the lid off of your stock pot and slowly pour the broth over the masa mixture.  Mix with a fork until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Stir in the olive oil and then cover with plastic wrap and set aside.  If it seems too dry, add a little bit more oil maybe 1 to 2 tbsp. extra.

Method for the Filling:

1. In a large skillet, heat your 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic, chives, cumin, coriander, and salt cooking until just tender or for about 1 minute.  Add the reserved butternut squash, golden raisins, chipotle sauce, and stir together gently.
2. Add the vegetable stock and orange zest to the pan stirring occasionally until the liquid has been moderately absorbed or for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and place the filling into a bowl.

Method for Tamales:

1. Soak the corn husks in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes to soften.  Remove from water and set on a plate for easy assembling (see assembly pictures below).
2. With the dough and filling within reach, begin to assemble your tamales.  Take one husk and lay it flat on the cutting board open side up, horizontal to you with the bottom of the husk to your left (if you are right handed).  Take 2 to 3 Tbsp. of dough and press it onto the husk in a rectangular shape.  Keep the dough even and press until it is about 1/4' thick.
3. Spoon a little bit of the filling in a line onto the center of your dough.
4. Take the edge of your corn husk that is farthest from you and gently fold it toward you.  This will bring the dough over the filling and is forming your tamale.  Gently pull back the husk leaving your tamale on one half of the husk.  Press in any edges that are protruding and make it look pretty if it's a bit sloppy.  Then fold up your tamale by placing the husk back over and folding up the bottom.  There will be an open end.  You can leave this open and when the tamales are steamed, stand up the tamales open side up.  Another option is to tie off the open end with a piece of husk and then steam the tamales on their sides.
5. Steam your tamales for 30 to 50 minutes.  If you plan to freeze any, steam them first, allow to cool completely then pack for the freezer to reheat anytime.

 

I served my tamales with a kale quinoa salad, pineapple and some homemade black beans for a complete meal.  Of course, you could also served with Mexican rice and churros for a full dinner!  I hope you enjoy making these tamales and remember to be patient with them, it is a process that gets easier and quicker with practice. Enjoy!