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Vegan Holiday Shopping Ideas

Just so you know, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may collect a share from the links on this page.

The holidays are almost here and I put together a list of vegan holiday shopping ideas that are on my Christmas wish list. These are all products that I love or have myself and would make great gifts for any vegan. *wink wink

Mexican Gone Vegan Crop Top

Official Merch for Dora’s Table!! You can find t-shirts, sweaters, phones, and more. Find more HERE.

Vegan Yack Attack’s Plant-Based Meal Prep

I’m a huge fan of Jackie from Vegan Yack Attack and I’m so excited about this book. With three kids, a full-time job, and the blog I’m finding harder to provide well put meals for my family, this is the perfect book to get me back in the kitchen.

The Vegan Meal Prep Cookbook takes the guesswork out of meal planning and sets you up with simple, make-ahead recipes that keep your fridge full and your schedule free. Pre-order your copy HERE.

Pink Fortitude Journal

They say that practicing gratitude improves our lives greatly by improving our relationships, enhancing empathy, and reducing aggression in our lives. This journal can help you do just that.

This journal can be used as a gratitude journal or an all-purpose journal. It was created by breast cancer and autoimmune survivor Holly Bertone to help to bring joy and love and gratitude and fortitude to your soul. Get a your own journal HERE.

Hernan Mexican Hot Chocolate Gift Set

I love all the Hernan products so I was more than thrilled when they came out with this hot chocolate gift set. Their chocolate is my ultimate favorite since it’s made in the traditional Mexican way of processing cocoa beans, plus the cocoa beans from Hernan are organic and harvested in a bio-diversified plantation in Chiapas. The set includes chocolate “Tablillas” (6 individual “tablilla” squares inbox), a red clay Olla de Barro, and hand-carved wooden Molinillo frother. Get your gift set right HERE.

THE CLEANBLEND BLENDER CLASSIC

I recently discovered this high powered blender that won’t break the bank and performs just as well as other high powered super expensive blenders. It’s great for making nut sauces, smoothies, dressings and soups. It would make an amazing gift for any foodie in your life. Order your blender HERE.

Loly in the Sky | Lorde

I’ve been a fan of Loly in the Sky since my sister introduced me to the brand 2 years ago. They are a Mexican company that makes vegan shoes. How cute is this model?? Get a pair HERE.

Hernan | Molcajete Hand carved from 100% volcanic stone


It is probably the most used and loved tool in every Mexican kitchen and it is often passed down from generation to generation. Of course, my mother refuses to give me hers, because she’s not dead yet!! So I had to buy one, and this one is an authentic volcanic rock Mexican molcajete. Get your molcajete HERE.

The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook: Kid-Friendly, Plant-Based Recipes

I met Jenn from Veggie Inspired a few years ago at a blogger’s conference and I’m so happy that she’s finally publishing a book with her family-friendly recipes.

The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook features more than 100 delicious, plant-based, kid-approved recipes perfect for busy weeknights, or whenever you feel like trying out a meat-free meal. Find your copy HERE.

Vegan Superhero Camiseta

Do you want to be a vegan super hero?? You can with this t-shirt available in kid and adult sizes. Get one for your favorite person HERE.

ETTU Kitchen | Bamboo Universal Knife Block

I’ve had this knife block for 10 years now. It’s so handy and keeps your knives safe without damaging them.

Kat Von D Lolita Eyeshadow Palette

This colorful Kat Von D Lolita palette is vegan and not tested on animals. This colorful palette will complement all of your holiday dresses this season.

Proud to be Vegan T-shirt by Seven Roses

Love this!! For the animals all the way, plus you can never have enough vegan t-shirts.

Chingona Gal Necklace

Chingona means badass in Spanish, every badass vegan women in your life needs this statement necklace.

Food Cycler Platinum Indoor Food Recycler and Kitchen Compost Container

This food cycler is perfect for those that don’t have the space to create their own compost pile. You just put food in and soil comes out!! Honestly, I’ve always wanted to compost but we’ve moved so much over the years or lived in apartments. This is an easy and effective way of doing it.

De Mi Tierra | Cleansing Oil – Balance

Handcrafted vegan beauty products made with all-natural ingredients. De Mi Tierra offers face scrubs, soaps, essential oils, and creams. This cleansing oil will remove your makeup while keeping your face hydrated.

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Oaxacan Mole Negro

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Known as the land of the seven moles, Oaxaca’s crown jewel is without a doubt Mole Negro. A dark smoky, slightly bitter, and incredibly rich sauce is paired with cauliflower in the vegan version.

Toasted peanuts, bread, tortillas, plantains, and pumpkin seeds in a saute pan.

Don’t let the ingredient list for this black mole scare you. Mole is quite simple to make, it’s only a little time consuming, but it is the combination of ingredients such as chile chilhuacle rojo and negro, chile mulato, chile pasilla, burnt tortilla, peanuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate that makes this dish so unique.

Charred tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, and onion in a saute pan.

This particular version a little bit non traditional since it substitutes coconut oil for lard, goji berries for raisins, and has the addition of turmeric. All beautiful ingredients that serve to enrich the sauce while keeping its authentic flavor.

Dried chiles soaking in water in a stainless steal pot.

Our Vegan Mexico Project

This recipe is part of an amazing project called Our Vegan Mexico, where 32 talented cooks will be showcasing, right here on Dora’s Table, 32 vegan Mexican recipes. Each recipe will be representing one state of the Mexican union.

Chocolate being added to the mole negro sauce.

With this project, I am hoping to encourage the Mexican community in the U.S., and the people of my country to take a chance and make the change to a plant-based diet. This recipe, which is representing the state of Oaxaca, is the creation of Fernanda Alvarez from @lahealthymexicana here she tells you a bit of her story.

Fernanda’s Story:

I was proudly born and raised in Mexico. Five years ago I arrived in the United States and I now call it my home. I am passionate about sharing health and well being through food, and I am a firm believer that you don’t need to consume animals, that what is needed is more superfoods, and more home-cooked meals.

When I was 15 years old I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia, but for a long time, I had been living with food intolerances that did not allow me to live a happy life.

Mole negro enmoladas on a talavera plate and a bright orange tablecloth with flowers behind it.

When I discovered and experienced that I could heal everything that was keeping me from living a healthy life with food, I decided to share it with the world so I could help other people live longer and better lives regardless of their intolerance or illness while at the same time nourishing themselves with delicious food.

Fork digging into a plate of mole negro enmoladas

The Recipe: Oaxacan Mole Negro

  • If you can’t find hazelnuts you can use almonds
  • You can also use cranberries instead of goji berries
  • If you are gluten-free, you can use gluten-free bread instead.
  • You can also serve your cauliflower enmoladas with this almond crema.
  • Chile chilhuacle is a chile native to Oaxaca that is hard to find out of the state. I order mine from here.
  • If you want to make this without oil you can toast all the ingredients in a dry pan, and instead of frying the sauce you can simmer it.
Fork taking a bite of enmoladas away from the plate.
Mole negro enmoladas on a talavera plate and a bright orange tablecloth with flowers behind it.

Oaxacan Mole Negro Cauliflower Enmoladas

Oaxaca’s crown jewel is without a doubt Mole Negro. A dark smoky, slightly bitter, and incredibly rich sauce is paired with cauliflower in the vegan version.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: mole negro, oaxaca, traditional
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Extra virgin coconut oil
  • 1 cup Chile chilhuacle negro dried
  • 1 cup Chile chilhuacle rojo
  • 1 cup Chile Mulato
  • 1 cup Chile Pasilla
  • ¼ cup Sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup Peanuts raw
  • ¼ cup Pecans raw
  • ½ cup Hazelnuts raw
  • ¼ cup Pepitas pumpkin seeds, raw
  • 2 Corn tortillas
  • 3 Slices whole wheat bread
  • 2 Large red onions
  • 4 Garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 Ripe plantains peeled
  • ¼ cup Goji berries
  • 8 Plum tomatoes cut into dice
  • 10 Tomatillos husks removed, cut into dice
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. Dried oregano
  • 1 tsp.Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. Ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. Ground turmeric
  • 5 Whole cloves
  • 5 Whole allspice
  • ¼ cup Coconut sugar
  • 1 cup Dark chocolate dairy-free
  • 4 Avocado leaves toasted

To Serve:

  • 10 corn tortillas
  • 1 Large head of cauliflower
  • ¼ cup Coconut oil extra virgin
  • Sea salt
  • 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Ground cumin

Pickled Red Onions:

  • 1 Large red onin
  • 2 Limes juiced
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 1 tsp. Oregano

Crema:

  • 1 cup Sunflower seeds hulled, raw
  • 1 ½ cups Water
  • 1 tsp. Sea salt
  • 1 Lime juiced
  • 1 tsp. Nutritional yeast

Instructions

To make the crema:

  • Fill a large glass container with water and add the sunflower seeds. Let them soak overnight in the refrigerator. (Preferably one day before you make the mole.)
  • Drain the seeds.
  • Place the sunflower seeds, water, salt, lime juice, and nutritional yeast in the blender and process until smooth.
  • You can adjust the lime and salt to taste or even add some other spice like jalapeño, ginger, turmeric or nutmeg.

To Make the Mole:

  • Set a large sauté pan to medium-high heat add all the chiles (stems and seeds removed), and toast lightly on both sides. Transfer to a bowl with cold water and set aside for later.
  • In a large pot or wok, add 1 cup of coconut oil and heat to medium heat. Add sesame seeds, peanuts, nuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, bread, tortilla, onion, garlic, plantain slices, and goji berries. Add them one at a time until they are a deep golden brown, then remove them from the pan, set them aside, and add the next ingredient.
  • Add the diced tomatoes and tomatillos to the pot, season them with salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, ground ginger, cumin, clove, turmeric, and allspice, cook until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Place all the fried ingredients plus the drained dried chiles in the blender, and process until smooth. Strain this mixture.
  • Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the remaining 1 cup of coconut oil, fry the sauce for 5 minutes and add the 5 cups of vegetable broth.
  • Add the coconut sugar, chocolate, and avocado leaves (previously toasted). Simmer for 45 min at medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.
  • While de mole is simmering, cut the cauliflower in small florets and sauté it with a little bit of coconut oil. Seasons with cumin, paprika, and salt to taste. Cover and let it pan steam for about 10 minutes or until tender. Add a little bit of water to the pan if necessary.
  • Prepare the crema (instructions above) and marinate the red onion with the lime juice, water, and oregano.
  • Fill the tortillas (heat them up for a couple of seconds in the microwave so they are easy to fold), and fold them in half.
  • Pour the finished mole
    sauce on top of the folded tortillas and drizzle some crema, and top with
    pickled red onions.

Notes

Chef’s Notes:
• If you can’t find hazelnuts you can use almonds
• You can also use cranberries instead of goji berries
• If you are gluten free, you can use gluten-free bread instead.
• You can also serve your cauliflower enmoladas with this almond crema.
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Mexican Semita Bread (Semitas Chorreadas)

Just so you know, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may collect a share from the links on this page.

This sweet and tender semita bread is designed to be eaten with your morning café de olla or a cold glass of your favorite plant-milk. Piloncillo, raisins, cinnamon, orange zest, and anise are studded throughout the semita, making it an incredibly fragrant and delicious Mexican pan dulce.

Flour, water, yeast in a large stainless steel bowl

Origin of Semita Bread

In the 16th century, a group of Semitic Jews came to the new world, brought by Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva to settle what is now the state of Nuevo Leon, escaping the Spanish Inquisition that was in full force at the time. This Jewish community colonized the states of Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, and parts of what is now Texas, and continued to practice their faith in secret. It is thought that this community ate bread during Passover very similar to what we consider semita bread now, with the exception of the piloncillo and raisins. The origin of this bread, however, can be traced back to Spain and Islamic North Africa.

Dough for semita bread mixed in a stainless steel bowl

Semita vs. Cemita

Semita is not the same as cemita, and to confuse things even more sometimes they are both spelled the same. Semita is the sweet bread recipe I have for you today, made with piloncillo, raisins, and sometimes nuts. Cemita is a savory roll, with sesame seeds on top, that is used to make tortas, huge tortas that are very famous in Puebla.

ball of dough in a stainless steel bowl with dough hook in it

Our Vegan Mexico Project

This recipe is part of an amazing project called Our Vegan Mexico, where 32 talented cooks will be showcasing, right here on Dora’s Table, 32 vegan Mexican recipes. Each recipe will be representing one state of the Mexican union.

dough hook stretching the dough to show the texture

With this project, I am hoping to encourage the Mexican community in the U.S., and the people of my country to take a chance and make the change to a plant-based diet. This recipe, which is representing the state of Chihuahua, is the creation of the talented Liliana Arellanes from @veganocosmico and here she is sharing her story with us.

Ball of dough resting in a stainless steel bowl

Liliana’s Story

My Name is Liliana Arellanes; I am from Chihuahua Mexico but have been living in Los Angeles, CA for the last 30 years. My path to Veganism began 25 years ago, for two fundamental reasons, respect, and compassion for all living beings, and respect for myself. Understanding above all, that it is not necessary to kill another living being in order to eat. In this way, we will be nourishing ourselves with Light and not death.

Pecans, raisins, orange zest and pilincillo are added to the dough in the bowl

 

I share the recipe of the famous “CHORREADAS DE PILONCILLO” a typical bread of the region, with a delicious flavor reminiscent of “small town” comfort food. I have added my personal touch, with raisins, nuts, and fragrant orange zest. It is an exquisite handmade sweet bread, with a spongy crumb that you can enjoy fresh out of the oven with a café de olla or a glass of almond milk.

 

dough mixed well and shaped into a ball again

The Recipe: Mexican Semita Bread (Semitas Chorreadas)

  • These semitas are the best when eaten still warm right out of the oven. If you eat them the next day be sure to warm them up before eating.
  • You can use ½ whole wheat flour and half unbleached white flour to substitute the bread flour.

four balls of dough on a parchment lined sheet tray

  • The nuts and raisins are optional, but I think they add a special touch.
  • You can substitute the coconut butter with vegan butter.
  • You can use plant milk instead of water in the recipe, just make sure it’s warm.

basket of mexican semita bread and a white plate with slices of semita

a closeup of a piece of semita bread being held in a hand

Three mexican semita bread rolls in a basket on a light blue background

Mexican Semita Bread (Semitas Chorreadas)

Mexican Semita Bread, studded with pecans, raisins, orange zest and piloncillo.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: pan dulce, semita bread, vegan mexican breakfast
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 4 Medium sized rolls
Calories: 824kcal
Author: Liliana Arellanes

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cup Bread flour
  • ½ cup Dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. Ground anise seed
  • 1 tsp Freshly ground cinnamon (Ceylon)
  • 1/3 cup Coconut butter, about 3 oz
  • 1 ½ cups Warm water
  • ½ cup Chopped pecans
  • ½ cup Raisins, soaked in the juice of one orange
  • 1 tsp. Orange zest
  • 1 tsp. Active dry yeast
  • 3.5 oz Piloncillo (about ½ cup)
  • ½ tsp. Salt

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients flour, sugar, anise, cinnamon, yeast, and salt
  • Add the warm water and coconut butter to the bowl and knead.
  • I use the hook attachment on my mixer at medium-low speed for 4-6 minutes or until the dough has come off the sides of the bowl and is stretchy but not sticky.
  • If you don’t have a mixer you can knead by hand for 10 minutes or until you reach the desired consistency.
  • Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for an hour.
  • To prepare your piloncillo, place it in a plastic bag, and crush it with the help of a hammer until finely ground.
  • Separate the crushed piloncillo un half. Place half of the piloncillo in a small bowl and mix with 1 tsp. Flour. This will be used to top the semitas before baking.
  • Once the dough is done rising, add the reaming half of the piloncillo, pecans, and orange zest and knead until all the ingredients are mixed evenly throughout.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Divide the dough in four, roll the pieces tightly into rounds, and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment. Press down on the rounds lightly. Brush the rounds with your favorite plant milk, and top with the piloncillo and flour mixture. Press down slightly on the piloncillo topping with your hands.
  • Cover the sheet tray with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 20 minutes.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.

Notes

  • These semitas are the best when eaten still warm right out of the oven. If you eat them the next day be sure to warm them up before eating.
  •  You can use ½ whole wheat flour and half unbleached white flour to substitute the bread flour.
  • The nuts and raisins are optional, but I think they add a special touch.
  • You can substitute the coconut butter with vegan butter.
  • You can use plant milk instead of water in the recipe, just make sure it’s warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 824kcal | Carbohydrates: 149g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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Strawberry Frose Margarita

This Strawberry Frose Margarita is the best of both worlds. Sweet strawberries are blended with rose wine, tequila, lime juice, and orange liquor for a frozen cocktail that’s so refreshing and delicious, that it will be impossible not to make it over and over again this summer.

tequila, cointreau, lime juice, strawberry popsicle in a blender for strawberry frose margarita

What is Frose??

Basically, frose is frozen rose. A slushy made out of rose wine, ice, and sometimes strawberries. It became super popular in 2018 for its simplicity and its pretty pink color. For this recipe, I chose to make the ultimate combination of frose and strawberry margaritas.

strawberry frose margarita mix just blended

It was actually my husband’s idea, but I wasn’t really convinced at first. I love tequila, so the thought of mixing it with rose kind of freaked me out. I was wrong!! I admit it. This is now my favorite margarita of all time. If this doesn’t make you break out into a happy dance I don’t know what will.

Margarita Week

Another year, another margarita week over at Hola Jalapeño! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I will say it again, I’m a total margarita snob. I can’t stand sickly sweet, sour mix, fake margaritas, or crazy combination barely a margarita drinks.

salt rimmed margarita glass filled with crushed ice on top of a colorful napkink

This is my third year participating in margarita week, and it has definitely changed my perspective on what a margarita is. Even though I still love a classic margarita, there are some amazing flavor combinations you can do, and still make an excellent drink like this guava lime margarita, spicy raspberry jalapeño margarita, vanilla and piloncillo margarita, or this rhubarb citrus margarita.

strawberry frose margarita poured over margarita glass with ice

You can find my previous entries for Margarita week here:

Pineapple-Chile Margarita

Frozen Prickly Pear Margarita

Spicy Hibiscus Ice Margarita

Strawberry frose margarita in a salt rimmed margarita glass decorated with a lime slice

The Recipe: Strawberry Frose Margarita

  • When choosing your rose for this recipe choose the one you like to drink. I like my rose on the dry side, but if you prefer sweet rose use that instead.
  • I highly recommend Corralejo Tequila (reposado) for this. It’s my favorite for margaritas.
  • I made this recipe two ways, both ways are delicious. You can either process everything in the blender, the margarita will be like a slushy, or you can crush the ice with the blender or with a bag and mallet then pour the chilled margarita over it.
  • I used a salt rim, but a sugar rim would work as well.
  • I used a strawberry paleta (popsicle) instead of fresh berries, and I was very happy with the result. I totally forgot to buy the strawberries and I had paletas in the freezer!

Strawberry frose margarita in a salt rimmed margarita glass decorated with a lime slice

Strawberry frose margarita in a salt rimmed margarita glass decorated with a lime slice

Strawberry Frose Margarita

This Strawberry Frose Margarita is the best of both worlds. Sweet strawberries are blended with rose wine, tequila, lime juice, and orange liquor for a frozen cocktail that’s so refreshing and delicious, that it will be impossible not to make it over and over again this summer.
4 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: frose, margarita, strawberry cocktail
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 Large Margarita
Calories: 235kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Corralejo tequila
  • 1.5 oz Your favorite Rose wine, chilled
  • 1 oz Fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • 1 Strawberry popsicle (made with real fruit)
  • 2 cups Ice

Instructions

  • Remove the popsicle from the popsicle stick and cut into 3 pieces. Place in the blender with the tequila, rose, lime juice, Cointreau, and ice. Process until smooth, like a slushy.
  • Pour into a salt-rimmed glass, and garnish with a slice of lime or strawberry.

Notes

• When choosing your rose for this recipe choose one you like to drink. I like my rose on the dry side, but if you prefer sweet rose use that instead.
• I used a salt rim, but a sugar rim would work as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 42mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin C: 8.5mg

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Vegan Tres Leches Cake

This Vegan Tres Leches cake is nothing short of a dream. A dream come true!! A sweet vanilla cake is soaked in almond, macadamia, and oat milk, covered in silky coconut whipped cream, then topped with strawberries.

Glass bowl filled with the ingredients to make vegan tres leches cake

I had avoided veganizing this recipe for so long, thinking that I couldn’t possibly get it right or that I had to make vegan condensed milk, and who has time to make vegan condensed milk?? I don’t know why, but inspiration finally hit and this vegan version of homemade tres leches cake was born.

Tres leches cake batter in a glass bowl with a blue whisk

What is Tres Leches Cake?

Tres leches (three milks) cake is traditionally a vanilla sponge cake soaked in condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream (media crema). It is topped with whipped cream and berries or assorted fruit, and sometimes cinnamon. On occasion, rum or rompope (a sort of Mexican eggnog) is added to the milk mixture. To make this vegan I decided to use almond, macadamia nut, and oat milk. The combination proved to be ridiculously good!

Tres leches cake resting on a rack

Tres Leches Cake History

This is a tricky one. Some say that tres leches cake originated in Nicaragua, but Mexico certainly claims it as its own, and Cuba and Puerto Rico have their own versions of well. Tres leches cake became popular in Latin America in the 19th century, possibly due to Nestle publishing a recipe in the back of its cans of condensed milk. They, however, did not invent it, even before then you can find various versions of milk-soaked cakes way before the 19th century. Without a doubt, there is some influence of European colonization, thus there are some who believe tres leches is a new world version of  European milk soaked cakes topped with cream, like tiramisu.

Milk being poured on tres leches cake in a red baking dish

 

The Challenges of Making an Authentic Tres Leches Cake Vegan

It wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined, because I decided to completely leave out the condensed milk. Instead, I combined three plant-based milks with sugar and reduce the liquid by 1/3. The cake itself was the biggest challenge. The cake needed to be dry or maybe not dry, but at least not overly moist. The omnivore version is made without oil and mostly eggs which presented a huge problem in the vegan version. After 4 tries I came up with a cake that is dry enough to absorb the milk, but strong enough to not become mush instantly.

A slice taken out of a tres leches cake in a red baking dish

I tried 2 types of coconut whipped cream. I decided not to make my own but go with a store-bought option. First I tried So Delicious Coco Whip which turned out too sweet and heavy for my taste for this cake. I settled with Reddi-whip’s Coconut Whipped Topping which is light and airy, and not too sweet.

Tres leches cake on a white plate topped with a sliced strawberry

 

The Recipe: Vegan Tres Leches Cake

  • It’s very important to make the cake the day before so you can let it sit out and dry out a little bit.
  • This cake is not meant to be eaten without soaking in milk!! You’ve been warned.
  • I used almond, macadamia nut, and oat milk, but you can use any combination you prefer. If you like coconut, I suggest coconut milk.
  • Top with strawberries or assorted berries. The acid in the berries cut the sweetness of the cake.
  • This cake will not keep for more than a day, it will get too mushy, so try to eat it all in one day.
  • If you want to make your own whipped topping I recommend this recipe.
  • Enjoy!!

Tres leches cake on a white plate topped with a sliced strawberry

Tres leches cake on a white plate topped with a sliced strawberry

Vegan Tres Leches Cake

This Vegan Tres Leches cake is nothing short of a dream. A dream come true!! A sweet vanilla cake is soaked in almond, macadamia, and oat milk, covered in silky coconut whipped cream, then topped with strawberries.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: tres leches cake, vegan mexican recipes
Resting Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 10 Servings
Calories: 299kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 ½ cups Almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1 ½ tsp. White vinegar
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp. Baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups Sugar, granulated
  • ½ tsp. Salt

Milk Syrup:

  • 1 cup Almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1 cup Macadamia nut milk, unsweetened
  • 1 cup Oat milk, unsweetened
  • ½ cup Sugar, granulated

Whipped Topping:

  • 2 cans Reddi-whip Coconut Whipped Topping
  • 1 pint Strawberries, hulled and sliced

Instructions

To make the cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 8 x 13” baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease with vegetable oil.
  • In a medium bowl combine the almond milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix well. Let sit for 5 min.
  • In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix with a whisk until you have a smooth batter.
  • Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake in the middle rack of the oven, for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven. Let cake cool, and remove from baking dish. Remove parchment paper and let cake cool completely on a rack. Leave it out at room temperature without covering it, overnight.

To make the milk syrup

  • While your cake is baking. Combine the three milks and sugar in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 20 min. Remove from heat and let cool in the refrigerator until ready to use. You should have about 2 cups of milk syrup.

Assembly

  • The following day, using a serrated knife, gently cut the dome off the top of your cake. Poke the surface of the cake several times with a fork or a steak knife.
  • Place your cake inside of the baking dish and pour milk syrup over it as evenly as possible. Place in your fridge and let cake soak for 30 min.
  • When you’re ready to serve, top the cake with the coconut whipped topping and spread with a spatula. (Don’t add the whipped topping to the cake unless you’re ready to serve it.)
  • Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the whipped topping and serve.

Notes

It's very important to make the cake the day before so you can let it sit out and dry out a little bit.
• This cake is not meant to be eaten without soaking in milk!! You've been warned.
• I used almond, macadamia nut, and oat milk, but you can use any combination you prefer. If you like coconut, I suggest coconut milk.
• Top with strawberries or assorted berries. The acid in the berries cut the sweetness of the cake.
• This cake will not keep for more than a day, it will get too mushy, so try to eat it all in one day.
• If you want to make your own whipped topping I recommend this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 27.8mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1.7mg

 

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Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

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These red chile jackfruit tamales are made with spicy guajillo chile seasoned jackfruit and masa, stuffed inside corn husks and steamed to perfection. What makes these so good is that the masa is spiced with guajillo chiles, coconut oil, and cumin. They are so delicious and 100% vegan and gluten-free.

Jackfruit simmering in red chile sauce in a cast iron pan

These are the first tamales I ever learned how to make. Back when I didn’t know how to make tamales, my dad invited me to the family restaurant to learn. Over the years we had helped on several occasions with the spreading of the masa on the husk and the folding, but I had never done the whole process from start to finish. Tamales rojos are very typical of the northern Mexico, they are usually filled with pork and are very small in size, but with a pretty equal ratio of masa to filling.

Masa for tamales in a silver bowl

The thing about learning how to cook in a restaurant is that you learn how to make huge quantities of food. That day we must’ve made more than 200 tamales! Believe me, it was a few years before I decided to make tamales again all by myself. When I became vegan, I was very sad at the thought of not having good tamales again, and frankly the thought of tamales filled with veggies didn’t appeal to me at the moment.

Tamales wrapped in corn husk on a blue back ground

However, after some experimentation with jackfruit, I decided to veganize this recipe from the family restaurant. The result was shockingly similar to the original ones. So much so, that my omnivore husband was tricked into thinking that the tamales weren’t vegan!!

Tamales arranged in a steamer pot

This recipe is part of my ebook Vegan Tamales Unwrapped. After making these red chile jackfruit tamales I became so obsessed with making vegan tamales that I decided to make my obsession into an ebook. It has 50 detailed pictures on how to make vegan tamales from making the masa to spreading and wrapping.

vegan tamales ebook

Every possible aspect of tamal making is explored, the type of fats, wrappers, fillings, cooking methods. There’s even an option for oil free tamales. It includes both savory and sweet tamal recipes such as:

  • Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales
  • Mole Tamales
  • Salsa Verde Jackfruit Tamales
  • Chocolate Tamales
  • Strawberry Tamales
  • Lime Tamales

It is available for purchase on Amazon for $6.99. Sadly it is only available in ebook format, but if you don’t have a kindle you can also purchase it on itunes to read on your mac devices. I am so proud of this book and I know you will enjoy it too!

Red chile jackfruit tamales in a white and green tea towel

The Recipe: Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

  • Masa harina is dried nixtamalized corn flour. It is used in Mexico to make tortillas, tamales, sopes, etc. The brand most commonly found is Maseca, but the only non-gmo organic one I’ve found is Bob’s Red Mill
  • I found coconut oil to be the most flavorful fat to use in this recipe. I recommend you use refined coconut oil so the coconut flavor doesn’t affect the tamales. If you use unrefined coconut oil you will get a coconutty flavor.
  • If you have a hard time finding jackfruit, (I find mine at Trader Joe’s) you can use mushrooms instead.
  • If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa and use only 3/4 cup of vegetable stock. To substitute the coconut oil, you can use 8 oz. of vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. For tamales without fat, use 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin.

Red chile jackfruit tamales in a white and green tea towel

Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

These red chile jackfruit tamales are made with spicy guajillo chile seasoned jackfruit and masa, stuffed inside corn husks and steamed until tender.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: vegan mexican recipes, vegan tamales
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 18 - 24 Tamales
Calories: 91kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

Guajillo Chile Sauce

  • 20 (4 oz._ Guajillo chiles, dry, seeded
  • 3-4 Arbol chiles, dried, seeded
  • 6 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 White onion, chopped
  • 2 cups Chile soaking liquid

Filling

  • 4 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cans (20 oz.) Green jackfruit in brine
  • 1 ½ cups Reserved guajillo chile sauce

Dough

  • 1 cup (8 oz.) Refined coconut oil, room temperature
  • 4 cups (1 lb. 2 oz.) Masa harina
  • 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Salt, kosher
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Cumin, ground
  • 3 ½ cups Vegetable broth or stock
  • 1 ½ cups Reserved guajillo chile sauce
  • 30 Corn husks

Instructions

To prepare the corn husks

  • Soak the corn husks in hot water, in a large pot or in your kitchen sink. Place a plate over them to weigh them down so they are completely submerged. Let them soak for at least an hour.

To make the sauce

  • Place the chiles in a small sauce pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and let cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the chiles and reserve 2 cups of the soaking liquid. Place the chiles, garlic, onion, and soaking liquid in the blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and strain. You should end up with about 3 cups of sauce.

To make the filling

  • Drain the jackfruit. Rinse, and pat with paper towels. Cut out the core of the jackfruit (tip of the triangle pieces), and cut pieces in half. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large sauté pan set to medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the jackfruit and cook for 3 -4 minutes or until it begins to brown. Pour 1 ½ cups of the guajillo chile sauce and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for 20 minutes or until jackfruit begins to break down and the sauce has thickened slightly. Use a fork to shred the jackfruit as it cooks down. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.

To make the dough

  • Beat the coconut oil, on medium-high speed, with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the baking powder, cumin, salt, and beat for 1 minute to incorporate into the coconut oil.
  • Add half of the masa harina to the bowl, pour in half of the vegetable stock, and beat to incorporate. After it is completely incorporated, add the other half of masa harina, vegetable stock, and 1 ½ cups of the guajillo chile puree. Beat at low speed, until thoroughly mixed. It should have the consistency of a thick cake batter. If necessary, add more vegetable stock until you reach that consistency. Taste the dough, and add more salt if necessary. It should be a little bit salty.
  • For lighter and fluffier tamales, let the dough rest for an hour in the refrigerator. Remove the dough from the fridge and rebeat it, adding enough liquid to get it to the consistency it had before.
  • Remove the corn husks from the water and set on paper towels. Reserve the largest husks to wrap the tamales and the small ones to line the steamer.

To set up your steamer

  • Fill the bottom with water making sure the water is not touching the steamer rack. Line the rack and sides of the steamer pot with corn husks. Set aside.

To wrap the tamales

  • Pull 24 pencil thin strips off of the corn husks and set aside. Take a husk and dry off the excess water with a paper towel. Place the husk in your hand with the tapered side away from you and the smooth side up. Using a spoon, spread 2-3 tbsp. of the dough (¼ inch thick) onto the corn husk, forming a 3 - 4 inch square. Leave a border of at least 3/4 inch on each side of the square.
  • Place 1 ½ tbsp. of the filling in the center of the dough. Bring the two long sides of the corn husk together, this will cause the masa to surround the filling, and roll them in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is too small, fold one of the long sides towards the center, and then fold the other long side on top.) Fold down the empty tapered section of the corn husk, forming a closed bottom. This will leave the top of the tamal open. Tie with a corn husk strip to secure the bottom of the tamal.
  •  Place the tamal in the steamer vertically leaning against the side of the pot, with the open end on top. Repeat this process until you run out of dough and all the tamales are in the steamer. Cover them with a layer of corn husks. If the steamer is not full, fill the empty spaces with more corn husks. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook for 40 minutes. Check the tamales, when they separate easily from the corn husk it means they are done. If they are not done, steam for 10 more minutes and check again.
  • Remove steamer from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and let cool for at least an hour. Don’t be alarmed if the tamales seem really soft. As they cool, they will firm up.

Video

Notes

If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa and use only 3/4 cup of vegetable stock. To substitute the coconut oil, you can use 8 oz. of vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. For tamales without fat, use 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 2g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg


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Spicy Peanut Sauce Enchiladas (Encacahuatadas)

Just so you know, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may collect a share from the links on this page.

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema. They are crazy easy to make, and are so good you’ll be making them again and again.

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.

In Mexico these are known simply as encacahuatadas, and are a classic home cooked dish. They are usually filled with chicken, but your favorite vegetable filling will go great with these. They would make a great dinner, or even a good brunch option.

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.

Let me just say that I am obsessed with this sauce. I have been putting it on everything! So far it is perfect with the enchiladas, but you can also put it on your baked potatoes, polenta, pasta, tacos, buddha bowls, and tofu. I’m one of those people that falls in love with a sauce or dish and then I makes it over and over again until I get tired it. This is one of those sauces. So you definitely have to try it.

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.

Summer is coming up and I am so not ready to have all the kids home. Not ready!! The first couple of weeks are always a little rough, but once we get into a groove we really have fun. My two older ones are always arguing and bothering each other, which can get really stressful sometimes, but our sweet baby is always all smiles. What are some of your summer plans?? I’ll tell you what I am ready for, all the delicious summer fruit. 

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.

The Recipe: Spicy Peanut Sauce Enchiladas

  • Your favorite veggie filling will be perfect with these
  • If you are allergic to peanuts you can use cashews or almonds.
  • Corn tortillas are the best option for this recipe.
  • You can use cashew or almond crema
  • Do not place these in the oven because they will fall apart.

 

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.

Peanut Enchiladas with Braised Greens

These spicy peanut sauce enchiladas, also known as encacahuatadas are smoky, creamy, savory, and full of umami. They are filled with sautéed mushrooms, and braised greens with hominy, bathed in a spicy guajillo-peanut sauce, and drizzled with almond crema.
4.8 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: peanut enchiladas, spicy peanut sauce, vegan enchiladas
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 387kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 8 Guajillo Chiles stems and seeds removed, rinsed
  • 1-2 Chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 1 cup Peanuts, toasted
  • 1 Plum tomato, roasted
  • 1/8 tsp. Ground clove
  • 1 cup Vegetable stock

Filling

  • 1 lb. Mushrooms. cremini sliced
  • 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 oz. Spinach or other leafy green, roughly chopped
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) Hominy, drained, rinsed
  • 12 Corn tortillas
  • 1 cup Almond crema

Instructions

To make the peanut sauce:

  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Drop in the guajillo chiles and turn heat down to a simmer, let simmer for 10 min.
  • Drain guajillo chiles and place in blender with peanuts, chipotle chiles, garlic, roasted tomato, clove, and vegetable stock. Blend until smooth. If necessary add more stock until you reach the desired consistency.If you do not have a high powered blender, strain the sauce. Set aside.

To make the filling:

  • Add ¼ cup of water or vegetable stock to a large sauté pan set to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until almost all the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms and they are beginning to brown. Add more liquid if necessary.
  • Lower heat to medium-low and add the garlic, cook for 1 min. Add the spinach and stir. Cover pan and let spinach cook down, 2 -3 minutes. Add hominy and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble

  • Bring a medium sauce pot to low-medium heat and pour in sauce. Heat just enough to get it hot. If it simmers, the sauce might break.
  • Warm corn tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds or in the oven at 350F on a sheet tray for 5 min. Just enough so that the tortillas are soft enough to be rolled.
  • Spread 2-3 tbsp. of the peanut sauce on the bottom of a 9 x13 baking dish, Place 1 tbsp. of filling on each tortilla. Roll and place on baking dish. Continue this process until you have used up all the tortillas and the entire filling.
  • Pour the rest of the peanut sauce on top of the enchiladas and drizzle almond crema on top.

Notes

If the sauce and the filling are hot there is no need to put the enchiladas in the oven. If you would rather place them in the oven do so at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. If you are allergic to peanuts you can use cashews or almonds. Corn tortillas are the best option for this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 1392mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7490IU | Vitamin C: 21.8mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 4.3mg

Nutrition Facts
Peanut Enchiladas with Braised Greens
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 387 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Sodium 648mg28%
Potassium 1392mg40%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 7490IU150%
Vitamin C 21.8mg26%
Calcium 170mg17%
Iron 4.3mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Torta Ahogada Recipe (Vegan Mexico Cookbook)

This torta ahogada recipe or Mexican “drowned” sandwich is a crusty bread torta filled with refried beans and avocado slices, and drowned in a spicy chile de árbol salsa. It is a classic dish from Guadalajara, and it is not for the faint of heart or stomach! The recipe is from Jason Wyrick’s new book Vegan Mexico.  Jason is the chef and author behind Vegan Tacos and the blog The Vegan Taste.

VM-Front-Cover-8-6-16

I am a huge fan of Jason and his recipes, so I was very excited when I received a copy of Vegan Mexico. It has taken me this long to write about it (the book was released in December), because I have been immersed in it since the day I got it! The book has over 100 recipes, all Mexican, and every one of them vegan. The recipes range from very easy to some more time consuming and complicated. My favorite part of the book is the stories and research behind the recipes. Each recipe giving you a little tid-bit of information on Mexican culture and tradition. It is exciting to see so many of my favorite recipes, and even some that I had not even thought of made vegan.

torta-ahogada-1

The only thing I would change in the book, would be to add more pictures. There are a good number of pictures, but I think some of the recipes could benefit from step-by-step pictures. Some of my favorite recipes so far is of course this Torta Ahogada, the Tomato Black Bean Soup, and the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Mole Enchiladas.  Jason’s book is available on Amazon in paperback ($12.12)  and kindle format ($7.99).

torta-ahogada-2

The Recipe: Torta Ahogada Recipe

This is like Jason Wyrick clearly states in his book, one of the spiciest meals you will ever eat. Legend says the sandwich was invented when a street vendor accidentally dropped a torta in a container of spicy salsa, this drowning it. If you would still like to try this, but aren’t a fan of heat, check the recipe notes for a non-spicy or less spicy version. Traditionally a crusty salted bread called birrote is used, but you can use french baguette or bolillo instead. Enjoy!

torta-ahogada-4

 

This Torta ahogada recipe is a crusty bread torta filled with refried beans and avocado, and drowned in a spicy chile de arbol salsa.

Torta Ahogada

This Torta ahogada recipe is a crusty bread torta filled with refried beans and avocado, and drowned in a spicy chile de arbol salsa. Recipe from Vegan Mexico Cookbook.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 tortas
Author: Jason Wyrick

Ingredients

Tortas:

  • 2 Bolillo rolls or 6-inch long baguettes, split in half about 3/4 of the way
  • 1 cup Refried beans, using black beans, or store-bought refried black beans
  • 1 Ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Sauce: (WARNING: See note)

  • 30 Chiles de árbol, stemmed, seeded, and rehydrated
  • 3 Cloves of garlic
  • 3/4 cup White vinegar (white balsamic works best)
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 tsp. Dried Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. Ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. Ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. Salt

Garnishes:

  • 2 Radishes, thinly sliced
  • 8 to 12 White pickled onions, separated into rings, or raw white onion rings (see note)
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

Tortas

  • Lightly toast the rolls or baguettes. Warm the beans and spread them evenly in each roll. Add the avocado slices. Place the sandwiches in bowls. 

Sauce:

  • In a blender or food processor, puree the rehydrated chiles de árbol, garlic, vinegar, water Mexican oregano, cumin, pepper, cloves, and salt. (Strain if you want a very smooth sauce.) Pour the sauce over the sandwiches. Garnish the sandwiches with the sliced radishes and pickled onions and serve with lime wedges. Eat these tortas with a fork and lots of napkins.

Notes

WARNING: This sandwich is hot, really hot! For a less spicy version omit the water and add 1 to 3 cups of crushed fire-roasted tomates to the salsa and omit or decrease the chiles de árbol to your taste. 
Another option is to make two sauces, a non-spicy tomato sauce and the chile de árbol sauce. This way you can drown your torta in the non-spicy tomato sauce and drizzle some of the árbol sauce on top.
You can find a recipe for pickled onions here and one for refried beans here. 
 

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Vegan Frijoles Charros Recipe (Mexican Cowboy Beans)

Beans, beans, beans it seems people either love them or hate them. Guess which one of those is me? I love them of course. Growing up in a Mexican household, beans were just a part of everyday life, and I mean everyday. I have created one of my favorite recipes for you, vegan frijoles charros. This recipe is an adaptation of the recipe my dad uses at his restaurant.  Frijoles charros, depending on what part of Mexico you are in, include chorizo, sausage or bacon. Sometimes the recipe includes a combination of all three of them. I made a big batch of my homemade vegan chorizo the other day and decided to use that instead. The result was a satisfying and warm bowl of tender smoky beans. Perfect for a cold fall day.

This Vegan Frijoles Charros recipe results in a satisfying and warm bowl of tender smoky beans. Perfect for a cold fall day.

This Vegan Frijoles Charros recipe results in a satisfying and warm bowl of tender smoky beans. Perfect for a cold fall day.

The holidays are creeping up on me so fast. I’m not ready. Pumpkin season is here, even in Hawaii. We went and picked out a pumpkin at Aloun Farms last week and it was so hot that day! It made us long for when we lived on the east coast and we would go pumpkin picking and playing in a corn maze in cool fall weather. However, I’m looking forward to making pumpkin marmalade and candied pumpkin with coconut whipped cream. Speaking of holiday food, my book Vegan Tamales Unwrapped is now available on Amazon in kindle format and I am really excited about it. I’m hoping this will help reach more people and spread the tamal love.

This Vegan Frijoles Charros recipe results in a satisfying and warm bowl of tender smoky beans. Perfect for a cold fall day.

Making vegan tamales doesn't have to be complicated. With over 50 detailed pictures, this ebook will guide you step-by-step in the tamal making process.

 

The kids have developed an obsession with Bob Ross and it’s the cutest thing. The Joy of Painting is now on Netflix and it’s the perfect before bed TV. The kids find it to be super calming and interesting. So much so, that they now ask to watch it every night and there has even been some tears when there’s no time to watch it. There’s just something about his voice that is so soothing. I am certainly glad to get a break from Mickey Mouse and Pokemon!

This Vegan Frijoles Charros recipe results in a satisfying and warm bowl of tender smoky beans. Perfect for a cold fall day.

The Recipe: Vegan Frijoles Charros Recipe

My dad’s original recipe uses bacon, but can use vegan sausage or vegan chorizo instead. When I make these beans I almost aways use them to make “refried” beans. I just strain some of the liquid out of the beans and puree them in the blender until they have the consistency of refried beans, no oil needed. Enjoy!

This Vegan Frijoles Charros recipe results in a satisfying and warm bowl of tender smoky beans. Perfect for a cold fall day.

Vegan Frijoles Charros Recipe (Mexican Cowboy Beans)

4.24 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Dora Stone

Ingredients

  • ½ lb. Pinto beans, dried
  • 1 Onion, white, large
  • 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 2 sprigs Cilantro
  • ¼ cup Vegetable stock or water
  • 6 oz. (3/4 cup) Vegan chorizo (see note)
  • 2 Serrano chiles, minced
  • 1 Tomato, large, diced

Instructions

  • Soak beans in water overnight.
  • The next day, strain them and place in a large pot. Pour enough water into the pot to fill ¾ of the way.
  • Cut your onion in half. Place ½ the onion, cilantro sprigs, and 3 garlic cloves into the pot with the beans. Reserve the other half of the onion.
  • Bring water to a simmer and let beans cook until almost tender, approximately 1 ½ hours.
  • While the beans are cooking heat a large sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until slightly browned, about 4 minutes. While the chorizo is cooking, dice the other half of the onion.
  • Remove chorizo from pan and set aside. Add ¼ cup of water, diced onion, and serrano peppers to the sauté pan. Sweat onion and chiles until tender and translucent about 4 – 5 minutes. Add tomato and let cook for 7-8 minutes more, or until the tomato has broken down and released all of its juices.
  • Add this mixture, and the chorizo to the pot of beans and let simmer for 20 more minutes or until beans are completely tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  • Before serving, remove the half onion, cilantro sprig, and garlic cloves from the beans. Season with salt and pepper

Notes

You can add vegan bacon or sausage to this as well. You can buy the vegan chorizo or you can make this homemade version.

 

 

 

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Vegan Chiles Rellenos

Sometimes the heart wants what it wants, and it just so happens that this heart wants chiles rellenos.  Are vegan chiles rellenos even possible? Yes they are my friends! At first, I was doubtful, I wasn’t sure of this was going to work, but after a couple of tries, the result was truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, and spicy. Everything a chile relleno should be.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

I just want to be crystal clear and honest with you, and tell you that they are not healthy. They are fried in oil, lots of it! However, they are still 100% vegan. A couple of weeks ago I told you that I was trying to drop oil from my diet, and I am still trying (very unsuccessfully). How weird is it that I had an easier time giving up dairy? Like I said before though, sometimes there are special occasions and moments in our lives that call for a special dish and nothing else will do except a chile relleno. However, if you are looking for a healthy option you can try this chile relleno stuffed with quinoa, zucchini, and corn that is topped with a chipotle cream sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

The Recipe: Vegan Chiles Rellenos

For this version I have stuffed the chiles with two types of cheeses. I am not a fan of the processed vegan cheeses, but I finally found one that I actually like Chao vegan cheese. The other one is stuffed with my macadamia nut queso fresco. Both of the cheeses worked very well with the dish. The Follow Your Heart cheese is very much like a traditional cheese, you can grate it, slice it, and melt it. The macadamia nut cheese behaves like a queso fresco, you can spread it but not melt it. I think it worked very well in the chiles rellenos. I like both of them, but be sure to try them and let me know which one is your favorite. Enjoy!

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

Vegan Chiles Rellenos

Vegan Chiles Rellenos, filled with cheese and fried until golden and crispy, served on a tomato sauce.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chiles rellenos, vegan mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 4 Poblano peppers, roasted, peeled
  • 10 oz. Vegan cheese*
  • 3 Tomatoes, large
  • 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • ½ Onion, peeled, chopped
  • 2 -3 cups Vegetable oil

Batter

  • 1/2 cup Flour, all-purpose
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. .Kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup Soda water, cold

Instructions

  • Once your poblano chiles are roasted and peeled, using a knife, make a vertical cut from the stem to the tip of the chile.
  • Fill with your favorite vegan cheese, close the chile, and secure with toothpicks. Set aside.
  • To make the sauce: Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion in the blender and process until smooth.
  • Heat a medium sauce pot to medium heat and add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 7 – 10 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • To make the batter: combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in soda water and whisk until combined. It should have the consistency of a thin pancake batter. 
  • Heat two inches of oil in a high sided pan to 360°F. Dip each chile into the batter, letting excess drip off, then place in oil and fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
  • Remove the chiles and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
  • Serve the chile on top of a plate of the tomato sauce

Notes

My favorite vegan cheese for chiles rellenos is Chao cheese, which comes in slices, but I grated it anyway on a box grater. I have also made this with my macadamia nut queso fresco, which doesn’t melt, but behaves very much like a fresh farmer’s cheese. Both cheeses gave good results.
If you want the batter to be yellowish like traditional chiles rellenos you can add 1/4 tsp. of turmeric to the batter.

 

 

 

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