Sunday, July 1, 2012

Homemade Corn Tortillas




When you can't find good corn tortillas without unecessary additives and preservatives, there's only one option: make your own!  It's really pretty easy, I promise.  It requires 3 simple ingredients, masa (corn flour), water, and salt.   I found the masa in the supermarket with the other flours.  The brand I bought, Maseca, had instructions for making tortillas on the back of the package which was helpful.  Even more helpful were the videos (see below) on their website.  They're in Spanish but luckily they have subtitles. One thing to note is that they use a tortilla press, something I do not own.  So I put the balls dough, one at a time, between two sheets of plastic wrap and used a can of beans to roll them out.  No, they were not anywhere close to being perfetly circular in the end, but they tasted great, were functional, and best of all, they didn't break when folded into a taco.

Video #1: Preparing the masa


Video #2: Making the tortillas


Recipe (my adapted version)
Makes 16 tortillas
Ingredients
Two cups Maseca
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 1/4 cup water
A large mixing bowl

Method
Mix Maseca corn flour, water and salt in a large bowl.

Mix by hand until a smooth consistency has been created and does not stick to your hands. Shape into a ball and divide into 16 portions and roll into balls.

Cover a large cutting board with plastic wrap. One by one, place a ball of dough on top, press down to slightly flatten it.  Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and roll out with a rolling pin (a can works too).  Carefully peel off when done.  You don't want them to break.

Place in a pre-heated ungreased skillet and cook for about 1 minute on each side.  Place them on between damp cloths or paper towel to keep from drying out.

When reheating you can place them in aluminum foil and heat in the oven at 350 degrees 5-10 minutes.  You can also wrap them in damp paper towel and microwave them for 15-20 seconds.  Both of these methods allow them to steam, preventing them from getting dry.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Summer Tomato Bruschetta




Serve this on crostini, pasta, salad, pizza or just eat with a spoon.  It's always delicious! 





Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil (preferably a higher quality)
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered (remove some seeds if desired)
1 small handful basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Method

In a large bowl whisk olive oil, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes and basil, give a quick stir and voila.  Fresh tomato bruschetta!



Sunday, June 10, 2012

Frozen Chocolate Coconut Banana Bites



These make a tasty little treat that's perfect for satifying a sweet craving without going over board.


Ingredients

Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Splash of almond milk
Sliced banana, frozen (1-2 hours)
Unsweetened coconut


Method

Place chocolate in a small bowl with a tiny bit of almond milk and microwave 20-30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted. Add more almond milk if needed. 

Place some coconut in a small dish.  Dip your sliced bananas in the chocolate and then coconut.  Then place chocolate side up on a parchment lined plate or baking sheet.  Freeze an hour and then eat!  Transfer any leftover to tupperwear to keep in the freezer.


Thursday, June 7, 2012

ChocoBanana Protein Smoothie


It's Hemp History Week (June 4-10) so why not enjoy a smoothie with hemp protein!  Hemp contains easily digestible protein, fiber, and Omega-3.  I love the hemp seeds on salad or oatmeal but decided to give the protein powder a shot (I bought the Nutiva brand).  It's definitely got an earthy flavor but in this smoothie that is masked by the banana, cocoa, and peanut butter.  Try slicing the banana and freezing for an hour to make the smoothie thicker.  It's not only delicious but quite filling.  I'll definitely be trying this is different smoothies.



Ingredients

3/4 cup almond milk
1 banana, sliced
1 Tbsp hemp protein
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp peanut butter
crushed ice (optional)

Method

Add all the ingredients to a blender and and blend until smooth.  Add ice for a more frozen consistency.








Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tempeh Bacon

Vegan BLT with Avocado


So maybe this doesn't taste exactly bacon but it sure is a lot close than you would expect.  I am now pretty obsessed with tempeh bacon.  It makes a fantasic vegetarian and vegan B.L.T.


Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp cumin
1-2 Tbsp. water
1/2 package tempeh, thinly sliced (the thinner the crispier they'll be)

Oil for brushing

Method

To make the marinade, whisk all the ingredients, except tempeh, in a small bowl. Give it taste and make any adjustments.  Now gently dip each slice of tempeh in the marinade.  Lay in a shallow dish and pour or the remaining marinade over top.  Refrigerate for at least an hour (if you can do it overnight they will be even more tasty).

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Lay tempeh slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this worked much better than directly on a greased baking sheet).  For extra crispness: mix a little oil with the left over marinade and brush on the slices.  You can also skip the oil and just brush the marinade.  Bake 8-10 minutes, flip over and brush again.  Bake another 8-10 minutes, or until crispy and browned.