The most delicious and clean tacos ever! Sweet Potato with Greens and Plantain Tortillas, Paleo, Vegan and Awesome

Today is Cinco de Mayo (yay!) it is also the middle of a strict springtime vegan-paleo goal for me. So what to do. I looooove Mexican foods, it will be one of my favorite cuisines ever and always. My eyes were first opened to mind blowing vegan Mexican food at Gracias Madre in SF. I was lucky to eat there many times, but it was a taco plate when I first fell in love. There were piles of cooked leafy greens, spiced sweet potatoes, and all the crunchy toppings. I think there were beans and loads of their wonderful freshly made tortillas. This today is my homage to them.  The tortilla making is easy as pie, but if you love corn tortillas-by all means use those!

Paleo Plantain Tortillas 
with
Chili Sweet Potato, Leafy Greens, and Avocado

Tortillas:
Makes about 14 tortillas (taco "corn-tortilla" sized)

• 4 green plantains
• 1/4 cup hot water (or more)

Leafy Greens:

• 1 bunch collards, swiss chard, or kale
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt

Sweet Potatoes:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1-2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt

Also: 

• Avocado
• Cabbage
• Raddishes
• Cilantro
• Salsa

For these tortillas I want a savory or neutral sort of flavor so we use the unripe or green plantains. Peeling them can be a little bit of a chore, here is a link to my earlier instructions how to do this quickly. The plantains need to be peeled and sliced into chunks before boiling for 20 minutes. You will see the raw plantain is a very pale yellow color, once it has cooked in the boiling water there's a much deeper yellow color to the flesh. 

When the plantains are fork tender drain into a colander in the sink. Wait 5 minutes so they cool a bit. Place plantains in the bowl of a standing mixer, mix on low for about 5-8 minutes. If you have the plastic guard that keeps things from jumping out the sides of the bowl now is the time to use it. If not you can hold a tea towel around the top of the bowl until pieces stop trying to jump out. 

At first it may seem very dry and crumbly, but there is a nice point when everything comes dough like. Depending on your plantains and how ripe and cooked they are this may take more time than you expect just keep the mixer on. If everything is looking very dry, which happens due to moisture escaping through the steam, add a splash of hot water until you have a consistency like cookie dough. 

With our plantain massa ready we can move onto shaping and cooking the tortillas:

You will need a tortilla press or two rigid cutting boards. Parchment paper folded in half or a plastic bag cut into two pieces.Some coconut oil or other oil of your choice. A hot griddle or frypan. 

1. Heat the griddle.
2. Apply a tiny bit of coconut oil to the inside spots of the full department where you will flatten the dough. 
3. Roll a ball of the dough in your hands.
4. Place in between the two sheets of parchment or plastic
5. Position this parchment sandwich in between your two cutting board or tortilla press. 
6. Press straight down, with all your bodyweight. 
7. Remove the top cutting board and check your tortilla. 
8. Peel off the parchment carefully, this is easier than you imagine.
9. Move the tortilla in hand directly to the griddle.
10. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes. They will look dry, pale, with not much color. The edges will turn out just a bit. 

Repeat until the dough is all used up! 

Cut a bunch of collards or Swiss chard into thin ribbons. Cook on the stove with two cloves of minced garlic, salt, a teaspoon of cumin, and a 1/2 cup of water. Simmer and sauté until the water has about braided and your greens are tender and bright. 

Cube your sweet potatoes into roughly half inch pieces. Toss to coat with olive oil  and 1 to 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Spread on a sheet pan in one layer. Bake roast at 350° for about 30 minutes, until they're tender. There is no need to stir the sweet potatoes while they are roasting see you can just forget about them until the timer beeps!

Clearly, tacos should be assembled right as you are going to eat them. Place a small bed of greens as a base on the tortilla, followed by sweet potatoes, then topped off with thin slices of avocado, radish, cabbage and cilantro. salsa or hot sauce is always a good idea in my book.

 Enjoy!
***The tortillas will keep for a few days in the fridge kept sealed up in a bag. Very good just microwaved for 20 seconds to warm them up again. Or even better, throw on a hot dry pan till warm.

Perfect Baked Beans in a Slow Cooker

I know a few of you who got new slow cookers over the holidays and some of you at our Christmas table who wanted a copy of this recipe. These baked beans are for you. They are super easy to throw together last thing before going to bed and in the morning you will wake wondering what the amazing smell in your apartment is.

My family has always eaten baked beans on Christmas since my mother was a young girl. The story is, one year my grandfather decreed they should have a proper filling nutritious breakfast on Christmas, grilled steaks, baked beans and broiled English muffins with butter. For half a century or so. 

Last year was the fist year I succeeded in adding vegetables to the table! Now we include vegetable laden frittatas which make everyone from the gourmands to the vegetarians satisfied. 

Making your own baked beans costs just pennies and ingredients which are probably in your pantry. And unlike prepared or canned ones you will know just what's in them, no preservatives, no mystery. Just a little planning ahead.

This recipe is for 1 pound of beans. Easily doubled if you are feeding a crowd and your cooker can handle the size. 

Soak 1 pound of navy beans. They are the little white ones that look like this. This is the actual brand I used, just toss the "ham flavor packet" into the garbage, ok!

Instead of industrial "ham flavor" we can use real ham! Bacon, ham, or maybe you are like me and have chunks of leftover fatty ham rind in the freezer from Easter. 

Cook the pork product of your choice in a small skillet on medium low heat. Dice one yellow onion and add it to the ham in the pan. Cook this on medium low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the onion is softened and the ham is sizzling deglaze the pan with 3 tablespoons of whiskey. It will sizzle, cook off the whiskey. Set the ham and onion aside while the beans are arranged. 

Measure the water, molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste, salt and spices into the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Drain the beans of their soaking water.  Stir in the beans. Spoon the onion and fatty ham on top of the beans, don't stir this in, it will act as a layer to help the beans not dry out during cooking. 

Turn the cooker on high, go to bed, wake up 7 hours later to glorious smells. (If you have longer like 9 or 10 hours set the cooker to low. 

Stir 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into the beans, this gives it a great bite. Taste them and add more salt or sugar as you desire, but they should be pretty perfect at this point! Serve hot. 

At Christmas we serve ours from a bean pot which is rhrumored to be my great great grandmothers. It might be true. 

Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker

• 1 lb dry navy beans. (Soaked)
• 1 yellow onion
• 4 strips bacon or equivelnt ham product
• 3 Tablespoons bourbon
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 can of tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2-3 teaspoons salt
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

(If you want to make these vegetarian, replace the bacon with coconut oil.)

Tropical Coquito Eggnog hold the lactose, go with Goat!

For the backstory on Coquito read about it here. All the same applies to the goats milk version, creamy coconut and rum eggnog without eggs from Puerto Rico. First, I made it the traditional way with cows milk products. Along the way I wondered if I could make a convincing recipe using goats milk. I made a few tweaks to the traditional recipe to make a safe version for the tummies of me and other lactose challenged folk!

It worked, and we may all drink to our hearts content. Beware it is as rich and strong as it is festive.

Coquito de Cabra

• 10 oz goats milk
• 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 can evaporated goats milk
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3/4 can coconut cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 375 ml white rum

Mix the goat milk and sugar in a saucepan. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar dissolves. No need to heat the milk further. Mix this in a blender with the remaining ingredients. It may take two batches of blending to fit all the liquid. 

Coquito, Tropical Coconut Eggnog from Puerto Rico

Coquito is spiced, creamy, and full of rum. This Caribbean version of our traditional eggnog hails from Puerto Rico where it is a must have for every party during Christmas time.

Also now a must have at my house, everybody who tries it falls in love! Coconut, sugar and dairy products create a creamy base for rum. It is the tropics and christmas of memories all in a glass. (FYI, if you are lactose free, check out my recipe for Goat Coquito!)

Rich and strong, it can surely be dangerous if not drank from small glasses or at least in short pours. The richness will likley stop you before things get out of hand, If it is to be compared to anything else, it might be coconut custard, or melted ice cream.

Give it as gifts, or to bring to parties, typically it is put into reused liquor or clear wine bottles with stoppers. This has a cute DIY homemade feel to it as a gift.

These are my adorable bottles all filled and ready to gift away. I am now so enchanted with them it will be tough to part with them.

(Just note, it should remain refrigerated.)

Coquito, when looked up in the dictionary, translates not only into "eggnog" but also:
1) A small coconut.
2) Grimace to amuse children.
   (hacer coquitos)
3) A turtle dove of Mexico, having a song like the couckoo's.

Much like traditional English eggnog there is milk, cinnamon, and sometimes eggs, but not in mine. The eggs are not necessary to give it thickness and body, the coconut does that work. I have to say it is terribly easy to whip up with a blender, as most of it comes from cans and it is a matter of pouring, blending, tasting and serving it up in a pretty way.

In each bottle or jar place a cinnamon stick. When you go to shake it up before pouring, the cinnamon stick bangs around to help mix it up.

Coquito, made without eggs, could last in the fridge for likley a long time. However, good luck keeping it around longer than a week. You would have to hide it in the back of the fridge. Delicious!

Ceylon cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla comprise all the spices. The three of them are complex all together and people can't easily place what they are drinking, which is fun. I used a vanilla bean powder, but extract or a real bean would be great.






Cinnamon is a key flavor here, and for best results use real Mexican cinnamon, (aka Ceylon cinnamon, soft stick cinnamon, or canela.) The flavor is less aggressive than the typical cinnamon we find in the states. It smells heavenly, has notes of citrus and is very complex. I am lucky to be treasuring a small stash of cinnamon sticks from Granada brought to me as a gift. This seeming the perfect time to use them I blitzed them to dust in my spice grinder (right...coffee grinder.)

This is freshly ground cinnamon. And then all the spices laying atop the coconut milk.

Coquito 

• 1 can condensed milk
• 2 can evaporated milk
• 1 can coconut milk (unsweetened cooking variety)
• 1 can coconut creme (coco lopez)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 375 ml white rum (Don Q or Bicardi)

Simply open all the cans, measure the spices and rum. Using a blender, whip it into a frothy wonderland. In my regular sized blender is two batches of blending. Have a larger container ready to mix the two batches together before pouring them into bottles for gifting and serving. Store in the refrigerator, where it will have a chance to thicken up.

Serve cold in small amounts over ice, or not. For best results drink and share with friends in festive atmosphere.

Check out my Coquito de Cabra if you prefer goats milk to cows. It works and is just as yummy.

Horchata Cachaca Cocktail, it is not Eggnog, but tastes like a holiday!

All good ideas come from somewhere, I found this one at La Brasa in Somerville. They feature a small but mind bogglingly global menu with local sources.

Our table was throughly impressed. A dinner full of punchy unexpected flavors and a really laid back vibe from the whole place.  

(clockwise: pickled beet eggs, lamb shepherds pie, flan, coconut tapioca pudding with spiced pears, awesome soup spoons.)

The element that stuck with me was the horchata. Spiked with rum (honestly I don't know what kind) it became a joyful creamy, cinnamon laced experience. Something like a Mexican white Russian or Eggnog. However, much thinner than eggnog, as horchata is made from almond or rice milk, and dairy free! It sparked a discussion with my friend about coquito, a Puerto Rican coconut holiday drink, which I am going to mix up and bring to her later this week. (Stay tuned for coquito.)

Here is La Brasa's dreamy horchata over crushed ice.

What is HORCHATA, you ask? A milky drink made from rice (or almonds or chufa) soaked with cinnamon. Sugar is added and sometimes other spices or vanilla. It is special, simple and refreshing.

So I had this new discovery, horchata with rum. Here I was, going along, thinking virgin horchata was perfect. So I had to try it again. However, not in the mood to make horchata or even crush ice,
here is my lazy version.
I totally just bought an horchata from my local taqueria and brought it home. Shout out to La Victoria Taqueria, you rock. (Finally a good taqueria around here. You make me so very very very happy.) When I go in there to get food I always order an horchata because it is awesome, it is delicious, creamy, sweet, goes with spicy food, makes me smile, and think of California. And when I ask for the horchata, the same girl always looks me in the eye and smiles like "Oh, yeah, good ordering, you know whats up!" I love that feeling. If I was her, I would sip on horchatas all day long.

But this is an horchata for after work, hear that everybody? So bring home your takeout horchata, try not to drink much on the way, this is the hardest part of it all.

Toss in a jigger of Cachaca and some optional ice. Done!

Cachaca is a white spirit, like rum, that is made in Brazil from sugarcane juice. It was a great flavor pairing with the cinnamon and creamy elements.  Instead of cachaca you could use white or light rum.

This is obviously not a precise science, it will likley taste superb no matter what you do. I swear you will not regret it. You will only regret when the horchata is empty and that you didn't buy a second one.

Maybe one day I will make horchata from scratch and then I will link to this post. For now, save yourself time and find your closest most awesome taqueria.

The Brussels Sprouts Recipe Everyone Wants

I have had many requests for this recipe, from people who ate the brussels sprouts, ones who heard about it, and some who read by thanksgiving post.  December is here, and we all return to work, but know that the holiday season has really started, and wish we could make cookies and play with ribbon all day long. Or more to the point, as a British friend said yesterday, December is all about alcoholic fruit and booze and cake. I think she included cake on the list, the Brits would need something to absorb all the boozy fruit. (Note: upcoming post, I will figure out what British boozy fruit is.)

December is here and brussels sprouts are among the few things still in season. These are incredibly savory and briny. A welcome change to the palate. The dressing is incredibly different than our usual heavy holiday season flavors or spice and sweetness.

It went around and around out holiday table, so that is worth something. People were like, "please pass the brussels sprouts" and "where did those amazing brussels sprouts go?" and "oh YES! There are still some left!" (Read thanksgiving Part1 and Part2.)

Simple enough to make up part of an every day dinner. Be sure to make extra because you will want the leftovers!

Notes on anchovies: many people are scared of the poor little fish. (Like my husband, who thinks he doesn't like them, but when I put them in food and does not tell him, he loves it!) They are super salty and little mashed fish is...whatever they are delicious. If you don't like them much, buy the European type in a tube, it is a paste and so easy to work with in the kitchen. Unscrew the top, squeeze into a dressing, screw back on the top, and back into the fridge for very easy storage. Don't skip them, they really make this dish sing.


Savory Brussels Sprouts with Capers and Walnuts

ROASTING:
3 lbs brussels sprouts, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
1 cup walnuts

DRESSING:
2 garlic cloves
2 shallots
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon grainy mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
3 Tablespoons capers (rinsed if in salt)
1/2 - 1 Tablespoon anchovy paste (or one 2 oz tin, drained and minced)
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°. Quarter each brussels sprout into 4 wedges. Place on 2 baking sheets, toss with olive oil and salt. Roast in the oven for 20 to 40 minutes. (Sprouts and ovens vary so.) Stir or shake once midway. The sprouts should have some charred black spots and crispy bits. The insides will be tender. Remove from the oven and transfer into a large bowl.

Toast the walnuts, spread them in an oven proof pan, roast in the oven for  about 8 minutes. The walnuts will be a warm brown and smell toasty and fragrant.

Make the dressing. If you have a food processor, fit it with the chopping blade. Peel garlic and shallots, chop into bits in the food processor. (Or mince with a knife.) The entire dressing can be made in the food processor, or a mason jar with a tight fitting lid works very well. Add the vinegars, olive oil, mustard, honey, capers, pepper, and some or all of the anchovy paste. Blend or shake the dressing well. Taste the dressing on a brussels sprout, add additional salt only if needed.

Pour the dressing over the still warm brussels sprouts (they absorb more flavor this way.) Serve warm or at room temperature.  Keeps for 4 days in the fridge.

*Adapted from Food and Wine, Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts, Capers and Anchovies (2011).

Thanksgiving Turkey, what happened that day. Not Quick or Easy, but still Fun!

Last I left you it was the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, when people go for Turkey Trots and road races. The 41 pound turkey was in the oven, we with fingers crossed. (Read here if you missed it.) We were soon distracted by the making of stuffing, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, potatoes and biscuits. The turkey continued to cook. Slowly.

Here we are in the midst of making 4 cups of dressing for these roasted brussels sprouts with walnuts and capers. 

The plan was to eat at 2:30.  My aunt had sworn the bird would take 7 long hours. We had planned to have it finish up around 1:30 so it could "rest".  

1:30- it was not close to done. 

2:00- it was not close to done.

3:00- it was still not done. 

3:05- My grandfather declared he was hungry and ready to eat. 

3:15- My sister brilliantly proposes that we invite people to sit, and serve the lasagna my mother-in-law made. The lasagna was a top notch first course. And bought us some time.

3:30- Not enough time. We propose some entertainment and when nobody steps up to the plate, we take turns sharing something we are thankful for this year. Aww, such nice feelings. 

3:45- Finally! Turkey reaches temperature.

3:47- Turkey is out of oven. Problem: we cannot remove it from the pan. The usual pair of long forks and spoons are not working. A third enormous spoon is added. Nope. The turkey has a beautiful crusty skin and everything is cracking it. 

3:50- We try pulling the turkey out. Nope. We try pulling the pan off the turkey. Nope. Can we turn it upsidown? Note: there are 7 brains around the bird working on this problem. It is snug in the pan.

4:00- What really happened will be know only to those who where there. It involved my awesome husband, some cross fit training, and two oven mitts (one of which did not survive).

Requisite photos were taken to show scale. The table ohhed and ahhed, unaware of the hilarity which had gone on in the kitchen.

The majestic bird was soon carved up and dismantled. Despite 10 hours in the oven, it was juicy, flavorful and by far the most delicious turkey anyone had eaten. 

True to Thanksgiving style, it was quickly overshadowed by biscuits and brussels sprouts that were the biggest favorite of the day. 

  

Stuffed to the gills, we mellowed over the dog show before tucking into pie. You would have thought nobody would have room for pie. But as always, they slowly disappeared over a few hours. Leaving some for breakfast, and another breakfast. Apple, mince, pumpkin and chocolate...50 shades of brown. 

(The darkest pies are the pumpkin, not chocolate, because the amount of dark black molasses in them.)

 It took 3 of us to pick the bird clean of meat for leftovers. All the bones went into a stock pot except these ones, which did not fit. Ive saved them for another time in the freezer. It went into the fridge to make stock on Saturday for soup. Here, I am quite proud to have broken down such an enormous bird...and all without ruining my rather new sweater dress which I didn't even bother to put an apron over. What a day.

Thanksgiving turkey

The turkey was slaughtered only Saturday. If you look in this picture, at the dark clump of pine trees on the right, just through there is where it happened. My aunt and uncle make turkey raising a yearly project, which in turn comes along with a turkey slaughter, which I choose not to attend. It involves rubber boots, feathers, death, and the freezing cold. No thanks. 

Due to this, and lots of love, we have a 41 pound bird. Yes, 41. Much of the hours between Saturday afternoon and Thursday morning were spent with turkey-anxiety. It induces nervous laughter and a number of arguments. Measurements were taken of the oven, the bird, all the pans we owned. 

None of these pans was large enough, so an awesome chef friend of mine pulled through with a deep rondo pan, which fits the bird with parts hanging off the sides. There a 1/2 inch of clearance above the turkey. And we dispensed with the oven rack all together, sacrificing a cookie rack to its probable demise at the bottom of the oven, holding up what is probably 50 pounds. Yes, we stuffed it. My aunt, who is well experienced in this area of giant birds said cook it at 350' for 7 (seven!) hours, and yes, stuff it. 

The event looks so far like an advertisement for Renolds Wrap. There is a foil "funnel pan liner" to catch juices from the parts hanging off the sides. There are foil "mittens" and a foil "breastplate" because at 7 hours...at 350...hoping that breast meat stays juicy. 

It was brushed with melted butter. And if you would like to investigate the proper posture for putting a turkey into an oven, go to my twitter (@adiadi9) and check out the picture. Mostly pretend you are at the gym doing the most straight backed squat, also holding 50lb in front of you. It is impressive. And get ready to do it again when it is sizzling hot.

Wish us luck.

  

To be continued...Part 2.

Thanksgiving Menu Making, what to do with those gluten free and paleo people.

Weather your Thanksgiving celebration is large or small, it is likley you will be facing guests with a handful of special diets. I was thinking of this while planning the menu for our upcoming thanksgiving dinner where we will host 18 people. We will be having 3 pescetarians (who eat fish but not other animals), 2 people who avoid gluten, 4 lactose intolerant folks, and two quasi Paleo people. True, some of these people, are the same, I count up 6 guests who have restricted diets. So what is a host to do?

Some people stand by their view that people should simply eat what they are served. That goes something like, "I am the cook, I'll make what I like!" Fine, but have you been on the side saying "no thank you" and facing the dismay on your host's face that is screaming "why are you not eating my manicotti?" I stand by the viewpoint that it is thoughtful to consider the happiness of your guests when inviting people to your home to eat.

That is why, this Thanksgiving I took into consideration all of this while planning the menu. Thanksgiving is great because there are so many options, and so many vegetables. The key is to keep them varied, chose to put milk and butter in the mashed potatoes but make a sweet potato dish which is lactose free. And plenty of people love and crave the buttery, bready, and meaty, so we keep them happy too!

Here is a sneak peak of my Thanksgiving menu, with links to some recipes of my inspiration. I would be happy if you take any ideas from this. It is Tuesday, you are still ahead of the game!


Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry:

• Turkey (organic and local) 
• Gravy (made from the turkey, old fashioned way with flour)
• Veggie Gravy (vegetarian, lactose and dairy free)
• Mom's Stuffing (aka Pepperidge Farms stuffing with celery and onions, recipe from the back of the bag. I know...but she loves it, what can you do?)
• Cornbread Stuffing with leeks, mushrooms and shallots (I am really excited about this! GF, vegetarian and dairy free.)
• Cranberry Sauce with orange, apple and spices (super healthy and low in sugar)
• 1 can of cranberry sauce (because some people just need cranberry jelly.)

Starchy things:

• Mashed Potatoes (with butter, Lactaid milk, salt and pepper, so they are not really lactose free, but are less dairy-ful for those of us who want to take a bite but shouldn't.)
• Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel (I have adapted this kind of thing, I make the topping with pecans, coconut oil, and a little maple syrup to glaze the pecans, when it bakes they get crunchy! No flour needed.)
• Cornbread vs Biscuits. The jury is still out on this one. Cornbread can be gluten free, so we might do that. Ill let you know what wins out.

Green sides:

• Brussels Sprouts with capers, walnuts and anchovies (this is the third year with this anchovy brussels sprout recipe, we use anchovy paste in a tube instead of the tinned variety, it is salty and awesome. GF, dairy free and pescetarian.)
• Kale and Pepitas Salad. (Just like my usual, we might add radishes for some spice at the table. GF, Veggie and dairy free.)
• Green Beans with Lemon and Za'atar. (Yes, its different, but everyone loves za'atar. GF, Veggie and dairy free.)

Wait - Dessert!, we like to go overboard with pie:

• Apple Pie
• Mince Pie
• Chocolate Pudding Pie (made with Lactaid milk, so mostly lactose free.)
• Pumpkin pie (regular, my Nana's recipe)
• Alternative Pumpkin Pie (with a gluten free crust, and lactose free custard. Don't fret, ill post it Wednesday!)

So that wraps it up. I am off to the grocery to hunt down chestnuts and more brussels sprouts. Happy cooking. Leave a comment if you have questions.