Vegan Tacos Al Carbon – Mas Famosa!

My boyfriend, Craig, is always raving about the street tacos from a San Fernando Valley food trucks.  (In particular the chicken and carne asada tacos from Sun Valley)  So, I experimented with Craig’s aid (He was successful in weaseling some secrets out of a Mexican food truck chef.  Some secrets tortillas and chicken.  Ha! Ha!).  My version passed the test. Craig and some of our friends said they forgot they weren’t eating chicken and thought they tasted great.  Since they were blown away with my vegan version, here is my down and dirty street taco.  Authentic tacos, no queso por favor.

Tacos Al Carbon - Vegan

Vegan Chicken Tacos Al Carbon Recipe

Start out with a good vegan “meat”.  I found more success with the “chicken” versions.  I haven’t come across any products that are perfect out of the package.  Nothings perfect, as you well know.  They all need a couple of manipulations.  I’ve been using VeriSoy’s vegan chicken strips with success and have recently been working with Beyond Meat Chicken Strips.

Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips

 (I’m fortunate that I live fairly close to Vege USA where they sell their VeriSoy products)  Both product shred and have a fairly good texture.

Vegan “Chicken” -shredded (shred it with your hands)

Vegetable Oil

Onions – chopped

Jalapenos – chopped, deveined, and seeded

(If you don’t want it too hot, cut out the white vein and seeds.  Be careful when chopping the jalapenos, the juice gets on your fingers and can burn your eyes if you rub them.  Also remember all jalapenos are not the same.  Some register hotter on the heat scale.)

Salt & Pepper to taste

White sesame seeds

White corn tortillas

Lime -wedges

Cilantro – chopped

Salsa Verde

Radishes

Coat a medium skillet with vegetable oil (I like to use safflower oil).  Stir in the shredded veg-chicken, onions, and jalapenos.  Cook until the onions and veg-chicken brown.  (If the veg-chicken seems to be drying out, add a little more oil)  Add the salt, pepper, and white sesame seeds.  Remove from heat and set to the side.  In an oil coated skillet, heat up the corn tortillas until soft.  Place the “chicken” mixture on top of each tortilla.  Squeeze some lime on top and garnish with cilantro.  Serve with salsa verde and side of raw radishes.  Top with the salsa verde, take a bite, and then eat the radish.  The radish complements the heat of the salsa verde.  (Craig learned tip from a Mexican street food foodie).

Note:  Sorry, I eyeball the ingredients, so I don’t know the exact measurements.  

Vegan taco naked ... so you can see the "meat"

Stay tuned for my 7 layer nachos that will smack your taste buds around.

Egg Substitutes & Tofu Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Anyone?

Well, it’s time to cater to your sweet tooth.  Who doesn’t absolutely love dessert?  But unfortunately, many baked goods have eggs.  There plenty of ways to substitute eggs in desserts, some are geared towards certain situations better than others.  One of the perks in all is there’s no strong eggy taste.  

Here are a few I’ve tried (all 1 egg equivalent):

Flax seeds:

1 Tbsp  ground flax seeds

¼ c  hot water

Blend until frothy.  I use flax seeds in cookie and cake recipes.  I have been told it makes my cakes lighter (less dense).  It doesn’t really look like egg, but it works well in baking.  Though, I haven’t had success using flax seeds with brownies.  This is still one of my go tos.

Apple sauce:

¼ or 1/3 c applesauce replaces 1 egg.  (Some say ¼ c and others say 1/3 c, you be the judge.)

Applesauce adds moisture and is a healthier ingredient, but remember that it also imparts flavor.  Not one of my favorites, but healthy.  Give it a try, you might like it depending on your application.

Ener G Egg Replacer:

This is an easy one.  It’s a powder that you add warm water to.  So simple.  You can replace 113 eggs per box.  Wow!  You're a smart cookie, vegan and economical.  I just checked Vitacost.com and found it for $4.79 per box.  If you calculate it out, it comes to the equivalent of about 50 cents a dozen.  You can’t even find that deal at the 99 cent store.  I use it in pancakes, cakes, cookies, and other situations that require eggs as binders.  Definitely won’t work for scrambled “eggs”. 

Tofu:

I like using silken tofu in French toast and firm tofu as scrambled “eggs”.  I’ll post these recipes later. 

For today, I’m going to feature good ole’ tofu as an egg replacer.   Chocolate chip cookies anyone?  Here’s to Ruth Wakefield, the originator of the toll house cookie. Yum-mee!  

Tofu Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

1 c   vegan margarine 

(Earth Balance has a nice buttery taste, but it does contain palm oil.  Bad for the orangutans.  Please let me know if you find a better substitute.)

2 Tbsp  molasses

1 c  sugar  

(Refined sugar is whitened by animal hooves.  Not vegan.  I use Zulka Morena unrefined cane sugar.  It’s pretty cheap.  Sometimes you can find it at the 99 Cent Only stores.  Added benefit, it’s also non-gmo.

1 tsp pure vanilla extract 

(If you need to, use the imitation vanilla, but the pure extract gives a better flavor.)

¼ c  silken tofu 

(I go to the Japanese food store or 99 Ranch Market.  They have silken tofu refrigerated or aseptic packed, Mori Nu, in the aisles.  You can also find Mori Nu at the 99 Cent Only store, grocery stores, Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.)

2 c  flour

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

2/3 bag of vegan chocolate chips (I use Trader Joe’s semi-sweet or Guittard’s semi-sweet)

1 c chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Cream the margarine, molasses, and sugar together.  Puree the silken tofu in a food processor.  (If you don’t have a food processor, worst case scenario just mash it up.)  Add tofu and vanilla to the sugar mixture. 

In another bowl, add flour, salt, and baking soda and mix together.  Add to the creamed mixture.  Fold in chocolate chips and nuts (optional). 

Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.  Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

Enjoy with a cold glass of almond milk, soy milk, etc.  (Craig and my favorites are Almond Breeze and Kikkoman Pearl Soy Milk.)  I guarantee that no one will know there’s tofu in these cookies.  They’ve passed the test many times over.  This is pretty much Mori Nu’s recipe (with minor changes).  Got to give credit where credit’s due. 

I also found this vegan baking substitute cheat sheet from PETA. Yipee!  http://www.peta.org/living/food/baking-cheat-sheet/

Products & Recommendations:

Ener G Egg Replacer

Zulka Morena unrefined cane sugar 

Earth Balance

Mori Nu silken tofu

Mama Mia! It's a Vegan Pita Pizza

Pizza is junk food at its finest.  So here’s a quick, fun, and easy way to make one. Using pita bread gives you a foolproof crust.  If you choose the right bread, you’ll be halfway there. The type of pita bread makes a world of difference.  I have been on a neverending search for heavenly pita bread.  

Here are some of my hints when choosing pita bread:

• When choosing your pitas, squeeze the package gently.  The bread should feel soft and give.

•  I’m lucky!  I have a Middle Eastern grocery store in my area.   So I can usually get the best variety and freshest selections (due to high turnover rate).  My latest favorite is from a small bakery that sells to my local store.  Experiment with different varieties.  Some like it Sicilian (thick crust) and some like it NY style (thin crust).  Choose one depending on your mood.

•  If you have choices, don’t settle for the ones at the big grocery stores in the middle isles (i.e. Sarah Lee).  They may have been sitting on the shelf for a while.  They just don’t cut. 

•  If you have to shop at the big grocery stores, try Stonefire brand.  I haven’t tried it, but it looks like it might work.  Let me know what you think. 

Now it’s time to make the pizza. The first thing I do is put my pita bread in a convection oven (toaster oven or regular oven will do too).  Bake the bottom side.  Then brush on a little olive oil on the top and sprinkle with your choice of dried herbs (i.e. basil, oregano, rosemary, etc.) and bake until slightly crisp.

Oregano Topped Baked Pitas

The pitas are now ready to top.  Spread some pizza sauce over the pitas.  (Stay tuned for an easy to make homemade pizza sauce.)  Top with your choice of toppings.  I use Daiya mozzarella and finely sliced fresh veggies like red bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions.  To add flavor try sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, etc. 

Yum!  Finished Pita Pizza

Hint:  Use a little diced fresh jalapenos to open up the flavors, just enough to bring out the flavors but not to give it heat (unless you like it hot). 

Yves vegan “Canadian bacon” and pineapple can make it Hawaiian style.  Yves makes a pretty good version of vegan “pepperoni” too.  You can experiment with vegan “sausage”.  I like Gimme Lean ground “sausage “style.  Try adding fennel seed, sage, or shoyu (soy sauce) to  give it a little extra flavor. Roll into small uneven balls, pan fry them with a little oil to get them crispy, and then use them as a topping. 

So many choices.  Get creative.  BBQ “vegan chicken” topped with ranch. white sauce with roasted garlic and broccoli  … You get the idea.  Have fun.  The best thing is there are no rules. 

Put the topped pizza back in the oven and bake until the veggie look cooked (it’s about 5 minutes for me).  Let them cool slightly.  Craig likes to top the finished pizzas with vegan bacon bits and Go Veggie! vegan grated parmesan (Craig likes them both). Parmela makes a vegan parmesan that is aged.  I’m dying to try it. 

You can freeze the leftover pitas and heat them up over the flame of a gas burning stove (a little trick I learned from an Israeli family). 

Enjoy!

Products:

Daiya vegan cheese

Yves vegan Canadian bacon and pepperoni

Gimme Lean vegan ground sausage

Veggie! grated parmesan

Parmela parmesan style aged nut cheese

Dy-no-mite "Beef-a-Roni"

I just watched an episode of “Rewrapped” on the Food Network.  The chefs were preparing a copycat version of Chef Boyardee’s Spaghetti and Meatballs.  So, I found myself reminiscing about Super Elastic Bubble Plastic, Funny Face powdered drink mix (70s version of Kool-Aid), my sister, Gail’s Dressy Bessy doll and … the Bobbsey Twins books (not really, I’m not that old). 

Funny Face Drink Mix Characters

                                  

Well, here’s another childhood favorite of mine.  As a child (and non-vegan), I remember eating Beef-a-Roni.  I think I have a pretty good recollection of the taste.  So, I decided to make a version of “Beef-a-Roni” ala vegan.  Enjoy this childhood favorite.  Kerplunk!

Dy-no-mite Vegan “Beef-a-Roni” Recipe

1 lb macaroni – cooked

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1 Tbsp  vegetable oil

6 oz veggie ground “beef”  (I use a half package of Trader Joe’s Beefless Ground Beef)

2 tsp Slammin’ Trio – equal parts vegan Worcestershire sauce, shoyu (soy sauce), and liquid smoke (you can adjust to your liking.  If you can’t find vegan Worcestershire, skip it)

2 cans tomato soup (I use Anderson’s tomato soup)

2 tsp sugar (adjust to taste)

salt & pepper to taste

In a large skillet, saute the garlic and onions in oil, until onions are translucent.  Add the veggie ground “beef” and Slammin’ Trio and cook.  Add tomato soup (if you use condensed tomato soup, add a can of water), sugar, salt, and pepper.  Cook until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Stir in the cooked macaroni.  Let sit for a few minutes to thicken some more.  Serve.

About Me

Welcome!

I’m Cynthia Kimura.  I want to make the vegan diet accessible to all.  I love that the vegan diet is the ultimate trifecta, it helps the animals, planet earth, and you.  I’m hoping to change the world… one meal at a time.

Cynthia Kimura - Cyn-fully Delicious Blogger

I began my veg journey in 1990, after reading “The Jungle”, by Upton Sinclair.  Through the years I eliminated red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, and finally cheese (that’s the biggie for most people)   … and eventually became vegan.

Tacos Al Carbon - Vegan Chick'n Street Tacos

In the beginning, there weren’t as many great vegan products to choose from.  Vegan food has come a long way since then … before Daiya, I couldn’t find vegan cheese that melts or tastes good.  I had to experiment with different veg meats and burgers to find the best tasting ones.  I learned about tweaks that you have to make so they really soar.  I found a vegan cream cheese that was horrible (I threw it away) and ones that weren’t too bad.   After much trials and tribulations, I came up with some winners.

The Beast Burger

I want to share the information that I wish I had when I started my vegan journey.  So I started this blog to give you some of my secret weapons that I've picked up over the years.

Many people have told me that it’s so hard to be vegan.  I’ve been giving out recipes and tips for years.  So, I decided to follow my passion and help people change their eating habits.

Vegan Chick'n Buffalo Tenders

I have been working towards my goal as a vegan chef and owner / creator of X-Marks the Spot, Polar Explosions, Taco Island, and Obasan’s Fusion Sushi.

I have a passion for making great cross-over vegan food.  Crossover vegan is a term for vegan food that appeals to the masses (that’s everyone, especially meat eaters).  So, whether you’re a hardcore, health conscious vegan who is craving a little junk food fix or a fast food junkie who wants to try a great tasting, healthier version or somewhere in between there's something here for you. 

Craig (second from left)

Here you’ll find proof that there’s more to vegan food than just salads and grains… it can be delicious and satisfying.  I’ve been experimenting on Craig, my former fast-food junkie and rock ‘n roll guitar addict boyfriend, for years.  He’s my inspiration and co-creative genius.  Food has to pass his seal of approval before I release it to the public.  I’ll be honest with you though, there will be times when the substitutes won’t cut it (so I’ll be working on them and let you know my findings).  But overall, I guarantee you’ll find food so good here … you won’t miss the meat.    

Vegan French Silk Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream &
Sea Salt Chocolate Shavings

The recipes on this blog are designed so you can use your creativity and tailor it to your own tastes.  Have fun in the kitchen!  I do have to admit that this might not be the healthiest of all food... but most Americans do love their junk food.  I try to give you a little healthier version without sacrificing taste or texture. 

Enjoy!

Cynthia

Texas Jack's Lone Star BBQ Sauce

Hey all you buckaroos.  It’s time get busy in the kitchen and fix some good ole down-home barbecue sauce.  Bottled barbecue sauce is all right, but there can be unnatural ingredients lurking like:  high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, or MSG.  These nasties are found in many of America’s favorites (KC Masterpiece, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Open Pit, etc.).  Instead, why not try making your own?  It’s not that hard and you’ll have a sauce that’ll make your grandpappy proud.  Yee Ha!

Texas Jack’s Lone Star BBQ Sauce

¼ c  bourbon whiskey

1/4  onion - finely minced

2 cloves  finely minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste  (try about 1/4 tsp of salt and go from there)

3 Tbsps apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsps vegan worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp liquid smoke

1 c  ketchup (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Ketchup – won't break your bank at $1.99)

2 Tbsp  tomato paste

1/4 c  brown sugar

In a skillet, cook bourbon whiskey, onions, and garlic over medium heat until the onions are translucent.  Add salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, vegan worcestershire, liquid smoke, ketchup, tomato paste, and brown sugar.  Cook until it comes to a boil and then reduce the heat to med-low for 20-30 minutes.  The sauce will be a little chunky (onion and garlic pieces).  I smooth it out with an immersion blender or if you don’t have one, you can use a strainer.  If you want to kick it up, try adding Tabasco sauce, chopped jalapenos, chipotles in adobo, cayenne pepper … Dag Nab It!  Whatever else you can imagine.  

Coyote Mountain Ranch Dressing

Top notch vegan ranch dressing is hard to find.  Before I started making my own ranch dressing, I tried many store bought brands.  Nothing came close to the taste I was imagining, so I decided to experiment on my own.  Craig is the condiment king and ranch dressing fanatic, so this had to meet his expectations.  At first I used a base ranch dressing recipe and then added fresh ingredients to make it come alive.  Here’s the no sweat procedure:

Secret Tips to Making a Killer Ranch

1.        Start with a good base.  There is a variety of vegan mayos around.  Nasoya has Nayonaise.  Trader Joe’s has its store brand, Trader Joe’s Reduced Fat Mayonnaise “eggless” and “dairy-free”.  I personally prefer Follow Your Heart’s Vegenaise, which can get a little pricey.  I’m lucky I can get it directly from Follow Your Heart in the gallon size.  Better yet, you can make your own homemade vegan mayo.  I haven’t tried it yet.  I heard that the emulsifying process is where it can get tricky, you either get a nice creamy mayo or watery mayo. 

2.       You can start with about a cup of vegan mayo and add ½ tsp of onion powder and ½ tsp of garlic powder.  Then add salt and black pepper to taste.  I use some fresh herbs in mine, but dried will work too.  I like chopped parsley and dill.  Finally, add non-sweetened, non-dairy milk (i.e. soy milk, almond milk, etc.)  to get the consistency you like.  Let it sit for an hour, so the flavors can marry.  Taste it and see if it meets your expectations.  If not, play around with the ingredients. 

You can omit the non-dairy milk for a creamy go to sandwich spread.  See that wasn’t too hard and well worth the effort.  Stay tuned for more tips and recipes. 

Note:  I was taking my dogs for a hike in the mountains the other day and came across a coyote, so hence the name Coyote Mountain.  

2014 Food Revolution Summit 

by John & Ocean Robbins 

FOODREVOLUTION.ORG

If you missed it.  Here's your chance to catch the replays.  Get knowledge you need from experts you can trust during the Food Revolution Summit. 
Join for free at:   http://foodrevolution.org/summit/?orid=406&opid=16

Feast and Thrive — Your keys to vibrant health (first set of speakers)
On Replay: May 12-19

• Mark Hyman, M.D. – How To Detox, Burn Fat And Thrive
• Dean Ornish, M.D. – Add Years To Life & Life To Years
• Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D. – How You Can Be Heart-Attack Proof

Find out important information:

• What are the “dirty dozen” most pesticide-contaminated foods – and how can you avoid them?
• You can prevent or even in some cases reverse heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, memory loss, constipation, fatigue, and many forms of cancer— by eating healthy, delicious food!
• What to look for in any grocery store if you want to avoid GMOs.
• And much, much more.  

Over the Top Veggie Burgers

I’ve heard so much criticism about veggie burgers.  They don’t resemble real meat.  Bland, mushy texture, soy after-taste, on and on.  They’re all true.

Damn!  I’ve ordered so many veggie burgers where they’re simply grilled, topped, and served.  Boring.  So here’s the secret to take that frozen veggie burger and sky rocket it to another galaxy. 

Craig’s, my hard rockin' guitarist boyfriend, favorites were the Double, Double – Animal Style from In and Out and the guacamole, bacon $6.00 burger from Carl’s Jr.  So you see, I did have a challenge.  Here are the results.

Secret Tips to Make Your Burger Dynamite:

1.         Start with fresh, good quality buns.  It definitely makes a difference. 

2.     .   There are tons of different frozen veggie burgers out there.  Don’t give up if you come across ones that aren’t working for you.  There are good ones and really, really bad ones.  I use Boca’s vegan burger (for Craig, these come close to the real thing).  On my list to try are Gardein’s sliders. 

3.         My secret weapon is doing a quick marinade.  I use a combo of liquid smoke, shoyu  (soy sauce), and vegan Worcestershire .  Play around with it to get the ratio you like.  If you can’t find vegan Worcestershire, skip it.  The most important part is the liquid smoke.  It’s kind of hard to screw it up too much.  I marinate until I have all sides covered and the color changes to dark brown (about a minute or they’ll get soggy and fall apart).

4.         Don’t be lazy and cook or heat up food in the microwave.  Cook the buns and burger on an oiled coated skillet on the stove, (for the health conscious, use extra-virgin coconut oil, but remember that the oil adds its own flavor).  

5.      .  Cook the burgers until they have a crispness to them and their color is dark brown.  The buns should be browned and crisp around the edges too.  If you find the burgers aren't crisping, add more oil and be patient.  

6.       Top them.  Use your imagination or go classic.  Here are some suggestions: 

The Classic:

Melt Daiya cheddar on top of the burger.   Spread Vegenaise and pour ketchup on one side of the bun.  Top with onions, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes, and pickles.  Mix Vegenaise, ketchup, and pickle relish to make a simple Thousand Island.   Spread the Thousand Island on the other side of the bun. 

Texas Style: 

Grill onions at the same time as you’re cooking the burger (it’ll give it some of that good smoky flavor from your marinade) or fry up some onion rings and top instead.  Melt Daiya cheddar on your burger.  Spread ranch on one side of the bun and pour some bbq sauce over it.  See my bbq sauce and Ranch post for fantastic, easy to prepare recipes.  Try substituting sour dough for this one.  

Teriyaki Style:

Grill pineapple slices and onions with a little teriyaki sauce, then top the burger.  Pour teriyaki sauce over.  Try adding sliced avocado on top and a sprinkle of sesame seed too.   For a hot Hawaiian, make a sauce using mango, jalapeno, and Vegenaise.  

Burger with a Kick:

In the mood for a little heat?  Try topping your burger with melted Daiya cheddar and diced jalapenos or try using Vegenaise Chipotle spread.   I make my own version using Vegenaise and chipotle in adobo.   

“Bacon” Guacamole Burger:

Melt Daiya Pepper Jack on top of the burger.  There are some good vegan versions of bacon.  I like using Light Life’s Bacon.   Honestly, it’s not an exact substitute, but you can get a Canadian bacon flavor with it.  Pan-fry the “bacon” until it’s crispy.  Top with guacamole (homemade guacamole is so simple to make, so don’t skimp if you don’t have to).  Spice it up with Vegenaise chipotle spread.  

Chili Cheese Burger:

Hot diggety dog!  This ones for all you meat eaters and junk food junkies out there.  Top your burger with veg chili and melted Daiya cheddar.  I make my chili from scratch (I'll share the recipe in a later blog).  You can use Trader Joe's or Hormel's veg chili.  It's actually pretty close to the real thing.  Top with a dollop of vegan sour cream.  Better than Sour Cream by Tofutti (blue label) is the closest I've come.  Not perfect, but will do.  

The Italian Burger:  

Melt Daiya mozzarella on your burger.  Top with pasta sauce and thinly sliced green pepper.  Substitute ciabatta or Italian bread, lightly toasted with a drizzle of olive oil.  Top with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan.  I like Galaxy or Go Veggie brands.  I recently heard of an aged vegan parmesan from Parmela.  It sounds good.  Can't wait to try it.  Buon Appetito!

There are endless combos and possibilities, so don’t get bored.  Use your imagination to create new flavor combinations.  Take yours over the top!