Aphorisms of a Dancing Girl!

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Prickly Pear "Cactus Fruit" Smoothie - Licuado de Tuna (Vegan)

7/18/2016

Prickly Pear "Cactus Fruit" Smoothie
Licuado de Tuna
(Vegan)

In Mexico prickly pears are called "tuna".

INGREDIENTS:

2 Prickly Pears
1/2 cup Water
1 Frozen Banana
1/4 cup of Pineapple
Lime Juice of 2 small key limes

DIRECTIONS:

Be careful when handling cactus fruit. Use gloves or kitchen tongs if possible. Take the prickly pear and cut on both ends and then make a slit in the middle. Peel the skin off and pull the fruit out. Once the fruit is out, it's ready to eat.

Put 2 prickly pears into a blender with a 1/2 cup of water. Pulse til smooth. Prickly pears have lots of seeds, they are edible but for this drink I chose to sift them out.

Take a blender and add the liquid and the rest of the ingredients. Pulse til smooth and creamy.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Cold Green Vegan Soup

7/13/2016

Cold Green Vegan Soup
Vegan & Gluten-Free

Ingredients:
2 Pears
1 Small Avocado (or 1/2 of a large one)
1/2 English Cucumber
1/2 cup Cooked Shelled Edamame
1/4 Red Onion
2 cloves of Garlic
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 tablespoon of Hemp Seeds
1 tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast
1 cup of Water
a handful of Greens
Salt to taste

Optional Toppings:
Red Pepper Flakes
Nutritional yeast
Sliced radishes

Makes about 5 cups.

Directions:
Put all the ingredients into a blender. Pulse til smooth. Serve cold.

I topped my soup with red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast and radishes.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Gluten-Free Baking: Blueberry Crisp Squares (Vegan)

7/9/2016

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Blueberry Crisp Squares
Vegan & Gluten-Free

Ingredients

Crust:
2 cups of Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
1/4 cup of Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons of Agave Nectar
1/4 cup of Water
1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda

Filling:
1 pound of fresh or frozen Blueberries
1 teaspoon of Arrowroot Powder (or cornstarch)

Topping:
1/2 cup of Oat Flour
2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon of ground Cinnamon
1/4 cup of Coconut Sugar

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease up an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine and mix all the crust ingredients.

Press the crust mixture onto your baking dish.

For the filling, place the blueberries on a plate and mix the arrowroot powder all around. Spread the blueberries over the crust mixture.

Note: If you do not have oat flour, you can make your own by taking rolled oats and pulsing them in a blender til they become a fine powder.

In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients until they clump together. Sprinkle the topping over the blueberries.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let them cool. Enjoy!

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Cactus Salad with Vegan Queso Fresco - Ensalada de Nopales con Vegan Queso Fresco

7/8/2016

Cactus Salad with Vegan Queso Fresco
Ensalada De Nopales Con Vegan Queso Fresco
(Vegan/Gluten-Free/WeightLoss & Diabetic Friendly)

Salad Ingredients:
3 cups of chopped Cactus Paddles (Nopales)
2 cups of Black Beans (or 1 can)
1 Tomato
1/2 an Onion
1 de-seeded Jalapeno
1 clove of minced Garlic
a few sprigs of Cilantro
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Lime Juice
1/4 teaspoon of Cumin
Salt to taste

Toppings:
Queso Fresco
Avocado
Cilantro

Vegan "Que-so Fresco" Ingredients:
1/2 cup Raw Cashews
2 tablsepoons of Nutritional Yeast
1/4 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
Juice of 1 Key Lime
1/2 cup of Water
1 tablespoon of Yello Unpasteurized Miso
1 tbsp of Agar Agar Flakes (or 1 teaspoon of Agar Agar powder)

Directions For The Salad:

Boil 4 cups of water. When the water is boiling, add a pinch of salt and 3 cups of chopped cactus (nopales). Simmer for about 20 min til the cactus has changed color and is tender. Drain and rinse under cold water once they are done.

Make your dressing by mixing the olive oil and lime juice together.

Chop your tomatoes, onions and garlic. Put all the salad ingredients and dressing into a bowl. Mix well. Marinade in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Serve with chopped Avocado, Queso Fresco and a few sprigs of cilantro.

Directions To Make The Vegan Queso Fresco:

In your food processor, pulse the cashews and nutritional yeast until the mixture is crumbled up but not oily or buttery. Be careful not to pulse too much.

In a saucepan over medium heat whisk together the water, agar agar flakes, lime juice, garlic powder and miso. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and then let it simmer for about 5 min. The agar agar flakes should be completely dissolved.

Add the agar agar liquid to the cashews in the food processor, and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt if needed.

Pour the cheese mix into a mold or bowl. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Pop the cheese out of the mold and crumble it up.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Chipotle Tempeh Tacos (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

6/9/2016

Chipotle Tempeh Tacos

Ingredients:

4 oz of Tempeh
1/2 cup chopped Jicama or Potatoes
1 clove of Garlic
1/4 Onion
1 Tomato
1/4 teaspoon of Cumin
1/2 teaspoon of Mexican Oregano
1 Chipotle In Adobo (more if you like it spicy)
1/2 cup of Tomato sauce
a few sprigs of Cilantro
salt to taste

Serve On:
Tortillas, Rice, Quinoa or Salad

Accompany With:
avocado, salsa, cilantro, lime wedges, greens... etc

Directions:

Chop up your vegetables into bite sized pieces.

Take a large frying pan and saute the onions, garlic, jicama and dry spices together til the onions and jicama/potato soften up.

Crumple the tempeh into small bite-sized pieces. Add the tempeh, tomato sauce, tomatoes and chipotles. Exclude the cilantro.

Cook til the tempeh and veggies are done to your liking.

Top with cilantro. Serve warm.

You can use this tempeh mixture in tacos, burritos, sopes, tostadas, salads, gorditas... etc...

As pictured, I used it in tacos with spinach greens.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Macadamia White Chocolate Nut Butter

6/4/2016

Macadamia
White Chocolate
Nut Butter

Ingredients:
1 pound of Roasted Macadamia Nuts
1/4 cup of Vegan White Chocolate Chips
1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
a pinch of Nutmeg
a pinch of Salt

Optional Ingredients:
A neutral tasting Oil

Directions:
Put the macadamia nuts into your food processor. Let it run for 5-10 min til it becomes butter.

Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse a couple of times to blend. You want to leave the chips roughly chopped so don't pulse til smooth unless you prefer it creamy.

Macadamia Nuts are a very soft nut that won't take long to turn into butter.

If the butter is really dry, you can add a tablespoon of oil to make it creamy. I found that mine didn't need any.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Gluten-Free Vegan Baking - Coconut Lime Baked Oatmeal Muffins (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

6/3/2016

Coconut Lime Muffins
A Baked Oatmeal Healthy Treat.
Vegan & Gluten-Free

Basic Recipe Ingredients:
2 cups of Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
1/2 cup of Apple Sauce
1 Flax Egg (1 tablespoon of Ground Flax + 3 tablespoons of Water)
1/2 teaspoon of Lime Zest
2 tablespoons of Lime Juice
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup of Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup of Water

Optional Add-Ins:
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda

Frosting:
1/2 cup of Soaked Cashews
Juice of 1 Key Lime
1/4 cup of Shredded Coconut
1/4 cup of Agave Nectar

Topping:
Coconut Flake

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with liners.

Take one tablespoon of ground flax and mix it with 3 tablespoons of water to create your flax egg. Let it sit for 5 min.

In a medium bowl combine the oats, coconut flakes, baking powder, baking soda and coconut.

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, flax egg, lime juice, lime zest, vanilla, water and syrup.

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry.

Evenly distribute oatmeal mix into your lined muffin tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cupcakes are just golden brown. Bake time may vary depending on the size of your cupcake tin.

Make your frosting by combining all the ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Pulse til creamy smooth.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before frosting the muffins.

Once cooled, frost the muffins and top with extra coconut flakes.

Makes 9-11 muffins.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: EZ Salsa Cruda - EZ RAW Salsa - Red & Green

5/28/2016

EZ Salsa Cruda
EZ to make - RAW Salsa
Salsa Roja (Red Salsa)

Ingredients:
2 pounds of Tomatos
1/2 Onion
1 Jalapeno (more if you like it hot)
2 Garlic cloves
a few sprigs of Cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt to taste

Directions:
Put all the ingredients into a blender and pulse til smooth.

EZ Salsa Cruda
EZ to make - RAW Salsa
Tomatillo Salsa
(Green Salsa)

Ingredients:
2 pounds of Tomatillos
1/2 Onion
2 Garlic cloves
1 Jalapeno (more if you like it hot)
a few sprigs of Cilantro
Salt to taste

Directions:
Put all the ingredients into a blender and pulse til smooth.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Vegan Ropa Vieja - A Cuban classic done vegan style.

5/26/2016

VEGAN ROPA VIEJA
This is a vegan version of the Cuban classic meat dish. I wound up using King Oyster Mushrooms that come out looking a lot like shredded beef.

Ingredients:
8 King Oyster Mushrooms
1 large Onion
2 cups of chopped Tomatoes (or 1 can of Diced Tomatoes)
4 cloves Garlic
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp dried Thyme
1 tbsp dried Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
1 cup sliced Green Manazanilla Olives with Pimentos
3 Bell Peppers (any color)
1/4 cup of Capers
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1⁄4 cup roughly chopped Cilantro
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

Clean your mushrooms and shred them using a fork. Shred them all into fine strands.

Finely chop the garlic. Finely slice the onion in half rings.

Put the shredded mushrooms into a crock pot. Add the onions, cumin, thyme, oregano, garlic, bay leaf, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Cook for 6 hours.

After 6 hours, add olives, peppers, capers, and vinegar. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 hours. Stir in cilantro before serving.

I like to serve mine on a bed of fresh greens.

Make it a complete meal by serving it with black beans and rice.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Healthy Nutty Mexican Picadillo (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

5/21/2016

Healthy Nutty Vegan Mexican Picadillo
(Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Great for TACOS & Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup Jicama (or Potato or Sweet Potato)
2 cloves of Garlic
1/2 Onion
2 Portabella Mushrooms
1 Pasilla Pepper (or Bell Pepper)
2 tablespoons of Veggie Broth or Water
1 tablespoon of Lime Juice
1/2 teaspoon of Mexican Oregano
1/4 teaspoon of Cumin
1/8 teaspoon of Paprika
a few sprigs of Cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Add-Ins for flavor and nutrition:
1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne
1/8 teaspoon of Turmeric
1 teaspoon of Nutritional Yeast

Toppings:
Salsa
Avocado
Non-Dairy Crema
Cilantro

Directions:
Chop up your vegetables into bite sized pieces.

Take a large frying pan and add the oil. Saute the onions, garlic, peppers, jicama and dry spices together til the onions and jicama soften up.

Add the mushrooms, nuts, broth and lime juice. Exclude the cilantro.

Cook til the mushrooms and veggies are done to your liking.

Top with cilantro. Serve warm.

You can use this nutty mixture in tacos, burritos, sopes, tostadas, salads gorditas... etc...

As pictured, I used it in a taco salad. I topped it with salsa, avocado, vegan crema and cilantro.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Coconut Key Lime Mini-Pies (Gluten-Free/Vegan)

5/17/2016

Coconut Key Lime Mini-Pies
(Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Tart Crust:
6 Dates
1/2 cup Nuts
1/4 cup Dessicated Coconut
a pinch of sea salt

Filling:
1 Large Avocado (or 2 Small Avocados)
1 cup of Fresh Young Thai Coconut Meat
1/4 cup of Key Lime Juice
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon of Lime Zest
1/4 cup of Coconut Water
a pinch of salt
Sweetener of Choice to taste

Toppings:
Dessicated Coconut
Blueberries
Raspberries
Pineapple

Directions:

Put all the ingredients for the crust into a food processor. Pulse til its soft and dough-like. Press the mixture into the bottom of 3 mini-pie dishes. Refrigerate to let it set.

Take a young Thai coconut and open it up. Set the juice aside and scrape the coconut meat out.

Check this blog post to read up on how you can open a coconut:
http://fatmanlive.weebly.com/musings/lupes-kitchen-corner-fresh-young-coconut-smoothie

Put all the filling ingredients into a blender. Pulse til creamy smooth. Pour the mixture equally into the mini pie dishes. Let them set in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Top with coconut, berries and pineapple.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: A Peruvian Classic - Papas a la Huancaina - The Vegan & Gluten-Free Version

5/2/2016

A Peruvian Classic:
Papas a la Huancaina
The Vegan & Gluten-Free Version

This dish is usually made with queso fresco, eggs and crackers. I've made my version using vegan and gluten free ingredients that make this dish a healthy alternative. This cheese is both low in calories and carbs. In my opinion, the taste comes pretty darn close to the real thing.

Ingredients:
Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes or Jicama

Basic Sauce Recipe Ingredients:
1 block of Silken Tofu (1 lb)
1/4 cup Light Yellow Miso
2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice
1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast
1 Aji pepper
1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
Salt to taste

Directions:

Boil or bake your potatoes.

Put all the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse til its creamy and smooth. Put the mixture into a sauce pan and heat it up til its warm.

Pour the sauce over the potatoes and serve.

Lupe's Kitchen: Chipotle Tofu Chilaquiles Con Verdolagas (Purslane)

5/1/2016

Chipotle Tofu Chilaquiles With Verdolagas
& Cilantro Lime Hemp Seed Crema
(Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Verdolagas (purslane) are popular in Mexican cooking but not often used in american cuisine. This edible weed is quite tasty and has many beneficial properties. Researchers have found that there are high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in purslane, at levels higher than in some fish oils, which are widely considered the best source for these beneficial fatty acids. Omega-3s are wonderful in so many ways like lowering your cholesterol. In this dish we usually use tortillas but these days I find that more and more people are using tortilla chips. I prefer using tortillas and instead of frying them, they are baked.

Ingredients to make 1 serving:
1/2 block of Extra Firm Tofu
1 small bunch of Purslane (Verdolagas)
3 Corn Tortillas
Olive Oil
Chipotle Salsa to taste

EZ Chipotle Salsa Ingredients:
1 can of Chipotles in Adobo (7 oz)
2 cups of Chopped tomatoes (or 1 can of Diced Tomatoes)
1/4 Onion
2 Garlic cloves
1/2 cup of Water
a few sprigs of Cilantro
Salt to taste

Cilantro Lime Hemp Seed Crema:
1/2 cup of Hemp Seeds
Juice of 1 Lime
a few sprigs of Cilantro
1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup of Water
Salt to taste

Optional Toppings:
Avocado
Lime Wedges
Nutritional Yeast
Hemp Seed Crema
Cilantro

Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take your tortillas and rub a little olive oil on each side. Cut them into quarters and bake for 3-5 min per side until the tortillas are crispy and golden brown.

Make your salsa by putting all the ingredients into a blender and pulse til creamy smooth.

Make your crema by putting all the ingredients into a blender and pulse til creamy smooth.

Take a frying pan and add as much salsa as you like into it. Add the tofu and use a spatula to break it up into small crumbly pieces while cooking it over medium to low heat. Add your tortillas. Let the whole mixture simmer for a few minutes. Add the purslane and stir it all in to cook for a few more min.

I serve it with chopped up avocado, cilantro lime crema, lime wedges, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor and a sprig of cilantro.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Homemade Chai Spiced Almond Butter

4/29/2016

Homemade
Chai Spiced
Almond Butter

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Roasted Almonds
2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup
1 tablespoon of Grapeseed Oil (or any neutral oil)
1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon of Cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon of Ginger powder
1/8 teaspoon of ground Cloves
1/8 teaspoon of ground Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon of Fennel Seed
1/8 teaspoon of ground Allspice
1/8 teaspoon of OrangePeel
a pinch of Black Peppercorn
a pinch of Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS:

Put the almonds into a food processor and pulse til it becomes butter. It'll take between 5-15 min depending on your appliance.

Add the vanilla, syrup and spices and pulse til it's well blended. Add the oil if the butter is dry and you want it to become creamy.

Put the mixture into a jar and keep refrigerated.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Homemade Pink Jicama Chipotle Cabbage Sauerkraut

4/26/2016

Homemade
Pink Jicama Chipotle Cabbage Sauerkraut

"Sauerkraut - The Original Probiotic Superfood"

Sauerkraut Basic Recipe:
1 Cabbage
1-2 tablespoons of Unprocessed Salt (i.e. Sea salt, Pickling salt, Himalayan salt... etc)
Spices

You'll also need:
Mason Jars
Cheese Cloth

As prepared:
1/2 of a Green Cabbage
1/2 of a Red Cabbage
2-3 tablespoons of Unprocessed Salt
1/2 of a medium sized Jicama
1 Apple
1 small thumb of Ginger
4 Carrots
5 cloves of Garlic
1 teaspoon of ground Coriander
1 teaspoon of Chipotle Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cumin

DIRECTIONS:

Wash your mason jars and utensils thoroughly.

Shred the cabbage, jicama, apple, ginger, garlic and carrots as finely as possible. I used a food processor with slice blade for cabbage and shred for everything else. You can use a knife if you prefer.

Sprinkle the mixture of vegetables with salt and massage thoroughly. The volume of the vegetables will decrease. Let the mix sit for about an hour so that the vegetables will release more water.

After an hour, massage the mixture til the vegetables feel as though they've softened up. There will be a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Add the spices and mix well.

Put the mixture into mason jars. There was enough for two large jars. Make sure to fill them with the liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Push the mixture down as much as possible, compress tightly into the jar. The water should completely cover the whole mixture. If there isn't enough water to cover the mixture, then add more water til it's all covered up.

Take your cheese cloth and cut it into a square that will fit over the mouth of the jar. Take out the top of the lid. Place the cheese cloth over the mouth of the jar and then use the tight fitting plate to close over the cloth.

***You don't want to close it with a regular lid, the jar could explode from the gas produced if you do.***

Place the jars into a dark room or closet at room temperature for about 7 days. Check on it everyday just in case it starts to leak liquid. If the cheese cloth gets soaked from the gases, feel free to replace it.

After 7 days, smell the sauerkraut before eating, it should smell sour. Make sure there is no mold. If it smells off or looks bad, don't eat it.

Keep the completed sauerkraut refrigerated.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Roasted Cabbage Steak With Warm Pineapple Salsa

4/20/2016

Roasted Cabbage Steak
with Warm Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:
1 head of Cabbage
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
Salt to taste

Salsa Ingredients:
1/2 cup of chopped Pineapple
1 de-seeded Serrano Pepper
1/4 Onion
2 Garlic cloves
a handful of Cilantro
Juice of 1 small Lime
Salt to taste.

Optional Toppings:
Walnuts
Pepitas

Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel off the outer couple of leaves. Don't cut the root off as it'll keep the steak together. Cut your cabbage from top to bottom into slices about 1 inch thick.

Put them on a well greased baking sheet.

Mix the olive oil and garlic powder together. Brush the mixture onto the steaks.

Roast for 20 min and then flip and cook for an additional 20 min or til fork tender.

Make the salsa by putting all the ingredients into a blender and pulse til smooth. Warm the salsa up in a pot. If the salsa is too spicy, add more pineapple and water.

Put the cabbage steaks on a plate and pour the pineapple salsa. Top with a few pepitas and walnuts.

Can be served as a main course or as a side.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: EZ Homemade Granola - Only 3 ingredients

4/19/2016

EZ Homemade Granola
Only 3 ingredients

Basic Recipe Ingredients:
2 cups Rolled Oats
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup, Honey or Agave Nectar
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil

Possible Optional Add-Ins (Mix & Match):
Dried Fruit
Nuts
Cacao Powder
Vanilla Extract
Cinnamon
Sea Salt
Seeds
Shredded Coconut

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine the maple syrup and melted coconut oil. Stir to dissolve.

Pour the syrup over the oat mixture. Stir so that everything is evenly coated.

Pour the mixture onto a well greased baking sheet. Spread it out into a thin layer.

Bake the granola for 5 minutes and then stir. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes.

Allow the granola to cool.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Roasted Cream of Cauliflower & Pasilla Pepper Soup

4/15/2016

Roasted Cream of Cauliflower
& Pasilla Pepper Soup

Ingredients:
1 head of Cauliflower
4 Pasillas Peppers
1 head of Garlic
1/2 Onion
4 cups of Vegetable Broth
1/2 teaspoon of Cumin
1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Oive Oil
Salt to taste.

Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Cut the tops of the pasilla peppers and pull out the seeds. Cut the top of a head of garlic but leave the garlic cloves in their shell.

Coat all the vegetables in olive oil. Sprinkle some salt over the vegetables. Lay them out on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 min.

Simmer the vegetable broth for a few minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and spices and stir. After a few min, use a submersion blender or put the soup into a regular blender and puree.

The soup will be thick and creamy. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth.

Top with a little cilantro.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner - Platano Burro Asado - Grilled Burro Plantain - Super EZ (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

4/8/2016

Grilled Plantain
Platano Burro Asado
Super EZ (Gluten-Free/Vegan)

Ingredients:
1 Ripe Burro Plantain (Platano Burro)
1 tablespoon of Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk

Optional Toppings:
1 teaspoon of Walnuts
1 teaspoon of Raisins
a pinch of Cinnamon

Directions:
Take a ripe plantain and grill it with its skin on. You can do this on your BBQ outside or on a comal/frying pan inside. The plantain will roast in its own skin. The skin will turn completely black and may even burst a little to let off steam.

Once done, peel the skin and split in the middle. Put any toppings you like and pour a little sweetened condensed coconut milk.

SUPER EASY!

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Broccoli & "Cheese" (Vegan & Gluten-Free) - No Dairy, Low Carb & Low Cal

4/5/2016

Roasted Broccoli & Cheese
Vegan & Gluten-Free

I'm not fond of steamed broccoli but I do love it when its roasted. This cheese is really healthy as it is low in calories and carbs. The taste comes pretty darn close to the real thing.

Ingredients:
2 heads of Broccoli
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Basic Sauce Recipe Ingredients:
1 block of Silken Tofu (20 oz)
1/4 cup Mild Yellow Miso
2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast
1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric

Optional Spicy Sauce Seasoning Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne (more if you like it really hot)
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 teaspoon of dried Cilantro
Salt to taste.

Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut up the broccoli and toss in olive oil. Put the broccoli on a baking sheet and roast for 30min.

Put all the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse til its creamy and smooth. Put the mixture into a sace pan and heat it up til its warm.

Pour the sauce over the broccoli and serve.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Mexican Lentil Soup - Sopa de Lentejas Con Nopales (Estilo Queretaro)

4/4/2016

Mexican Lentil Soup
Sopa de Lentejas Con Nopales
(Estilo Queretaro)

Basic Recipe Ingredients:
1 cup of Green Lentils
3 cups of chopped Cactus (Nopales)
4 large Tomatoes (or 8 small roma)
1/2 an Onion
2 Garlic cloves
1 Green Onion
4-6 cups of Veggie Broth
1 Jalapeno Pepper
a small bunch Cilantro
Salt to taste.

Optional Add-Ins for Added Flavor & Nutrition:
1 piece of Kombu
1 teaspoon of Mexican Oregano
1/4 teaspoon of Cumin
1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric
5 stalks of Kale

Optional Toppings:
Avocado
Cilantro
Lime

Directions:
Clean and rinse the lentils. Clean and rinse the nopales. De-seed the jalapeno pepper. Take the stalks off the kale leaves if your using them.

Put 1 cup of lentils with 6 cups of water into a pot. Simmer for 30-45 min depending on how well done you want them to be. Mine took 40 min to cook. Drain and rinse once they are done.

In another pot, boil 4 cups of water. When the water is boiling, add 1 chopped green onion, a pinch of salt and 3 cups of chopped cactus (nopales). Simmer for about 20 min til the cactus has changed color and is tender. Drain and rinse once they are done. Discard the green onion.

Put the tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno into your blender and pulse til smooth.

Put the veggie broth and kombu in a pot. Lightly simmer for about 15 min to get all the goodness out of the kombu. Use 4 cups of broth for a thicker soup or 6 cups for a thinner soup. I like to use 6 cups of broth. Add the tomato puree mixture and spices. Cook for a few min. Remove the Kombu.

Add the lentils and cactus (nopales) into the broth. Cook for a few min to warm up the whole thing. Add the kale leaves. Cook for a few minutes. Turn the heat off. Add the cilantro and stir it all in.

I like to serve my lentils with cilantro, avocado and a little lime juice.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Gluten-Free & Vegan - Purple Sweet Potato Oatmeal Muffins (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

3/29/2016

Purple Sweet Potato
Baked Oatmeal Muffins

These were amazing. The recipe is very customizable to whatever fruit, nuts or seeds you have in your pantry. These muffins came out looking as though they had a slight purple tint at the top.

Basic Recipe Ingredients:
2 cups of Glutem-Free Rolled Oats
1/2 cup of cooked and mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes
2 tablespoons of Tahini
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 cup of Water
1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda

Optional Add-Ins:
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dried fruit or nuts (I used cranberries)
1/2 cups fruit (I used wild blueberries)
a few Pepitas for topping
a few whole oats for topping

Makes 8-10 muffins.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners.

Take 1 cup of Oats and put them in a blender to pulse til it turns into powder.
Now you have your flour.

In a medium bowl combine the regular oats, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,
cinnamon and dried fruit.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, syrup/honey, and sweet potato mash.

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry. Gently fold in your fresh fruit.

Evenly distribute oatmeal mix into your lined muffin tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until muffins are just golden brown. Bake time may vary depending on the size of your muffin tin.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

These muffins freeze well.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Pink Jicama Cabbage Slaw

3/28/2016

Pink Jicama Cabbage Slaw

Basic Recipe Ingredients:
1/2 head of Red Cabbage
!/2 head of Green Cabbage
1/2 chopped Jicama
1/2 cup Soy or Coconut Yogurt
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Optional Ingredients:
a few sprigs of fresh Dill
a few sprigs of fresh Mint
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Slice the cabbage finely with a knife or your food processor.

Chop the jicama into cubes.

Put everything together in a bowl and mix with the yogurt, vinegar and herbs. Salt to taste.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Home-Made 2 Ingredient Mayan Superfood Nutella (Hazelnut Butter w/Cacao)

3/27/2016

Home-Made
2 Ingredient Mayan
Superfood Nutella
(Hazelnut Butter w/Cacao)

The first two ingredients are all you need. I found that using the whole raw Cacao bean left such an amazing flavor that it didn't need sweetener or any extra oil. I did put the optional add-ins which will enhance the flavor but are unnecessary if you like to keep it simple. The taste was AMAZING!

Antioxidants are preserved in raw cacao beans. Benefits from using raw cacao beans include higher levels of antioxidants. Cavities, weight gain, diabetes and other health issues are actually caused by the dairy, sugar and fillers that are often added to the chocolate and not because of the chocolate itself. The benefits of using raw cacao include weight loss, prevention of cavities, regulating blood sugar and is very heart healthy as it has been clinically proven to dissolve plaque buildup in arteries. Cacao is also the highest whole food source of magnesium which is wonderful for your cardiovascular system in helping to naturally lower your blood pressure. There are so many benefits to using raw cacao beans that its no wonder its called a Mayan superfood. Hope you try it out!

Ingredients:
1 pound of Hazelnuts
1/4 cup of Raw Cacao Beans

Optional Add-Ins:
Sweetener to taste
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions:
Put the hazelnuts and cacao beans into a blender or food processor. Pulse til creamy smooth. It will take between 5-15 min, depending on the quality of your appliance.

Note: You can peel the cacao beans if you like but its unnecessary. They are edible as is.

Lupe's Kitchen Corner: Fresh Garbanzos a la Mexicana

3/25/2016

Fresh Garbanzos
A La Mexicana

Lots of people eat garbanzos but have you ever tried them fresh? They're Mexico's version of Edamame. They come in these green little pods. Just squeeze them out and they are ready to eat raw or cooked. I eat alot of dried and canned garbanzos that have a tan color but when they are in season, fresh green colored garbanzos are delicious. Your most likely to find fresh garbanzos in a latino or farmers market. Try them out sometime as a substitute to the dried or canned garbanzos you might usually have.

Ingredients:
1 cup Fresh Garbanzos
2 Roma Tomatoes
1/4 of an Onion
1 clove of Garlic
1 de-seeded Jalapeno
1/4 teaspoon of Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon of Mexican Oregano
A Few Sprigs Of Fresh Cilantro
1 teaspoon of Coconut Oil
Salt to taste.

Directions:
Add the oil to a frying pan. Saute the onion, garlic and jalapeno til they soften up. Add the garbanzos and spices. Saute for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes. Saute for a few min. Mix the cilantro at the very end. It'll wilt as you mix it in. Serve it on rice or tortillas.

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