Lunch

Spicy Tofu Scramble Shakshuka Quesadilla

They say that when you make food, you have to make it with love. Otherwise, it will not be tasty. This is probably the reason why mom’s food is the best… it’s because she makes it with love! One place I felt the Love in the food, was a restaurant in Las Vegas called: Pura Vida. A Vegan Latin Bistro and the lovely Owner-Chef Myra is so warm and inviting, you can feel her love and care in the food! If you are in the Sin City area… I defintely recommend it. (and say Hi to chef Myra!)

Dining there, inspired me to make this recipe. Full of flavors, it tastes like Vegas to me… I made the Shakshuka filling (which is a north african dish of poached eggs in tomato chili sauce) to go with the traditional latin Quesadilla and replaced the eggs with the scramble tofu Oh So Yummy… you will not be able to stop! Just don’t forget to add ♥LOVE ♥

Ingredients

4-6 Tortilla Wraps (I like Brown Rice wraps and it also makes it a gluten free recipe).

1 Package Tofu (about 14 oz)

2 Ripe Roma Tomatoes

1 Medium Onion

2 Jalapeño Peppers

2 Small Colorful Bell Peppers

½ Cup Tomato Sauce (You can use store bought pasta or pizza sauce)

½ Cup Shredded Vegan Daiya Cheese

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Handful Chopped Parsley

1 tsp Adobo Spice Mix (or any spice mix you like)

1 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Red Paprika

1 tsp Ground Coriander

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Chop the vegetables.

2. Sauté the onions in the olive oil. Gradually add the peppers, jalepenos, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to the pan and stir for a few minutes.

3. Crumble the tofu with your hands and add to the pan.

4. Add all the spices, stir until the tofu gets a nice yellow color.

5. Add the parsley and the Daiya cheese.

6. Transfer onto a wrap and fold in half. Place into a panini maker/toaster until the cheese melts and it all comes together.

Serve with fresh salad and enjoy!

Vegan Mushroom & Leeks Frittata

For most of my life breakfast meant eggs with “something”. The very first thing I was going to miss when I decided to go vegan was my breakfast omelets. Soon enough I found a great solution… it’s yellow, oily and I can add almost anything to it. Its not exactly the same as an omelet but it answers to the same craving. I actually think it taste much better than eggs omelette (you know… the one that comes out of the chicken’s butt)

The main ingredient in the basic vegan omelette recipe is the Garbanzo Bean (chickpea) flour, which is a great source of protein. I make the omelet when I don’t have the time, but the addition of vegetables and herbs upgrades this recipe into a delicious Frittata. Unlike the omelet, the Frittata is thick and it needs to be finished baking in the oven.

In this recipe, the addition of polenta ground corn really makes the Frittata much more gentle and adds some sweetness and texture.

Here I made it with my favorite toppings: mushrooms and herbs.

Ingredients

1 cup Garbanzo Bean (chickpea) Flour

¾ Cup of Organic Polenta (milled corn-not corn grits)

¼ tsp Baking Soda

1 Tbsp Adobo Spice Mixture (or any spice mixture of your choice)

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Fresh Oregano

1 tsp Fresh Thyme

Any other herbs you like

1 ½ Cups of Water

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 ½ Cup Chopped and Washed Leeks Stalk (mostly the white parts)

1 Pack of Button White Mushrooms

1 Pack Shitake Mushrooms

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 375˚.

1. In a bowl mix the flour, polenta, baking soda, herbs and spices with the water. Mix well with a fork so there are no clumps and set aside. If you need more water add a little bit at a time until it looks like a thin pancake batter.

2. Sauté the leaks and the mushrooms in olive oil for a few minutes in a pan until soft.

(The amount of oil may seem like a lot, but remember that we’re not using eggs, which contain fat, so you might even have to add more oil. Don’t worry, the Frittata won’t come out greasy anyway.)

3. Add the batter to the pan and cook on medium-low heat for at least ten minutes. Make sure the batter is evenly spread out so you won’t have undercooked parts.

4. Finish up baking in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Serve with salad and enjoy!