What’s In My Tortilla Today? Too Much Good Stuff!

Another tortilla that should get an award!  Hehe.  I kill me!  You guys are so awesome for reading my crazy tortilla lady posts and I thank you.

Yesterday I made pesto from cilantro, parsley, basil, walnuts, pine nuts (just a few), nutritional yeast, garlic, olive oil (tiny bit), avocado, spirulina, sea salt, white pepper and some onion powder.  It’s amazing.

So, today, I made kale chips with a creamy cashew sauce and I had some leftover sauce.  The sauce is a chili lime flavor.  It’s made from 1 cup raw cashews soaked for an hour or so (you can soak overnight for ease), juice from 1/2 a lime, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, turmeric (for good measure), nutritional yeast (1/8 cup or so), sea salt (just a pinch), white balsamic vinegar (1 Tbl, not really needed, so if you don’t have, don’t worry), cayenne pepper (to taste) and a little almond milk to thin.  I put it all into the blender and blend until smooth.  You can’t overblend so go longer rather than shorter time blending.  You can play around with the thickness.  I kept it somewhat thick for the kale chips and then added a little more almond milk to thin for the sauce I put on my tortilla.

This is kind of like a super bonus post with extra recipes for pesto and cashew kale chip sauce.

I used a Trader Joe’s Chia Seed Tortilla, added the pesto, some seasoned veggie quinoa I had leftover from the other day, onion, yellow beet, cucumber, tomato, the cashew sauce and a sprinkle of black pepper.  That’s it.  Unfortunately, there is no more quinoa left so if I want to make another, I’ll have to do something different (no big deal for me).

Enjoy!

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  A simple way to add more calcium to your plant based vegan diet is sesame seeds (they have more calcium than anything else).  You can put them into many things–especially my style tortillas.  Remind me to start doing this more!  You’re welcome.  

 

What’s In My Homemade Tortilla Today? Pistachios!

Homemade tortillas!

This is one of my most favorite combinations that I’ve ever invented.  It’s even better on my homemade tortillas.  The first time I made this I had some fancy 9 grain vegan bread which was awesome but not like this.

Simple and fresh:

Avocado, white onion, cucumber, pistachios, white pepper and sea salt.

I made two small tortillas and I’ve already eaten them.  I think I might have to make another one.

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  Need to chop nuts?  Don’t want to bother with the electric chopper or the mess of knife chopping?  Put the nuts into a bag and use a mallet or other heavy wide implement (I used the heavy end of my knife handle) to break them into pieces right in the bag.  Do this on your cutting board.

 

 

 

What’s In My Tortilla Today? I’m Out! Vegan Mac N’ Cheese

Since I’m out of tortillas and I don’t have time to make them from scratch, I decided to have a quick lunch of my easy vegan mac n’ cheese.  I had to make it with vanilla almond milk (at least it’s unsweetened) because that’s all I have in the fridge.  It still tastes great.  And I put Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon on top!  Now, back to work for me.  Have a great day!

If you’d like me to post my basic mac n’ cheese recipe, let me know.  I do have a loaded version posted here.

What’s ON My Tortilla Today? Last Night’s Leftover Lentils!

It’s ON!  As in, this is an ON my tortilla day not an IN my tortilla day.  This tortilla is exactly why I advocate for making extra of things like lentils and quinoa so you will have leftovers.  It’s probably hard for you to believe that there actually are lentils on this tortilla!  They are there–hidden under the tasty veggies!

I started with a Trader Joe’s Chile and Onion Tortilla which I crisped in the toaster oven.  Then I added the lentils which I reheated on the stove top (no microwave in the HH kitchen!).  Next, red onion, fresh cilantro, yellow beet, zucchini and avocado.  A sprinkle of my not so secret no salt seasoning, a few dashes of hot sauce and a few raw sunflower seeds to finish the whole thing off.

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  When I need a tasty snack while traveling to an event or something, I like to make these as wraps.  Just make sure you don’t overdo any one ingredient portion-wise and you’ll be able to get lots of variety.

What’s In My Tortilla Today? Kinda Like Last Time, Only Better!

 

Really I say it’s better, but that’s just because I took a picture of it for you!

Happy to be back on the tortilla trail again.  I’ve been so busy with my paying gig that I’ve not had much time to photograph, let alone, write about my tortilla adventures.  Oh, I’m still busy, but there’s a sense of time being easier at the moment, so I’m going with it.

I realize that I don’t typically go into the details of how much of each ingredient I use for these tortillas.  Let’s mix it up today and get detailed.

I started with a Trader Joe’s Chile and Onion Tortilla.  I keep them in the freezer (not that they last long enough for that to be an issue) so I take one out.  I grab the rest of my ingredients that I feel like using today.

Hummus:  one serving is 2 Tbls, and I used just under that

Red onion:  chopped, about 1/8 cup or so

Zucchini:  1″ slice from a small one (about 1Tbls)

Yellow beet:  1/4″ slice from a medium one (about 1/2 Tbls)

Jalapeno:  about a 1/3 ” slice (remove seeds) from a medium sized pepper

Garlic:  one medium clove

Cilantro:  small handful of leaves, chopped a little

Seitan O’ Greatness:  This was made the other day too.  1/2 slice off the log (about 1/4 cup) and cut into small cubes

Tomato:  1/3″-1/2″ slice from a medium one, diced

Avocado:  1/4 of a medium sized one, diced (ish)

Nutritional yeast:  tiny sprinkle (1/4 tsp?)

Sunflower seeds:  raw, about 1/8 cup (one serving is 1/4 cup, by the way)

Bragg’s Organic Vinaigrette:  maybe a tsp.  (one serving is 2 Tbls, so you see you don’t even need that much)

Trader Joe’s Jalapeno Hot Sauce:  a few splashes

I thought I’d like the tortilla a little crispy around the edges so I put it in the toaster oven with the above ingredients on it at about 300ºF.  You really should keep an eye on tortillas in the toaster oven.  I have inadvertently walked away and burned a few in my day.  Also, I have this old hand-me-down toaster oven that doesn’t shut off automatically and I hate to burn and waste food.

While that was in the oven, I put the zucchini, fire roasted jalapeno (this was made previously and in the fridge),  garlic and yellow beet into my trusty mini chopper and chopped somewhat finely.

Then I took the tortilla out of the oven and then put the chopped cilantro, the veggie mix from the chopper and the cubed seitan on top.  Then I added the tomato, a tiny sprinkle of nutritional yeast and the avocado.  Then I drizzled on the vinaigrette and splashed on the hot sauce.  I always put the sunflower seeds on last so they don’t get too soggy–they are the raw variety, so they’re not a crunchy as roasted anyway.  Then I put the tortilla on my good old clear glass plate (my first and only set of dishes I bought when I was 19–never broke one piece in all the years) and took the photo.

Now, I’m about halfway done eating the thing as I write this.  It’s quite good, if I do say so myself.  Spicy, crispy yet chewy and filling.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  If you are trying to cut down on how much you eat, drink more water.  It helps you feel more full.  I know I’ve mentioned drinking more water before, but it’s important.  And, no,  beverages like coffee and soda that contain water do not count as water and why do you waste your money on them anyway?

What’s In My Smoothie Today? They Call It A Candy Bar Smoothie!

I got this in an email the other day from VegNews and decided that since I had all the ingredients, I’d make it for breakfast today.  It’s thick and hearty for a smoothie!  The photo came in the email too and is not mine.  The recipe is from Natalie Slater’s hot-off-the-press Bake and Destroy.  So let’s give credit where credit is due!

Makes 1 smoothie

What You Need: 1 frozen ripe banana ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 2 to 3 tablespoons almond butter 2 tablespoons flaxseeds (I used ground flax) 2 tablespoons raw cocoa nibs 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla Almond milk

What You Do: 1. In a blender, place the banana, coconut, almond butter, flaxseeds, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, and vanilla.2. Cover with almond milk and blend until smooth, adding more to achieve your desired consistency. Chef’s Tip: Add your favorite vegan protein powder for an extra dose of nutrition!   Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  Keep frozen (ripe) bananas on hand so you can always make a quick healthy treat.  Peel and cut into chunks and put into an air tight container.  Or you can just freeze the whole banana in the peel (in a freezer bag). I’d say frozen bananas can last a few months in the freezer, but use common sense–if they have lots of freezer burn (looks like snow) on them, you may not want to use in a smoothie, but may still be okay for a banana bread.

What’s In My Tortilla Tonight? Where Have I Been Hiding?

Just been busy with my paying gig.  Not that there haven’t been tons of tasty tortillas around here–there have.  I promise to get back on the tortilla track very soon.

This will be quick and to the point.  Today’s tortilla:  Trader Joe’s Chile and Onion Tortilla with faux mozzarella (made by me from cashews, click for more info), red onion, baby spinach, seitan o’greatness (recipe here), carrot, zucchini, yellow beet, cilantro, tomato, avocado, nutritional yeast, black pepper, Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Hot Sauce, Bragg’s Organic Vinaigrette and a dash of my secret no salt seasoning (okay, so since there is no photo today, I’ll give up the secret seasoning–onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, paprika, turmeric and cayenne pepper), and Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon.

All I have to say is yum!

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  Lots of people wonder how I manage to have all these ingredients around to make tortillas.  I only buy one only of most of the vegetable items like tomato, onion, beet, zucchini, etc.  Then I use small amounts a few slices of each.  Many veggies keep long in the fridge like carrots, beets and most fresh herbs if you wash and dry them and store in air-tight containers.  Things like nuts and seeds keep well in the freezer too.

What’s In My Salad Today? Kale, Cabbage and What?

It’s a nice warm summer day here in sunny San Diego and a fresh, cool salad is in order.  And, sometimes I just want to eat with a fork!  It really does look a lot like one of my tortilla creations, doesn’t it?  I could have served this in a tortilla but I’ve got banana bread that I made and that will be my bread item for today.  Not that I really watch the bread thing like a crazed person–I’ve really cut out most all bread except tortillas.  Keep an eye out for the banana bread recipe one of these days.

Today’s salad is (mostly organic) kale, green cabbage, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, red onion, apple, raisin, sunflower seed, fire roasted jalapeño, avocado, lemon juice, fresh garlic and a small splash of olive oil.

Oh!  I just realized as I’m typing this that I forgot to include the yellow beet that I have.  Darn it!  I’ll add it to my next meal.  I have to say that this is a nice mix of crunchy, tangy, sweet and spicy–the jalapeño adds zing and the raisins and apple balance with sweetness and the seeds for crunch and the avocado tops it all perfectly.  No chemical and fatty salad dressing needed!

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  Save vegetable scraps, skins, etc. (always wash first even if you are peeling so you can use for your broth) in a large gallon size freezer bag and when the bag is full, add to a large soup pot filled with water and make vegetable broth.  I usually add a few bay leaves and extra onion for good measure. I’ve discovered a great way to strain the broth by using a coffer filter in a funnel over a large glass jar.  Works great if you ladle the broth (you might want to wait for it to cool) into the lined funnel.  Also, last batch I made I re-used the veggies for a second batch by adding more water and simmering again.  Some of hhe best veggies to use for broth include onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, tomato, zucchini, potato and leek.  I don’t typically use red beets because of the color, but you could use yellow beets.

What’s In My Tortilla Today? Cilantro Pesto and Spaghetti Squash!

I know.  Seems like a crazy combo.  I do like to work with what I have on hand and I was handed the spaghetti squash by my kind neighbor.  I was at the store that day and saw a good deal on organic cilantro (3 oz. package for 99¢) so I grabbed it with a pesto in mind.  Here’s the low-down:

I washed the squash, cut it length-wise, scooped out the seeds, rubbed it with coconut oil, put into a glass baking dish cut side up and baked at 375º for about 50 minutes (you might want to check on it halfway through in case it seems dry and brush with a little more oil–I did not feel the need to do add more oil).  Let the squash cool enough to handle and then use a heavy fork to scrape the strands of squash from the skin.

Depending upon the size of the squash you may have a lot of “spaghetti” and that is why I’m on like my third meal and I still have more left.  Last night I served it over the bed of shredded baby romaine lettuce and topped with the pesto.

Today, of course I’m having it on a tortilla.

Here’s the rough recipe for the pesto.  Feel free to play with the ingredients and quantities as it’s pretty difficult to screw this up!

3/4-1 cup walnuts

1/4+ cup raw sunflower seeds

3 oz. (about a cup packed or so) fresh cilantro leaves (I removed the larger stems and left in some of the little ones)

1-2 (or more) handfuls of fresh parsley (this is all I had left and would’ve used more) or you can add fresh basil or a combination of these herbs

2 large cloves of garlic

Juice of 1/2 a lime (not those teeny limes, regular size)

Nutritional yeast (just a sprinkle)

Olive oil (I probably used between 2 tsp. and 2 Tbl. you may adjust for your own preference once you’ve mixed)

Coconut oil (I used around 2 tsp or so and again, adjust according to your preference or use all olive oil if you want)

1/3-1/2 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream (this was a fun addition to this recipe and I highly recommend this product for lots of things.  It is not the same as canned coconut cream, trust me on this and make sure you click on the link to check it out as they have the best quality coconut products I’ve ever used).

Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste

Process in food processor and adjust oils to desired thickness.  I process very thoroughly and like my pesto thicker so I can spread it.  Serve warm or cold.  I went with cold yesterday as I was serving over lettuce but today, I heated the tortilla with the pesto for a few minutes in the toaster oven.

Today’s tortilla is a whole wheat variety and I spread the pesto on it, added a layer of the spaghetti squash, some red onion, a bit of avocado and some hot sauce.  I just might have another one of these!

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  If you don’t want to use a lot of oil in your pesto, you can experiment with other liquids such as coconut milk (plain, of course), almond milk or other nut milks.  You could even use low sodium vegetable broth.  I’ve done this in the past and added more nutritional yeast too (takes the place of the cheese that is in typical, non-vegan pesto).

What’s In My Tortilla Today? Vegan Tofu Scramble! Product Review Alert!

The kind folks at Phoney Baloneys sent me a pack of Kyle Domer’s Rations with my last order for their coconut bacon.  So I guess this is kind of like a semi-solicited review, but I didn’t order this from them, so who knows or cares?

Okay, so this product is a spice packet for seasoning tofu for a tofu scramble.  This is not something I eat frequently, but from time to time I do buy organic, non-gmo tofu.  At first I thought there wasn’t enough in the packet to season a full block of tofu.  I was pleasantly surprised that it did provide enough flavor for the block of extra firm tofu as well as the add-ins I put in with it.  The seasonings are a little spicy, which I am partial to.   I did notice an aroma when I first added it to the tofu in the skillet that seemed kind of “eggy” like real eggs which for a vegan, is a major turn off.  This “eggy” scent did not carry over into the flavor so no worries.  I added red onion, orange bell pepper, fresh parsley and baby spinach to the skillet when I sauteed the tofu and again, there was enough flavor to cover all of this too.  I did add a little sprinkle of nutritional yeast as I can’t resist adding stuff.  I was going to add some of my secret no-salt seasoning but I managed to resist the urge out of a desire to taste this seasoning as it is  This dish would’ve been fined served just like this on a plate, but you know me, I’ve got to put it into a tortilla.  I used a Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice Tortilla (gluten free, baby!) which I warmed slightly in the toaster oven. I also added some avocado, raw sunflower seeds and Trader Jose’s Jalapeno Hot Sauce.

In review, this is a nicely flavored seasoning for tofu scramble worth trying for the ease of just throwing it into the skillet with the tofu for a quick and tasty meal.

Healthy Hypocrite Tip:  Get to know your local health food store, especially one with bulk bins.  I regularly buy many of my nuts, seeds, beans and grains in bulk when they are on sale.  My local Sprouts Farmers Market store (within walking distance, lucky me!) has a weekly flyer in the mail so I usually look it over to see what produce is in season and on sale along with bulk items.  Items I almost always have on hand are sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, black beans, garbanzo beans, raisins, dried cranberries, onion, oatmeal, flax seeds, chia seeds, popcorn (great air-popped), lentils, quinoa, nutritional yeast (yay bulk bins!).  I know you might be thinking, what about the farmer’s market?  I do advocate shopping there as well, but you need to have a price baseline so the local store is a good gauge.

Another bonus photo for your viewing pleasure: