Black Bean Citrus Slaw Tacos + BEETxBEET Giveaway!
Today happens to be National Taco Day! Yup, it's the best, most real of all the Taco Tuesday's we're going to celebrate this year. To get the party started, my friend Jacky and I from vegan apparel company BEETxBEET have teamed up to to share with you one of our favorite, easy Taco Tuesday recipes paired with a 'Lesbi Vegan' taco t-shirt giveaway - perfect for anyone who loves a good taco!
I love the vegan clothing and awareness company BEETxBEET and that they stand up for our animal friends, but I love owner, activist and girl boss Jacky Wasserman even more. We've been friends for a few years now after meeting at a vegan Oktoberfest and interviewing her about her company back where she first started. She works her ass off saving animals and making rad clothing, which has expanded from a few humble t-shirts to hats, notebooks and sometimes even customized cup cozies! She's had some great new, clever shirts come out lately so we decided to team up and create a recipe based on each of her most popular styles - and pair them each with a giveaway of the t-shirt itself! We made some great meals we think you guys are going to love - and then got to eat them ALL. Haha, but only to make sure they tasted perfectly before we shared them. Promise. (Ahh, the life of a food blogger. It's rarely glamorous, but it is full of taste-tests!) You can get the recipe by scrolling down a bit. To enter the giveaway to WIN your very own 'Lesbi Vegan' tee, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and fill out the widget. We'll let the widget randomly choose one winner and we'll email that person directly for size information + gender preference. GOOD LUCK!
INGREDIENTS
2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, drained (OR about 2 cups cooked black beans) 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 3 cups broccoli slaw (store bought OR just shredded broccoli, carrots + red cabbage) 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt tortillas, for serving pepitas, for garnish fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish DIRECTIONS In a medium cast iron or sauce pan combine the beans, coconut oil, lime juice, cider vinegar, soy sauce, cumin, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and chili powder. Stir to combine, and simmer over low-medium heat. While the beans cook, make the broccoli slaw by tossing together the shredded broccoli, carrots + red cabbage with lime juice, olive oil, and salt. Set aside. Prepare the tortillas by heating them on a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then flip and heat through. Keep warm tortillas wrapped in a clean towel or a tortilla warmer until ready to serve. Once the beans have cooked, portion them evenly into the tortillas then top with broccoli slaw, pepitas and freshly chopped cilantro. Serve immediately! NOTES Serves 2-4. Leftovers can be refrigerated separately for up to a week. 
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Party-Sized Jackfruit Nachos!
Whether you're into football or not, you probably know that the Super Bowl is this weekend. I've never been much of a football fan myself, but I'm always down for a party centered around eating! We're going to have some friends over the day before for a little get together and these nachos will absolutely be making an appearance. They're deceptively simple to make, big enough to share with a crowd, and so good your guests might not even believe you made them yourself! We start by smothering toasted tortilla chips with our spicy seasoned jackfruit, then pour on our homemade queso cheese and all the toppings you can imagine - plus we added guac!
This is a dish you won't want to share - it is THAT good! Which is also why we supersized it, so maybe it'd make it juuuuust a little easier to share? No matter what team you're rooting for, you'll be glad you made these nachos to munch on...and so will your guests!
INGREDIENTS
1 large bag of tortilla chips 1- 15 ounce can black beans, drained 2- 20 ounce cans of jackfruit (in brine), prepared and cooked to our Jack Asada recipe instructions 1-2 cups homemade queso cheese (or sub whatever dairy-free cheese you prefer), warmed 1/2 cup red onion, chopped small 1/2 cup black olives, sliced 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped the BEST guacamole, for serving limes, for garnish DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or aluminum foil). Spread the tortilla chips evenly over the baking sheet and scatter the drained black beans over the top. Layer the seasoned, cooked jackfruit evenly over the top, then place the baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes heat the chips, beans and jackfruit together. When finished, pull the baking sheet from the oven and immediately top with the queso cheese, chopped red onion, black olives, cilantro and guacamole. Serve immediately! NOTES Save time by preparing the jackfruit and queso a day ahead, then just reheat as necessary! If you use a different cheese (daiya, for example) we would recommend adding the cheese layer BEFORE baking so it melts while in the oven. Add whatever other toppings you like! Some suggestions? Cabbage, salsa, hot sauce, green onions, jalapeños, tomatoes! 
The BEST Guacamole
If you're into football you're probably getting ready for the big game next weekend! The Super Bowl, at least for my family, was always more about the food than the football. The focus was always on creating delicious, snack-able dishes to enjoy with our guests, but always included a TON of fried food. Ick.
Now that we're adults and can watch the game at our own place, we're more interested in making delicious dips and snacks that don't make us feel crummy or guilty about eating wayyyy too much. Because I inevitably will eat way too much. Luckily, we're gearing up some super delicious, healthier-for-you, gameday recipes to share with you all week...starting with our recipe for the BEST guacamole! This guacamole is our absolute favorite. We''ve been making this version for a few years, and it's pretty similar to Chipotle's style, if you're familiar. There are a million different ways to make this green gold, but we like ours full of fresh lime juice, red onion and cilantro. We serve it up at every taco night, take it to parties, and munch it on gameday, too! It's going to become your NEW favorite guacamole. Let's get dippin'!
INGREDIENTS
4 medium, ripe avocados 3 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped 1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 small jalapéno pepper, seeded and finely diced OR 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for spiciness) DIRECTIONS Slice the avocados in half lengthwise, tossing the seed and scooping the green innards into a large mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher until it reaches your desired consistency; my recommendation is to keep it a little chunky. Pour in the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and peppers, if using. Stir to combine. Serve immediately with chips or as an accompaniment to tacos or fajitas! Serves about 4. NOTES DON'T go squeezing (and ruining for everyone else) all the avocados at the store! If it has a little give and the stem doesn't just fall off, you're good. If it is overly softened or the stem falls off easily, revealing a dark or black area underneath, skip it. The best way I've found to save leftover guac without it turning too brown is to cover it with plastic wrap, but push the plastic wrap against the guac in the bowl, so no air can stay trapped between the two. Alternately, you can try one of the million tricks found on the internet. Again though, the plastic wrap trick works pretty well. So does scraping off the brown layer and eating the perfectly good guac underneath.
Mexican Wheat Berry Salad
Sometimes you want something a little spicy, sometimes you don't. If you don't, thats okay. If you do, this dish is for you! We used our flavor-packed, low-fat Cauliflower Queso Cheeze recipe to coat one of our favorite and underused pantry staples, wheat berries, and added plenty of fresh veggies and cilantro to kick it up to party-worthy appetizer level! We fell in love with wheat berries a few years ago at a friends wedding where they served a lovely vegetarian salad (that I literally picked the cheese out of) and have been incorporating them into our diets more and more ever since. Wheat berries are the entire kernel of wheat, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This means that they are the purest, whole, unprocessed form of wheat. When ground, they make whole wheat flour! Wheat berries are high in fiber and rich in vitamins B1 and B3, plus magnesium, phosphorous, copper, manganese and selenium. And since they're so hearty and full of fiber, a 1/2 cup serving of cooked wheat berries does a great job of filling you up and keeping you fuller, longer. We love this salad as an appetizer or side dish alongside our Jackfruit Asada Street Tacos. Its a crowd pleaser and requires very minimal work on your part, plus is easily made ahead for parties. Let's eat!
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup hard wheat berries 3 cups water 1/2 cup Queso Cheeze 1-2 tablespoons jalapéno, chopped 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced (we used yellow tomatoes from the garden!) 1/2 cup green onion, sliced 2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro juice of 1 lime chips for scooping (optional) DIRECTIONS: In a medium sized pot, boil wheat berries in water for about an hour, until the berries become soft enough to eat. Drain the water, and set the wheat berries aside to cool. If you haven't prepped the queso cheese, go ahead and do that. If you have, move on to the next step. Prep jalapeños, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro. When wheat berries have cooled, mix in queso cheeze, jalapeños, tomatoes, green onion (save a little for garnish, if you like), chopped cilantro, and the juice squeezed from 1 lime. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine, garnish with remaining green onion, and serve with chips! Makes about 2 cups, serves 4. This dish will save well in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!
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'California Burrito' Tacos
If you're from anywhere else in the US and you think you know what good Mexican food is, I can tell you straight up: YOU'RE WRONG. Only in Southern California can you get authentic, traditional, spicy Mexican dishes made with love. And of course in California, we like to mix things up. Do it our way, you know? Thats probably why San Diego has become famous for putting its own twist on traditional carne asada burritos and adding french fries. Maybe it was the surfers who did it first, maybe we'll never know, but ordering a California Burrito anywhere in So Cal means that you're getting a stuffed burrito - including french fries. And it is DAMN delicious. The french fries add a bit of crunch and flavor to the burrito and help balance out the spiciness from the 'meat' and must-have hot sauce. Because we're such big Beyond Meat fans we used their beefy crumbles as our meat substitute and loved it. You can make your own french fries or buy your favorite frozen ones and bake 'em up, but either way this is a MUST TRY. In this recipe we made the traditional burritos into tacos for two reasons; first, we love tacos (who doesn't?), and second we have a hard time finding big flour tortillas that don't contain a bunch of sketchy ingredients. Tortillas should just be flour, water, salt and lime. Anything else, especially gross preservatives, and you can count me out. Instead we bought small organic corn tortillas and doubled 'em up, traditional style, and then put all our fillings (including a heart handful of french fries) inside. Add a squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of cilantro and hot sauce, and if you want - although traditionally not included- a little vegan cheese, and you've got a taco party on your hands. Let's eat!
INGREDIENTS:
French Fries 3 medium russet potatoes, cut into french fries OR about 3 cups of your fave frozen french fries 1 tablespoon coconut oil (only if making your own fries) salt to taste Meaty Crumbles 2 cups Beyond Meat Beefy Crumbles (or faux meat of choice- like in our jackfruit asada tacos!) 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon salt Everything Else 1 lime, quartered 1 avocado, pitted and sliced 1/4 cup chopped onions 1/4 chopped cilantro corn tortillas hot sauce + salsa, to taste vegan cheese for sprinkling (optional) DIRECTIONS: French Fries Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you're making fries from scratch, wash your potatoes well and slice into into fries about 1/4 inch thick. Coat a baking sheet in the 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, then spread your potatoes or frozen fries onto a baking sheet and bakes until golden and crispy, about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Set aside. Meaty Crumbles Pour meaty crumbles and coconut oil into a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add in cumin, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder and salt. Stir well to evenly coat the crumbles in spices, and cook over medium heat until the crumbles are heated through and smelling delicious. Everything Else While the meaty crumbles + fries cook, prepare the rest of your ingredients; Slice the lime, avocado, and onion and chop the cilantro. Heat a separate cast iron pan, or pop the tortillas in the oven for a few minutes to heat warm them. When they're ready assemble the tacos starting with 2 layered corn tortillas, then top with beefy crumbles, fries, avocado, onions, cilantro and as much lime + hot sauce or salsa (or both) as you like. If you're adding a sprinkle of cheese, toss that on too. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to a week, but the corn tortillas should be heated fresh for each meal (duh). Enjoy! Makes 4-6 tacos.
Jackfruit Asada Street Tacos
Here in Southern California, it's all about the food. We're surrounded by great local restaurants and tons of farmers markets. We're lucky to live a place where fresh produce, great weather, and a melting pot of diversity has also attracted some amazing chefs- its a culinary adventure living out here. That being said, there is almost no better food I've ever eaten here than a traditional Mexican street taco. There's an art to the simple street taco: the meat has so much great flavor cooked into it you don't need much for toppings- a sprinkle of onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Avocado, cabbage (if you have it), and salsa are great additions, too. And tomorrow, street tacos will be in high demand...that and margaritas, of course- it's Cinco de Mayo! Since we've gone vegan, we eat a lot less (okay, no) traditional street tacos (you know- the whole meat thing), but we really love the traditional carne asada- grilled meat- flavor, so we've just started making our own. Turns out, a kitchen taco can be just as good as street taco. Who knew?! The jackfruit makes a great substitute for carne asada because of it's meat-like texture when shredded and ability to take on the flavor of whatever it's seasoned with. You can find jackfruit at your local Asian market or online. These babies whip up quick and are easy to make in bulk for Cinco de Mayo parties or for Taco Tuesdays any week of the year. Let's eat!
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon coconut oil, for frying 1- 20 ounce can (10 ounces, drained) Jackfruit in brine or water (NOT syrup), seeds removed 1 orange, juiced (about 1/3 cup juice) 1 lime, juice (about 2-3 tablespoons juice) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper organic corn tortillas 1-2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced 1/2 cup red onions, diced 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped lime slices, for garnish DIRECTIONS: In a medium cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Place jackfruit into a mixing bowl and use two forks or your fingers to shred it. Add orange and lime juice, garlic, coconut oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix until jackfruit is well coated, then pour the whole mixture into the heated skillet. Cook over medium heat about 10-15 minutes, until juices thicken and reduce and jackfruit begins to slightly brown in pan. While jackfruit cooks, prepare the avocados, red onions, cilantro, and lime. Heat a large flat skillet over medium heat and warm tortillas on the skillet until warm, flipping once. When the jackfruit asada is ready, pile some into a (or double) warmed corn tortillas, then top with a few avocado slices, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy! Makes 4-6 tacos.
Looking for more Cinco de Mayo inspired recipes? Check out our Caulifower Queso Cheeze, Baked Jalapeño Poppers with Cilantro Lime Mayo, and Mexican Chickpea Scramble!
Chick'n Tortilla Soup
One of the first recipes I ever made when I decided to try being a vegan was a tortilla soup from 'How It All Vegan'. Its a super simple combo of canned tomatoes, veggie broth, onions, spices and a hearty sprinkle of tortilla chips- very user friendly for a new vegan. Alex loved it. It may just have been the thing that convinced him that this whole 'no meat' thing wasn't so bad after all- he jumped on the vegan train just a few months after I did. And having a vegan partner makes life in our house very harmonious and very delicious. Especially when you get to sit down and enjoy a meal like this with your ridiculously good looking boyfriend after!
This soup is a step-up from the stuff I was making way back then for sure, and takes less than an hour from start to finish. I added lots of onions, bell peppers, and fresh lime juice, plus the new Chick Seitan from Upton's Naturals. This stuff is amazing! It looks like chicken, it tastes like chicken (I mean I think- I haven't eaten chicken in years), and the texture would be great fried up and served with mashed potatoes or baked into pot pies- but also in this tortilla soup! It adds a great meaty texture and flavor to the soup and really makes it a meal. It's delicious! You can find the Upton's Chick Seitan anywhere their products are sold or you can order it online. But if you're avoiding gluten, ditch the faux meat and just enjoy a delicious, veggie-loaded tortilla soup. Let's do this!
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, diced 1 large bell pepper, diced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 4 cups vegetable broth 2 limes, freshly juiced (about 1/3 cup juice) 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 package (4 ounces) of Upton's Chick Seitan tortilla chips + cilantro, for garnish DIRECTIONS: In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic, onion, and peppers until softened. Add in tomatoes, veggie broth, lime juice, bay leaf, spices, and Chick Seitan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes. When ready, serve with tortilla chips and freshly chopped cilantro. Makes 4-6 servings, and keeps about a week in the fridge. Enjoy!
Zesty Jicama Salad with Avocado, Cilantro & Lime
Sometimes, it's Valentines Day and you eat your weight in chocolate + pizza. And sometimes, you wake up the net day feeling like a groggy slob monster with a tummy ache and a face full of oil. The cure? A healthy, raw salad to wake up your insides and get you back on the right track. Being in love is magical and sweet...until it starts messing' with your gut! This easy-to-make salad will do just the trick! Jicama is packed with inulin- a fiber that promotes good bacteria in the intestines and helps create a healthy colon and strong immune system. Plus, just a one cup serving provides half of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and is low-glycemic & a great option for diabetics or those on an anti-candida diet. Let's get your tummy back on track so you can get back to snugglin' with your main squeeze, shall we?
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. Jicama (about 3 cups), peeled & cut into matchsticks 1 small red onion, diced 2 avocados, halved & cubed 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 2 limes, juiced salt & pepper to taste DIRECTIONS: Peel the jicama, chop into matchsticks, and place into a large mixing bowl. Add diced onions, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Use tongs to toss ingredients together, being careful not to mash the avocado too much. Serve on its own or with tortilla chips. Saves in the fridge in an air-tight container about 3 days before the avocado will brown. Makes about 4 cups. Enjoy!
Mini Key Lime Cheesecakes
Its (almost) SUMMERTIME and I've been craving guilt-free goodies. Nothing taste more like summer to me than a giant slice of key lime pie and a margarita, and today, I'm going to do just that. One mini-cheesecake, one stiff drink, a beach towel, and a book. Anyone care to join me?
These cheesecakes are so easy to whip up they'll have you feeling like you really ARE on summer vacation already. And maybe you are! In that case, have two margaritas. This recipe is broken up into several 'set it & forget it' steps, followed by a large serving of DELICIOUS. You're gonna love the creamy, zesty lime flavor, accented by a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and the chewy, sweet, date & nut crust. Perfect for sharing, summer sized-portions, and adorable snacking. Can also be made in cake pan-size, if you prefer. Either way, I'll see you at the beach. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Crust: 1/2 cup pitted dates 1 1/2 cup nuts (I used almonds and cashews) 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil Cheesecake: 3 cups soaked cashews 3/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice 2/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup 3/4 cup melted coconut oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 key lime, zested (about 1 teaspoon) sprinkle of coarse sea salt, for garnish Directions: Crust: Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or high speed blender. Grease or line 4-6 ramekins or tart dishes OR 1 9-inch spring form pan. Press date & nut mixture into bottom of ramekins or pan. Refrigerate or freeze to set coconut oil, about one hour. Cheesecake: Soak cashews in warm water for at least one hour. Blend cashews, lime juice, agave, coconut oil, salt, vanilla, and lime zest in a food processor or high speed blender until completely combined. Remove ramekins or cake pan from the fridge and fill to the top with key lime mixture. Put in the freezer or fridge to set for at least 3 hours before serving (or just eat it- it might not keep its shape as well but it'll still taste delicious). When ready, remove from the fridge and plate. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a lime wedge to garnish. Serve, and enjoy! Great topped with coconut whipped cream or all by itself. Last indefinitely covered in the freezer and at least 1 week in the fridge. Makes 4-6 small ramekins or tarts OR one 9-in cake pan worth of cheesecake.
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